Saban gets a statue? Is his birthday a holiday now, too?
A "Bear" Bryant statue at Alabama is understandable ...
All hail, Nick Saban.
After only three seasons, Alabama is building a statue for its football coach. Can’t imagine what he gets if the Crimson Tide wins another championship. Does the school attempt a hostile takeover of neighboring states and give him parts of Mississippi and south Georgia? Maybe some coastline, between Pensacola and Panama City? Or was that already included in his original contract?
Alabama, coming off its BCS title in Saban’s third season, confirmed that a bronze statue of the coach already is in the works. It is expected to be completed by April 17, the day of the annual “A Day” spring game, when all banks and Walmarts will be closed.
Plans are for Saban to be carried into the stadium that day by servants, with
... But isn't it a little early for a statue of Nick Saban?
trumpets blaring and angels singing. OK. Might’ve made that part up.
Three years and you get a statue? Most jobs, you don’t even get vested for 10.
“We are sculpting clay right now and we have pretty good direction on what they want for the look of it,” project manager Corey Beltz said. “Coach Saban’s love of student-athletes, his love of being a teacher, that is what we have been asked to emphasize. He won’t be in a suit and tie — that’s not his style. It will reflect more of his role as an encourager, a director, that’s the general direction. They’re sculpting the face right now.”
The eyes. There’s something about those haunting eyes . . .
The 12-foot statue will stand outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium, along with those of four other coaches who won championships: Paul “Bear” Bryant, Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas and Gene Stallings.
Alabama moves quickly to celebrate its football coaches. I don’t believe alumnus Harper Lee has a statue outside the stadium. But all she did was win a Pulitzer Prize for writing, “To Kill A Mockingbird” and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Bernard Madoff attended Alabama for a while. He never got a statue, either.
It took 31 years (28 years as a head coach) before Bobby Bowden received a statue at Florida State.
Urban Meyer is still waiting. Maybe Florida just wants to see if he coaches the spring game first.
Georgia erected a statue for Vince Dooley in 2008 — 28 years after the Bulldogs’ national championship.
I think Bobby Ross is still waiting for his at Georgia Tech.
Come to think of it, so is Bobby Dodd.
Silly other schools. They must have other priorities.
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394 comments Add your comment
Big D
January 29th, 2010
1:49 pm
Schultz could you be anymore jealous? dont hate on alabama cause everyone you normally write about SUCKS
superDawg
January 29th, 2010
1:49 pm
Reminds me of the statue in Iraq.Maybe Saban can find a hole to hide in when Auburn beats them 7 yrs in a row.
Capstone
January 29th, 2010
1:51 pm
Blue. You dolt. It’s called reading….
But there is a very compelling case to be made that the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide of 2009 just completed the greatest season in college football history.
Only four teams in more than 100 years of modern college football have won 14 games in a season. BYU in 1996 and Ohio State in 2002 were the only teams to reach 14-0 before Alabama and Boise State matched them this season.
What sets Alabama apart is not just the number of wins, but the quality of the teams the Crimson Tide beat. Based on the final Associated Press Poll released early Friday morning, Alabama beat No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Florida, No. 10 Virginia Tech, No. 17 LSU and No. 20 Ole Miss. That doesn’t include the win over South Carolina (which was ranked 22nd when the two teams played) or the dramatic road win over rival Auburn, which won a New Year’s Day bowl.
Including the national championship game, Alabama had to beat four head coaches (LSU’s Les Miles, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, Florida’s Urban Meyer and Texas’ Mack Brown) who have national championships on their résumés, plus two others (Auburn’s Gene Chizik and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen) who have won recent national titles as assistant coaches. And that’s not counting hall-of-famer Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech.
The Crimson Tide was 10-0 against bowl teams, including posting wins over the winners of the Sugar and Cotton bowls.
That kind of dominance against stout competition is what led to six Alabama players being named first-team All-American by the AP, the most ever from one team. That list included star tailback Mark Ingram, who became only the second player to win the Heisman Trophy then lead his team to a win in the BCS national championship game.
JabboRockefeller
January 29th, 2010
1:51 pm
Have the Falcons started on the Petrino statue yet?
Second Tier Dawg
January 29th, 2010
1:52 pm
Get that #2 statue up from the 07′ season…………………when the Dawgs didn’t even play in the SEC Title Game.
Volunteer Nation
January 29th, 2010
1:52 pm
Jeff, we all know Bama cheated their way to another title AGAIN and the only reason that happened is they were lucky enough to have Mount Cody block not 1 but 2 kicks against my Vols and for Saban to order his defense to go head-hunting on Colt McCoy.
We all know the Longhorns were stomping all over the Crimson Flow until Saban ordered the hit on Colt, knocking him out of the game.
Double-D will beat Lit’l Nick in his first season and in the Tusk no less!
ATL Bama Fan
January 29th, 2010
1:52 pm
If Jaw-Juh and St. Mark focused more on PLAYING FOOTBALL and less on what color their jerseys and helmets were going to be, they might be able to win more games. They should just move the football program at UGA into the fashion marketing dept. Even if they can’t play footbal, they sure do know how to sell black shirts in Athens.
Capstone
January 29th, 2010
1:52 pm
But there is a very compelling case to be made that the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide of 2009 just completed the greatest season in college football history.
Only four teams in more than 100 years of modern college football have won 14 games in a season. BYU in 1996 and Ohio State in 2002 were the only teams to reach 14-0 before Alabama and Boise State matched them this season.
What sets Alabama apart is not just the number of wins, but the quality of the teams the Crimson Tide beat. Based on the final Associated Press Poll released early Friday morning, Alabama beat No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Florida, No. 10 Virginia Tech, No. 17 LSU and No. 20 Ole Miss. That doesn’t include the win over South Carolina (which was ranked 22nd when the two teams played) or the dramatic road win over rival Auburn, which won a New Year’s Day bowl.
Including the national championship game, Alabama had to beat four head coaches (LSU’s Les Miles, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, Florida’s Urban Meyer and Texas’ Mack Brown) who have national championships on their résumés, plus two others (Auburn’s Gene Chizik and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen) who have won recent national titles as assistant coaches. And that’s not counting hall-of-famer Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech.
The Crimson Tide was 10-0 against bowl teams, including posting wins over the winners of the Sugar and Cotton bowls.
That kind of dominance against stout competition is what led to six Alabama players being named first-team All-American by the AP, the most ever from one team. That list included star tailback Mark Ingram, who became only the second player to win the Heisman Trophy then lead his team to a win in the BCS national championship game.
Great BBQ
January 29th, 2010
1:53 pm
I will have to admit that we get pretty exuberant over college football, I will probably have some pictures made with ole’ Capricious next season for the Penn State game. My BA from the Capstone has worked just fine for the last twenty or so years now, I can take the needling in the knowing a lot of Georgian jobs depend on my decision making prowess.
Tech, you really should get that Bobby Cremins statue erected one day.
NCAA Agent for change.
January 29th, 2010
1:54 pm
Repeat offender status, red badge of courage in west vance!
Hawkshurrah
January 29th, 2010
1:55 pm
Alabama’s fans are a joke. Most never graduated from high school, much less attended THE UNIVERSITY. The most amazing aspect is that this hoopla is basically all about the minor leagues of football and celebrates a coach who has already demonstrated that he cannot compete in the major leagues of football. Hilarious!!!
Eric94
January 29th, 2010
1:56 pm
Sure Blue. Alabama became the first team in major college football history to defeat two straight opponents with at least a 12-0 record (defeated 12-0 Florida 32-13 in SEC title game & 13-0 Texas in BCS title game). Alabama defeated 10 bowl opponents in 2009. That’s the most ever recorded in major college football history. Heisman Trophey. 6 1st team AP All Americans a record. Butkis Award winner.
R. J. Head
January 29th, 2010
1:57 pm
Jeff, it’s nice to know your employer has another generation of sarcastic smartaleks ready to take on Alabama for how it honors its football heroes. You and Mark Bradley and Furman Bisher can go back to your regularly scheduled back-slapping contest now. Tell both of them that you’re apparently learning well. See if you can jump up the Falcons’ asses like you do Alabama’s.
JabboRockefeller
January 29th, 2010
2:03 pm
Ain’t that many folks from Alabama (in its entire history) who are statue-worthy. Maybe they’re just desperate to assist all the unemployed Bama sculptors… Was this part of the last stimulus package?
Dzerzhinsky
January 29th, 2010
2:05 pm
That’s allright. If things don’t work out and Saban decides to fly the coop for greener pastures, more money, whatever, Alabama can do what the Soviets did in 1956 when they publicly demonized Stalin. They can tear all the damn statues down and remove his picture from the football brochure and wherever else they may have one. Make him a nonperson. Worked for the Russians.
Eric
January 29th, 2010
2:08 pm
This is a monument to the empty lives of those poor inbred people. If Saban had a lick of character he’d put a stop to this silliness today.
ATL Bama Fan
January 29th, 2010
2:11 pm
Jabbo Rockefeller, you must have taken history classes at UGA, because you are an idiot. Here is a short list of statue-worthy people from Alabama: Hellen Keller, Hank Aaron, Hank Williams, Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver, Nat King Cole, Harper Lee, Joe Lewis, Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, Willie Mays, Chief Tuscaloosa of the Choctaw, Zelda Fitzgerald, Coretta Scott King. That’s all I can remember off the top of my head with my Alabama education and all.
Ed
January 29th, 2010
2:14 pm
Don’t hate the player. Hate the game.
Jeff–I miss your daily updates on each of the 7 DC “candidates” that turned down the leg humpers.
I look forward to your coverage of the HC search next December.
Darwin
January 29th, 2010
2:15 pm
This cynical attitude so close to Athens is one reason why UGA has underachieved. I wish we could fence off metro ATL from Athens and have good southern values like the rest of the southeast influence us and not this negative cynical yankee attitude.
gadawgs
January 29th, 2010
2:15 pm
I could care less what other universities do. It’s their dime. Apparantly, it’s their tradition to erect statues for coaches that win National Championships. When we start winning some ourselves we can say something.
Ed
January 29th, 2010
2:16 pm
Eric—Alabama residences should take note of and learn from the progressive people of Georgia.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/uga/uga-tailgaters-warned-to-140564.html
Blue
January 29th, 2010
2:18 pm
Capstone/Eric; nice points. Capstone, you’ll have to forgive us NON AL fans that we don’t necessarily read everything that AL or other organizations put out about this season compared to other seasons. It would be nice if someone like Eric would put the facts supporting the statement out there at the get-go, otherwise it just sounds like the rantings of the MANY “Alabama is the best even when we’re not the best” fans out there. But I’ll say…you made a nice argument for it.
Fleischman in Nacho's Bed
January 29th, 2010
2:18 pm
Bama Fans, the worst fans in history. They even make Gator fans look classy!
Stack
January 29th, 2010
2:20 pm
Jealousy runs rampant. I don’t blame you people. I’d be jealous too if I hadn’t been born and raised a Bama fan. But thank God I was. ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!
toilethumor
January 29th, 2010
2:21 pm
What does it matter to you what the University of Alabama does? The statue isn’t going up in Athens, or Atlanta. So, how does it concern you? If I wanted to put a headstone in my frontyard in honor of UGA VII, I’m allowed. It’s my property, I can do with it what I want. The SEC has the most bitter bunch of whiners I’ve ever seen. Quit worrying about what Bama does and focus more on the in-state schools!
Dawg Trainer
January 29th, 2010
2:24 pm
Ah, my old comrade Dzerzhinsky! How goes it, Feliks? We both know that the only person that can deal with this Nickovich is Putin. But since Vlad has other projects in the pipeline…we can bomb Georgia into submission.
Oh, my bad. I thought we were talking about OUR Georgia, not the American one!
B-Rabbit
January 29th, 2010
2:28 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLsHP94bvXs
Denver Dog
January 29th, 2010
2:29 pm
It is thier school, they can build the statues to whomever they want! Put it right up there next to the Bull Connor statue.
bruce mac
January 29th, 2010
2:30 pm
Blue, you should know better. Alabama has 50,000 full time people researching and determining why this is the best team of all time. Like the lawyer says, don’t ask the quetion unless you know the answer. I promise you this guy just recited the edge of the iceberg versus what they have come up with over there. They would beat the 1973 Dolphins by 3 touchdowns and that Lombardi guy ain’t no part of this Coach Saban.
Skeezix
January 29th, 2010
2:30 pm
ATL should erect a statue of the Master, Bobby Cox.
Skeezix
January 29th, 2010
2:33 pm
ATL should have a statue of Wren erected out in the parking lot…….then invite the pidgeons.
j.
January 29th, 2010
2:35 pm
Enter your comments here
Vince Burchfield
January 29th, 2010
2:37 pm
Great comments from real football fans, the Bama fans, We know football like Georgia knows toothless, inbread deliverance looking losers, DAWG CRAP LOVERS
washedup
January 29th, 2010
2:37 pm
Tech will erect a statue of Ross as soon as they can locate him to model for it. After he won the title, promised he was not going anywhere while catching a plane to San Diego, and hasn’t been seen since.
Chadd Scott
January 29th, 2010
2:39 pm
Hey, everybody knows the Alabama fans are ashamed of themselves and have low self esteem, which is why they flock like heep to Nick Saban and do exactly what he says, when he says it. Like when he scolded the fans after the Sugar Bowl last year and instead of saying “hey, maybe you should have tried harder coach” they bought it and felt responsible for not being good enough fans! Check it out:
http://www.chaddscott.com/
Cory
January 29th, 2010
2:39 pm
Funny, when talking about Florida, you left out the part about Tim Tebow’s Promise being placed at the stadium before he even returned for his senior season.
As multiple people have pointed out, every single coach who has won a national championship here at Alabama has a statue.
Roll Turd
January 29th, 2010
2:41 pm
Can you hear the laughter comming from the Lousiana-Monroe students & grads…???
Herschal Talker
January 29th, 2010
2:42 pm
Hey let’s make fun of a tradition at another school who rewards their head coaches for winning national championships!
What’s pathetic is the fact that the flagship university in the state of Georgia cannot even win a division title. Alabama has more freaking NATIONAL and CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS than we have SEC EAST DIVISION TITLES!
We’re pathetic……..
BamaSEC
January 29th, 2010
2:42 pm
Wow Jeff, does it hurt that bad?? Saban gets a statue because he led the Crimson Tide to another National Championship, something that is done to any coach who does the same, but you know that. I apologize that Alabama fans support their team and they have a coach and tradition to be proud of. I know it makes you hurt deeply. I just hope you can be honest with yourself for a second (and maybe your loyal followers will as well) and say “We are jealous of the Alabama Crimson Tide”. It’s not hard to say, and we won’t hold it against you. You go ahead and wear your black out shirts (if you already haven’t thrown them away), and continue on your path and Alabama will see you soon, but not in the SEC Championship game, you don’t have that much talent. Maybe when you have something to be proud of, you will know what it feels like. Until then, sit in the back seat with Auburn, watch Alabama drive, and shut up.
Gary Brown
January 29th, 2010
2:47 pm
And this statue is getting under your skin for what reason? Sounds like you might have statue envy.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
January 29th, 2010
2:51 pm
why are bama fans so sensitive today?
D
January 29th, 2010
2:53 pm
Enter your comments here
jon
January 29th, 2010
3:00 pm
That was a funny article!
UGASlobberknocker
January 29th, 2010
3:00 pm
That statue will have more personality than the real Saban
puppydawg
January 29th, 2010
3:02 pm
Will Satan still be coaching at ‘Bama when the statue is erected?
SEADawg
January 29th, 2010
3:06 pm
Talk about a tempest in a teapot… or maybe a fart in a beanbag would be more accurate. So Alabama is erecting a statue of Saban. Whoop-de-do. I don’t think it’s out of line, given that they’ve done it for every other Crimson Tide football coach that won an NC.
But the amount of trash talk from Alabama fans is outrageous. You guys seem to forget that Shula and DuBose aren’t that far in your rearview mirror, not to mention the Price incident and being jilted by Franchione. Pure hubris. No, go ahead and live in the present; everyone else will be warming up the crow for you to eat when you fall back down to earth. Karma’s a B!tch.
Herschal Talker
January 29th, 2010
3:08 pm
Nick Saban does do karma, blackouts, or other clutter. He is only focused on the process. Mark Richt on the other hand……..
Brad
January 29th, 2010
3:11 pm
I wonder why no player statues are up there in Tuscaloosa…after all they played the game on the field…all Bear and Stallings did was stay drunk and lean on the goalposts. As for whoever the other coaches were…I don’t care about wins from an era win bowl game results didn’t count.
Jeff Schmuckz
January 29th, 2010
3:14 pm
Why would the University of Alabama bother to even attempt to invade the south of Georgia when Atlanta is obviously the softer and easier target?
How2fish
January 29th, 2010
3:17 pm
Well he did win a NC so I’m fine with it…the Ice Statue idea was funny but Bama fans are loyal to a fault they give a guy a statue and by harry that statue stays…even if they run him out of town on a rail and he get the school put on probation..that statue is staying. And your right Jeff where is the love for Bobby Ross or did they already give him a statue but the North Ave Natives stole it already ?