Posted on 12/03/2008 7:40:50 PM PST by indcons
Alabama coach Nick Saban responded angrily to today's news that Tommy Tuberville is out at Auburn after 10 years.
Tuberville makes four head coaches to lose to Saban this season and not retain their jobs, joining Clemson's Tommy Bowden, Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer and Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom.
Here was Saban's unprompted statement ...
"There have been several coaches that have been let go in our league that have a pretty good body of work behind them. They've been really good coaches. They've been really good for the game. They've been good for a lot of players, and they've had very, very good programs. I've talked about Phillip. I've never really ever talked about Sly - Sylvester - and Tommy (Tuberville). Those guys are really good coaches. They've done a good job for a long time. They've got a tremendous body of work.
"I really question some of the judgment relative to how it is for our game that people who have those kind of relationships and have done that kind of job and affected so many people in a positive way - and have had a reasonable amount of success relative to their circumstances - would not be given more respect and consideration than what these guys have been.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.al.com ...
Auburn University's successful coach is shown the door after posting the program's first losing season in a while. Tuberville leaves with an 85-40 record, an undefeated season in 2004, and a resume that would make him attractive to any school in America.
I'm afraid that the all-powerful trustees have disgraced themselves (for the second time in 5 years), shot themselves and the program in the head, and may be relegating the program to second-tier status for a while to come.
I hope I'm mistaken.
ping
The NCAA has become the NFL. Amazing that blob of goo has Notre Dame by the balls.
A lot of good coaches get a raw deal when their teams don’t produce. That is sad, yet I have a hard time feeling sorry for the coaches. Most of them made a lot of money and get a pretty decent severence package. They knew what they were getting into. They chose to make a large sum of money instead of going for job security.
I really question Saban’s judgement...just ask the folks in MIA.
I think Saban’s concern is for more than the coaches. What about the players? But he has his own program jumping that makes it hard for me to believe he’s all about commitment to players and schools. I think on the one hand Saban is very Pollyannaish—when he’s looking out at the world. He’s also a Scorpio and volatile and prone to action without considering all of the ramifications. I think he’s a great coach anyway. Roll Tide! I hope he doesn’t become all cynical about school’s fickleness and quit after he wins the National Championship in January . . .
:-)
Saban did the right thing when he left Miami. His heart wasn’t in it. I bet Miami is happy he left.
Saban's prob shocked Tubb stayed with one program for that long
They’re going to have a heck of a time winning the National Championship after losing to the Gators on Saturday. :)
Yes I too didn’t think Saban had his heart in it when he was with the Canes but his body of work is pretty good wining it all with LSU and now within eyesight of a second title with Alabama. The Alabama/Florida will be one hell of a game.
Then he shouldn't have trouble finding a new job. These big-school programs pay their coaches millions of dollars to produce, I guess they feel he didn't earn it this year.
Don’t matter if they do lose to the Gators. They will still count it as another one of their National Championships. I think they claim 147 of them so far.
Translation: "Tubby has done a fair job considering the cow college he's been stuck at."
Alabama will lose to the Gators who will also beat OU for the national champ.
Saban was with the Dolphins.
The really sad thing is how this attitude is growing on the high school level. Your not “only as good as your last win” anymore, your only as good as your next one.
You raise an excellent point about the players. College football is professional football for everyone involved, except the players. (OK, they get an education out of the deal.)
I watched Saban turn around an MSU program and he is a great coach. I was sad to see him leave, but the money was better elsewhere. His complaints concerning Tubberville do ring hollow.
Not that I think people should not pursue excellence -- they should -- but at some level the game needs to be about fun and learning life's lessons as well.
The problem with coaches like Saban is that at the first sign of trouble, off he goes to the next big payday.
Good luck on Saturday, Nick. You’re going to need it to beat the best team in the country.
BTW, on AMC now, one fine American movie-Heartbreak Ridge.
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