If Bama doesn’t clean up, it can say goodbye to Saban
Hey, it's cool. I can read sign language. Nick Saban is saying, "Back off Bama boosters or I am so gone, so fast." (AP photo)
Let’s start with the obvious at Alabama.
There was no academic fraud. There was no cash exchanged between a coach and a player or a booster and a recruit. And nobody representing the university snuck an outside linebacker onto the roster with a swimming scholarship, so help me Bear Bryant.
So really, obtaining and distributing free textbooks barely cracks the school’s NCAA violation depth chart.
But somebody had better wake up in Tuscaloosa — Nick Saban will be gone before lunch tomorrow.
Saban might be the best coach in the SEC (I say might because I figure that debate’s for another blog.) He wins. He doesn’t cheat. He’s in demand. The fact he’s a liar is just a byproduct of that because, well, he can get away with it.
The point is, Nick Saban doesn’t need Alabama. It’s the other way around.
But as much as everybody wants to classify athletes getting free textbooks for friends as some trivial no-no, this is the fourth time in 14 years the Tide is in violation of NCAA rules: 1995, 1999, 2002, 2009.
Saban isn’t sticking around if this doesn’t stop. He doesn’t need this. He can have almost any job (save the Miami Dolphins). The problem is, he’s at Alabama, where coloring outside the lines has been pervasive for decades. What’s the chance the place suddenly turns into Rice?
Something will happen. Something always does at Alabama. It’s why I just don’t see Saban sticking around long term.
I’ve got two questions for anybody who considers this NCAA matter trivial:
1) It was found that 201 student-athletes in 16 sports obtained free textbooks for friends. Do you really believe that all 201 student-athletes did this out of sheer friendship and nobody received compensation in return?
2) If 201 student-athletes in 16 sports spread across campus were doing this, how plausible is it that not one single coach, official, teacher, administrator or ballboy knew about this?
See how quickly something “minor” becomes major?
Alabama officials almost gloated in 2007 when the football program finally was clear of probation. That’s when Saban was hired. In his second season, he led the Tide to a 12-0 regular season record, before losing to Florida in the SEC title game and Utah in the Sugar Bowl.
But now the school is on three years probation and must vacate 21 victories between 2005 and 2007. Some of those came under Saban.
That will forever be on his resume. You think that’s not on his mind? You think he needs this?
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110 comments Add your comment
CNSYD
June 12th, 2009
11:36 am
Otto, I have news for you. ND does not have academic standards when it comes to football. Don’t you remember that Loose Bolts coached there? Read “Under the Tarnished Dome”. I, like Captain Renault, am SHOCKED to hear that cheating goes on in the SEC!
j.d. green
June 12th, 2009
11:50 am
Strange that no one mentioned that at the end of the semester the books had to be turned back in or paid for. Surely you don’t believe students were paying over value for text books and then not getting to re-sell them, but if you are a BAMA basher you probably do.
Steve
June 12th, 2009
11:50 am
hey Good job Jeff- Why rip on Alabama and it’s people so? Are your people directly related to the original Mayflower people; it that your long standing social stripe, your pedigree? If you’re from Georgia and ripping Alabama, do you think people living in the Hamptons think there’s a spits worth of difference between Alabama and Georgia. I bet you a dime to a dollar you don’t have to look to far into your own ancestory to find a lot of folks the Banjo Boy in Deliverance could intellectually look down on. You seem very jealous as well as imtimidated by the potential of a young Alabama team. I don’t blame you, I would be too. Chill bud, chill.
Ted Striker
June 12th, 2009
12:00 pm
Quoting Paul Dee, chair of the NCAA Infractions Committee: “The university could not produce records before the 2005 fall semester, so it’s unclear if similar violations occurred earlier.”
Frankly this could have been worse for Alabama and they may have actually received a pass for games prior to 2005.
(pa)Roll Tide!
bigcooterb
June 12th, 2009
12:45 pm
Jeff, do you really think this is the only school where this goes on? My guess is that there is not a school in the country where this does not happen.
T-DAWG
June 12th, 2009
1:05 pm
All this talk about Saban is not fruitful. After all this man has only won 1 national Championship and that was shared with USC. Urban has more titles than Saban. Saban is good but not the best and watch Bama struggle this year 9-3. ROLL TIDE!!!!!!
T-DAWG
June 12th, 2009
1:10 pm
Hey Bama fans lets talk about incoming freshman Dre Kirkpatrick having a brand new Dodge Charger and paying cash for it without a JOB!!!!!!
Maddog
June 12th, 2009
1:33 pm
LOL!! I love the post by “your a moron”. You wish to insult someone’s intelligence and you use “your” where it should be “you’re”. Then to top it all off, you begin your post with “Enter your comments here”. You haven’t exactly figured out this blogging thing now have you?
richtfan
June 12th, 2009
1:44 pm
there are certain programs that will never receive the death penalty no matter what they do, and one of them is Bammer. The NCAA does not have the guts to shut their program down. Same goes for USC, and we all know all of the payments that they have given to their athletes (reggie bush’s parents).
Lee
June 12th, 2009
2:00 pm
He didn’t say that “all” received money for the textbooks. Perhaps you should read what Schultz wrote and not make up things you think he said, Tracey.
Atlanta Journal Constitution » Blog Archive » If Bama doesn’t clean up, it can say goodbye to Saban
June 12th, 2009
3:14 pm
[...] Jeff Schultz | ajc.com – [...]
Paul W. Bryant Jr.
June 12th, 2009
3:31 pm
T-Dawg – Hey boy, Dre Kirkpatrick did some yard work for me over spring break to pay for that there car.
Paul W. Bryant Jr.
June 12th, 2009
3:33 pm
And let the record show that I paid for them there text books.
My daddy said they ain’t nothing wrong with helpin them there kids out with some expenses as long as the NAACP don’t catch no wind of it.
Paul W. Bryant Jr.
June 12th, 2009
3:34 pm
so, who has a moron? I got me a bunch of them there morons ova here in Tuscaloosa.
Jon P
June 12th, 2009
4:30 pm
I think that the NCAA hit Alabama WAY too hard! It’s not like any ineligible players were playing or coaches were paying players. There is NO REASON to take away victories as no violation occurred on the field! Who is on the NCAA board that voted on this? Are there any SEC representatives or are they all from the North or Midwest? Let the punishment fit the crime…leave the victories, take away scholarships instead. Makes more sense! And I am not a ‘Bama fan and I still don’t think that it’s a fair deal.
T-DAWG
June 12th, 2009
4:54 pm
SABAN is a PIMP!!!!!! He tells the BamaNation to jump and they say (HOW HIGH DADDY SABAN)
Tide rising
June 12th, 2009
5:16 pm
T-DAWG,
Sorry to burst your bubble but you just don’t know what you’re talking about in regards to Dodge chargers and Gadsden, etc. That’s all just nonsense that was made up out of thin air on Auburn message boards. Its already been looked into and there’s not one iota of truth to it. But there are idiots out there who actually are stupid enough to believe fictitious stuff like this that gets made up out of thin air on the internet of all places.
But I do have a standing reward of $1,000 to anyone like yourself who believes this kind of crap and can prove it. All you have to do is produce just one single shred of evidence. You got that of course right? I’m assuming you’re not the kind of absolute fool who just believes any ole rumor started on opposing message boards. Nope. You sound much smarter than that! So go ahead and provide your proof and then offline I’ll wire your money to you. If you can’t provide your proof then do all sane, reasonable, intelligent people a favor and just STFU!
Tide rising
June 12th, 2009
5:21 pm
T-Dawg,
Oh. I forgot to mention to you that about a week or so ago on a recent update on Bama online Dre Kirkpatrick was jokingly asked what his favorite car was by the Bama reporter. He jokingly replied Dodge Charger. He was mocking idiots like yourself who actually believe stuff like this. They were mocking people like you but you’re just too freaking stupid to realize it. And now there you go again rehashing rumors that only the village idiot would believe.
Silver Skillet
June 12th, 2009
5:40 pm
For the love……Sgt. Schultz are you Jay Bookmans brother from a different mother? Talk about bad, biased “Yellow Journalism”……You two should team up and start a thread in the funny papers….Really you guys should, you would both be fantastic at it.
Mitchell Gant
June 12th, 2009
6:57 pm
Do a little more research, Jeff. LSU was sanctioned for academic misconduct during Saban’s tenure in Baton Rouge. You might also ask your colleagues in the biz about the ongoing (but as yet unpublicized) NCAA investigation into Alabama’s recruiting and academic misdeeds that’s been underway for months now.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/2004-05-07-lsu-sanctions_x.htm
roy
June 12th, 2009
7:01 pm
I can’t remember a conference fearing a coach as much as Saban. Wonder why?
Tidewatch
June 12th, 2009
8:17 pm
Otto,
You are absolutely right about NCAA double standards. I am glad a fan of another team recognizes this.
Saban IS a cheat
June 12th, 2009
8:28 pm
Jeff? Wasn’t Saban in the bidding for Albert Means at MSU? Do the names Gadsden, Mobile, Hoover, Foley mean anything to you? Stick around…they will shortly…and the sad thing is…Bama fans know it….that school has not been able to win unless it cheats and that includes the Bear. Saban is going to come out dirty..and so woll Kevin Steele and Lance Thompson….and mostly Kirby Smart. Enjoy Bama fans…Round Two is up shortly
Lane Kiffen
June 12th, 2009
9:26 pm
When did they get text books in Tuscaloosa?
Other than the ones where you have to color inside the lines of course.
Think About It
June 12th, 2009
9:28 pm
Athlete receives $200 text book for free…..sells to friend for $100 who agrees to return book after semester….semester ends and textbook is returned as required….athlete has made a profit. I don’t understand those saying no profit was made because the books had to be returned.
Mr. History
June 12th, 2009
9:50 pm
SMU.
MrModerate
June 12th, 2009
9:50 pm
Yawn . . . is this the best the AJC can afford? No wonder the print media is going the way of the dinosaurs.
TigerFan23
June 12th, 2009
10:25 pm
bama needs to get its act together or get out of the SEC. They are an embarrassment to the SEC and this state!!.
Farley Horseshocker
June 12th, 2009
10:27 pm
Still trying to figure out how textbooks gave Bama a competitive
edge on the field and they had to vacate wins ???
Checkered Asshat Gang
June 12th, 2009
10:58 pm
BAMAPERRY sounds like typical bammer fan in denial…. No bammer player profited? Gimme a break. This probably was not one of the biggest violations that has been made, but you can bet some players profited $$$
SaBaNaTiOn
June 12th, 2009
11:34 pm
Hey Saban IS a cheat,
How long do we have to wait to find out about Gadsden and all the other made up crap? I’m asking you because you sound like you have the inside scoop you jacka**. Run along, your mommy is calling you back to the double wide.
Bamma36Barners0
June 13th, 2009
12:00 am
Nothing like a bunch of tigger trash on a Friday night for spinning yarns…..Well here is a couple back at you that pass the truth test……..Auburn is No.#3 On the NCAA All time Cheaters List for rule infractions trying to keep up with its big brother Alabama. Most notable the Chief Engineer for MARTA who designed the worst rapid transit system in the world was schooled from you guessed it BARNER U …. Your institutions infamous legacy rolls on like a turd down the Hooch.
DixieWins
June 13th, 2009
1:06 am
Any part of the text book situation at The University of Alabama is miniscule compared to the garbage going on at Univ So Cal. reggie bush ? There is a serious situation needing a thorough investigation.
The ncaa needs a chiropractor for the severe neck damage it has sustained while turning a deaf ear and blind side to what the trojans are doing.
Get real.
Mike
June 13th, 2009
4:30 am
“The way you should grab people’s attention is by getting information and anecdotes about somebody that no one else has.”
Those are your own words, Schultz. The problem is, you have nothing original to say about Nick Saban. You never have. In fact, for years, you’ve rarely had anything to say that a hundred other people hadn’t already said a hundred times before you.
You’re an attention-seeking cliche in a dying industry and a horrible example for future journalists. Saban’s job should be the last job you’re worried about.
NomadRT
June 13th, 2009
7:54 am
179 of the athletes received supplemental material (recommended reading material) in error as a part of their prepacked books. This was not fraud, was not intentional, and was not stealing.
22 of the athletes were getting books for their friends and that is where the problem was.
btw — the NCAA went out of their way to say that Alabama was doing a terrific job of compliance investigation, cooperation, etc.
NomadRT
June 13th, 2009
7:59 am
and btw — when I was in college there were multiple times that the book store made errors in what they gave me when i went to pick up my books. And I graduated from Georgia Southern… so let’s talk about thoe 22 atheletes, but the 179 others should not be treated as cheaters or people trying to defraud the system.
oldlefty12
June 13th, 2009
9:02 am
Hey Think About It. Alabama is one of only a handful of schools that even required books be returned. So at many of the other SEC schools, athlete gets $200 book. Uses it. Returns it for $100. Athlete made a profit. I don’t understand why this isn’t a problem. BTW, it is not a problem and is not a violation for the other schools to do that. Hmm.
Barrington Womble
June 13th, 2009
9:44 am
So where’s he gonna go? Someplace where he feels there’s just no chance that they take paper clips home from the office? Get a grip, dude.
T-DAWG
June 13th, 2009
10:37 am
Hey Tide Rising you sound a little scared!!!!! You know for yourself that its just a matter of time before the truth comes out about the gasden Boys. You are the idiot because you think bama is above the law. and besides who is really scared of bama. They had 1 good season and all of sudden bama is back.
T-DAWG
June 13th, 2009
11:01 am
Hey Tide rising. Breaking News Dre Kirkpatrick is not going to qualify. Looks like JUCO or PREP School. I guess Bama dodged another bullet for now. I dont think so!!!! Bama no.1 recruiting class is looking pretty average to me because 9 or 10 want qualify. Thats Funny!!!!!!!!!
grangerphil
June 13th, 2009
2:38 pm
This whole stupid thing could have been avoided if two over paid pencil pushers at the university done their job, and monitored the spike in textbook transactions at the bookstore. They were given the reports to scrutinize, unfortunately, there was no scrutiny when the spike in activity was obvious. No one was controling, monitoring or correcting. That was the problem, more than the scheme itself.
Proud Auburn Alumnus
June 13th, 2009
4:57 pm
What is really sad is we are talking about an Alabama program going on probation for cheating and they also have a two game losing streak.
Talk about a bunch of losers.
Crimson Tired
June 13th, 2009
4:59 pm
This would have never happened when Bear Bryant was coach. His players never saw a textbook.
Edward
June 13th, 2009
5:01 pm
I have always wondered why people that are so filled with Hate come on the Bama Board, is it Envy? is it because Bama can get better Recruits?
they are ranked #2 by Scout now for the 2010 Class, I am aware that every School especially Tenn. and Auburn would do backflips if Bama had been hit hard. never approach a Bull from the front, a Horse from the rear or a Fool from any direction.
T-DAWG
June 13th, 2009
11:46 pm
Amen Crimson Tired!!!!!
Gen Neyland
June 14th, 2009
8:45 am
I reckon this isn’t what we’d call a Secondary Violation, huh..?
Pee on cow college
June 14th, 2009
9:57 am
The University of Alabama isn’t ‘dirty’. The AD is old and dumb, but he does not knowingly allow cheating to go on, unlike the pissants at cow college and other SEC schools right now. For example, Richt of uga is supposedly a Christian, but many of his players are illeterate thugs unworthy of college scholarships. Don’t get me started on UcheaT’s coach…
The bottom line is Saban isn’t going anywhere, so the enemies of Bama are getting their panties wet over the thought for no reason at all.
Florida Gator
June 14th, 2009
2:19 pm
Pee on cow college: I can tell by your attitude and language that you are an Alabama grad – possibly with honors.
When did you graduate? I bet you were magna cu laude there.
bank walker
June 15th, 2009
10:59 am
To the poster Jeff that thinks bammer comes to Georgia and picks who they want. You are dumb as a sack of rocks if that’s what you believe. See the thing is we play little better football here in Georgia than you do in bammer. Have you not noticed “Jeff” the forty GA players on Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and now bammer’s rosters. See our 2A teams here in Georgia are like a bammer 4A. Our kids are more skilled and tougher, but nice try “Jeff”, you chump!
ehyoutiger
June 15th, 2009
1:47 pm
Schultz…
I hope you’ve learned your lesson. Invite UAT folks to the party and it’ll degrade to petty name calling and general squalor in no time flat. They don’t have the capacity to debate, only scream that it’s not fair and you’re picking on them.
Very interesting and well written article.