long ago. If so, he had Skip fooled. Bertman Meets With Media Following Saban Announcement LINK BATON ROUGE -- LSU Athletics Director Skip Bertman met with members of the media Saturday night in the LSU media room following the announcement in Orlando by football coach Nick Saban that he would take the head coaching position with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. Here are some of Bertman's opening comments to the media: "I think he (Saban) handled it well. I think he vacillated back and forth many times. Many reporters asked me how could he wait, he has everything [he was asking for in the Dolphins contract], and I've said you have to coach at LSU to understand that. Nick was touched by a lot of people and he and his family had the best time they've ever had in their coaching career for this five-year period. Nick is driven, he is gifted and talented and people like that like to take on new challenges. Naturally, everyone here at LSU wishes him well. We did everything we could. We changed his mind several times, but quite honestly, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a football coach with the control that he has and the ability to be able to handle football situations off the 100-yard playing field and I don't think other coaches have had that and I applaud Nick for taking the step." "He [Saban] was amazing. When he took over, everything he said he said he was going to do, he did. He did it with class, he did it with character. There was dignity involved. The academics have been fantastic. He filled in two holes in terms of facilities in the academic center and the football operations center that we needed very badly here. I think he leaves it better than when he came, he leaves it as one of the premier jobs in the United States." "When Nick began speaking to the Dolphins, I began with the President's okay and the Board's okay, I began making sure that we would be protected. We have enlisted a search firm. Names have been given to us and now the search firm will activate to see and access the interest level of candidates. We are not going to rule out any and we are going to ensure that we move quickly. We hope we get a coach for five, 10 or 20 years. Waiting an extra day or two isn't as important as getting the right person."
He has been eyeing the job since last year, and told Searles in Oct. that he was going to take him with him 'if things work out'. Add to that the fact that he agreed in principle to the Chicago job last year before his wife told him to get real...and you have a situation where it becomes obvious he was gone - if he got what he wanted. He did. That info comes from a guy on TB, which I believe. Others may not.
Can someone give me proof that Saban knew for a long time that he was leaving And I am not looking for the "wake up" and "its obvious" comments but actual proof. I have not seen any.....
Interesting story about the Chicago deal last year from a poster who is a moderator of another board. You can believe it or not. Doesn't really matter to me. Last year we were told by Nick Saban that he turned down the Chicago Bears. Well, that is both true & not true --here is the story: Last year Nick Saban accepted the Chicago Bear's head coaching position. In fact he called a certain assistant coach & coordinator and asked him if he was going to Chicago with him. The coach told him "Well, I guess so because I obviously don't have a job at LSU anymore". After telling the Bears that he was coming Terry put her foot down & said no. Saban was forced to call the bears the next day & renege on his commitment. This is fact & I swear on my immortal soul that this is true. So basically we were lied to last year. Obviously we have been mislead this year. Only Terry & family raising hell kept Saban from accepting this a week ago. Bottom line is I thought he learned his lesson--that is why I thought he stayed. I have known for sometime that he lied to us & that his integrity & ethics were somewhat myths--the good part is that we have a solid base & will win big immediately. WHat we need is a coach that wants to be an LSU coach--not one driven by uncontrolled ego
You won't find any proof he has known for a long time because there is none...he has not known for a long time. He has known he was interested for a long time though.
He goes on to say how he obtained this information, and it was compelling. I am not sure if he wants it posted all over the place...if he wants to add that tidbit here he can (or someone else will).
Depends on what you mean by him knowing. HE KNEW for a long time that he was going to be an NFL coach. HE KNEW he was going to go when certain conditions were met. HE HOPED that at that time his family would want to go too. They didn't . HE said too bad.
What I mean by knowing is what I posted way up this thread - he knew that if the Miami job opened up, and the owner gave him all he asked for, he would leave (pending agreement from his wife).
I know all of that. But that does not mean Saban made this current decisions weeks ago. It just means he has been looking for a possible NFL job for years. I am looking for someone to prove to me that Saban knew he was heading to the Dolphins weeks ago, which can't be proven (or at least I dont think it can) as many want others to believe.
