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
Bishopbulldawg
June 15th, 2009
2:33 pm
Alabama should get the death penalty for being a repeat offender. Only then will the NCAA get any respect or credibility!
Bama continually finds ways to exploit the NCAA’s regrets for the SMU demise. Nevertheless, Bama deserves the chair.
College Football Links (6-15-09) « Football on the Brain
June 15th, 2009
3:28 pm
[...] of Alabama, the AJC’s Jeff Schultz talks about Nick Saban and how Bama needs Saban more than Saban needs Bama. Schultz suggest if Bama [...]
Eleta
June 16th, 2009
1:03 pm
Just because Alabama wasn’t on probation till after Bear Bryant left, doesn’t mean that they ran a clean program. I have a nephew-in-law who played for Bear Bryant, and he was top tier and one of Bryant’s favorites. He said that they got anything they wanted…cars, clothes, money, etc. He said that no one at the NCAA would dare accuse Bryant of anything, and everyone knew it. He said that violations were common knowledge. He was enough of an insider to know this for fact.
Jesse
June 16th, 2009
6:00 pm
I’m a student and bama and thought this was a good article. I will point out, however, that most of our program’s instances of cheating have been because we were sick of being mediocre and were willing to do anything to get the Tide rolling again, legal or not. Now we have arguably the most successful coach in the land and unarguably the best crop of recruits over the last 2 years. We no longer need to cheat to be successful. But we absolutely do need Saban to be so.
I think the athletic department, the boosters and the fans are well aware of this, I would be shocked to see anything less than a total commitment to following the rules from this point forward.
Saban won’t go back to the NFL, and how many other college programs offer him the tradition, power and resources to dominate again at the college level? I think Saban is here to stay for a long time.
Michael Twilley
June 16th, 2009
11:19 pm
Go Tulsa.
BamaHamma
June 17th, 2009
8:17 am
Jeff,
As a devout, lifelong fan of the Crimson Tide I can honestly say I’m a logical, fair minded, free-thinking Bammer.
Sorry to disappoint the legions of folks out there who wondered if such a person w/n the Bammer Nation exisisted.
Yes, I know, there are not too many of us running around. I suppose I’m that rare exception to that hard and fast rule.
You nailed it, Schultz, Great job.
Except I think this is ONLY (insert joke here..) our third run-in w/the NCAA. Unless I’m mistaken, we weren’t under any sanctions in 1999.
Say what you will about Saban but this much you simply cannot deny. “He wins. He doesn’t cheat. He’s in demand….”
St. Nick runs a very classy and very clean program.
At none of his three stops in CFB has there ever been even the smallest HINT of a scandal. Think its just a mere coincedence the arrest rate of football players at UA has dropped dramatically since Saban has been in charge?
He’s a maniacal recruiter and absolutely one of the finest coaches in the game today.
And while most of the Bama nation may not admit it, Alabama certainly needs Saban
“The point is, Nick Saban doesn’t need Alabama. It’s the other way around”
Spot on Schultzie!
We FINALLY learned our lesson following the Albert Means debacle in ‘02. Easily the darkest chapter in our program’s history.
Deserved every bit of it.
We know we’ve got a good thing going w/ Saban, I can assure you. Furthermore, we will do everything in our power to keep him.
Including play by the rules.
Roll Tide!!
The Bama Hamma
JT
June 17th, 2009
11:13 am
Schultz, you don’t know SQUAT about what goes on in TUSCALOOSA!! It is what it is, the students screwed up, it ain’t that serious, since the reason they’re on campus and getting the books in the first place is to get an education!!! Is this your subliminal way of HOPING that he may come to a school of your choice??? Not in a million years…..get over it, and learn what’s goin gon with you local school, whatever that insitution is!
Signed,
Born And raised In Tuscaloosa
Robert Sanders
June 18th, 2009
2:47 pm
This coming from a school who graduated a student who could not read or write (James Brooks) and who had a teacher basically giving grades out to athletes so they would be eligible to play football. This scandal was swept away because students were involved but there is no way Auburn coaches did not know of this and I will bet you they were sending them to this class for that same reason. Auburn has been on probation wwwwaaayyy more than Alabama so let’s not crow too loud over there in cow college!
rolltider
June 18th, 2009
4:56 pm
I love how Auburn fans make it seem like many of there players havent recieved hang outs… when I FIRST HAND have seen them and been told to be hush hush… AUBURN FANS I have first hand seen envelopes full of cash pulled out of players mail boxes from alumni… I will not mention who for the sake of the storm of hate responses but for us to mess up on free text books is WRONG.. theres not doubt about that. but YOU BETTER WATCH WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU MAY NOT BE AS CLEAN AS YOU THINK… because sometimes even your girlfriend has crabs if you get what im saying
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