The key for Bama and Saban is a bowl. They don’t go to one and it will create lots of pressure from the fan base – pay Nick 4 million a year plus the continued payout of the Shula buyout, and they end up in the same place they were last year. Even a trip to Shreveport might not help. TerryP and others keep defending the situation and so would I if I were a Bama fan. But for the rest of the SEC, the Bama fan’s continued arrogance and always acting like they are entitled just because they are Bama will never set well. Nick brought LSU back and he can do the same for Bama given time and cooperation of the fans, the administration and the players. TerryP and the other Bama defenders need to realize that Nick’s success at LSU was not just Nick. The team, the fans and the administration all bought into his “process”. While at LSU Nick was in total control. Not long after Nick left LSU, the rumors around Memphis were that Nick realized he would not have that kind of control within a few weeks of arriving in Miami and upon realizing his mistake had his agent looking for a college job. It took two years and lots of work – they supposedly even talked to LSU (like that was going to happen after the way Sexton and Saban treated us) A & M and approached Florida State on the chance Papa Bowden was about to retire. Bama did not lure Nick back into college coaching, he had been trying to get back in and they came along. Sexton being the agent he is, realized he had a fish and the only thing left was to get the price up as high as he could. The hard work was taking about three months to get the price up so it would not look like Nick was taking a lesser position in his mind. Bama was hooked. Nick’s problems lately are control of the program, not just the team. The big money Bama boosters are more active in the program than anything Nick experienced at LSU. He does not have the control he needs to function and as a result his frustration with the situation spills over into public view. Now let’s get on with the pork roasting this afternoon and let Nick and Bama stew in their own juices.
The thoughts of Saban having lost his team or on the verge of doing so centers around all the open criticism of his players and team. Yes, it is his style but I'm not sure it's playing very well in Bamaland or with his players after the loss to LM. A lot of fans are questioning his tactics and style. Some Bama posters on this board are trying to dispel this saying its only a small percentage of fringe Bama fans saying this. Of course when the local media comes out strong questioning Saban's tactics and Bama posters turn defensive we all know things are not well. A Bama win over Auburn will get Saban back on track with the honeymoon over. A Bama loss and I suspect a mini Bama meltdown with added pressure on next year as if that is needed. A Bama loss to Auburn might make year 2 a make or brake year for Saban. His only saving grace is to deliver a strong recruiting class. As we all know, nobody knows what that will be until signing day. It's interesting to compare Dennis Erickson's first year at ASU with Saban's first year at Bama. Two very different styles of coaching. It's obvious watching the ASU game last night Bama has much better talent then ASU. ASU's QB does not come close to the physical talent of John Parker Wilson.
I'm not sure he had 'the process' when he was at LSU or at least I don't recall anything about it back then. Pretty sure it was just coaching and recruiting in those days. Did he have 'the process' when he was at LSU or is this something new he invented at Alabama? Will he one day reveal what "the process" is? Are other people in on it or is it something only he knows? Is it a new coaching meathod and just what does it involve? Is it legal and within NCAA guidelines for him to have the advantage of 'the process' when other schools and coaches don't have it?
Nick Saban's "Process" If you buy into the "Process" by Nick Saban then you are drinking the Kool Aid. When you hear a Bama fan refer to Saban's "Process" then you know they are blind to anything else and will believe anything Saba says as gospel. Underneath Saban is just a good over paid coach with a HUGE EGO. Games are still won by the players on the field.
Every coach out there has a process in which he builds his teams. He used the same process at LSU starting with the 4th quarter program. It's developing a winning, finishing attitude.
