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
Dawg Tired
January 30th, 2010
6:57 pm
I understand the quote on the base of the statue will read: “I am not going to be the coach at the University of Alabama.” I think it is from the Miami newspaper or maybe one of the local TV stations. Nice touch.
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
7:10 pm
Why don’t you Alabama people just go away! You’re team got lucky this year! Coach Richt won’t be getting fired, he’s better than Sabin because hes a better man that don’t cheat! UGA is probly a Top10 program since Richt has been hear. What’s Bamas first year, they won like 5 games.
Coach Richt is the better of the two and Georgia is a better school to. Your just jealous because you had one good year. We’re a better program, just look, we have won 8 games a year for the past 10 years straight and have a btter boewl record!
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:17 pm
heavy dog…u are absolutely correct, alabama fans should be ashamed….of winning yet another nat’l championship, i’m so upset about it , well, i just don’t know what to do.?. hey good luck to the dawgs next year. ohhhh black out news….just cause you are a christian does NOT mean u can’t get fired. good luck richt. i’ll be looking for your comments this time next year. woof woof
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:20 pm
must be a dawg fan for christ’s sake
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
7:22 pm
dcope, I am right. UGA has been consitintly a better program over the past 10 years. We won 2 SEC titles. You have won just one. We won the Sugar Bowl while you lost to Utah team. We finished #2 in the country a few years ago and if the media were not against UGA we would have played for the title because you now like I do that we were the best team that year.
So yes UGA has been the better team under Richt. I have heard that we have more wins than Florida since Richt has been hear. I bet you can not say that, can you! We have won 8 games every year under Richt, can you say that about Saban I don’t think SO!
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:28 pm
well i think u heard wrong. urban myers record is a whole lot better than richt’s, and if u want to go only 10 yrs…..that’s fine, why not just go for the whole shebang…13 nat’l championships vs. 1. ahahahhaaa
ahahhhahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa hahahhaaaaaaaaaaaaa ahahh go dawgs. does charlie daniels play a mean fiddle?
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:32 pm
any team can loose on any given day, at least we got the opportunity to play in the sugar bowl last year, just after we rolled over you heavy dog
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
7:35 pm
I said UGA has more wins sincce Richt has been hear. The hole shebang would be that Alabama pays players money and they deal drugs on the side. One good year and your in everybodies face. UGA might be the best SEC team since Richt has been hear with wins.
13 national champs. Yes I guess the liquor compnay that Bear bought his booz from has a pole and they named Alabama champs because he bought so much from them.
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:41 pm
richt should have more wins…..idiot, he’s only been there like 4 more years than urban. by the way what is georgia’s record against the gators in the last 10 yrs?? just curious. u can slam bryant all u wanna, that just makes u a bigger looser.
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
7:43 pm
And you forget that when we last played you that we beat you in the 2nd half 30-10. If we had one more quarter we would’ave one the game. You people got beat my Louisiana-Slidell and Utah. Be proud of your one lucky year.
The refs had the fix in for you. THats why you beat LSU and Tenn. The refs were against us with LSU and made the bad call about cellebrations that cost us 15 yards and the LSU game.
Thats ok. Live on your one year and then you will go back to loosing to Auburn. We beat Auburn 5 years in a row and UA lost to them 8 years in a row. Be proud, keep playing players and haveing a un disciplinned team.
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:47 pm
stop writing… please, your spelling is atrocious, and if u think georgia is on some kind of roll, then u need to get out a little more. yeah, blame it on the refs. “un disciplinned team”…check ur records once again..alabama had the fewest penalties in the sec. go eat a football
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
7:47 pm
Our record against UF don’t matter, We have more SEC titles than you in the past 10 years. And I wasn’t makeing fun of Bryant, I was saying that those titles are fake. Because Phils shipping company in Ohio had a football office pole in 1941 and Harold from the warehouse won the pole and named Alabama the champs because of no reason.
browndog
January 30th, 2010
7:51 pm
Alabama or any other school should build as many statues as they like. Who really cares what another school does? If it is their history then good for Alabama.
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:51 pm
you should know about a pole, but it’s poll in college football. and like i said, who are u to just talk about the last 10 yrs??? are u 10 or 11, then i would understand. judging by ur english, i’d say you are. your record does matter against uf, that’s one of the reasons your coach is gonna get fired.
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
7:52 pm
Well I am not a doctor, sorry about my spelling. But you don’t capitallize your grammer so whats the difference.
UGA is consisstently a top 10 program. Alabama is not. They may be but they are not know.
And the refs cost us the LSU game and cost LSU game to ALabama so yes, the refs playd a big roll in those two games. They helped Alabama but took the win away from UGA.
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:54 pm
I agree that the ref’s played a big part in UGA’s loss to LSU. I was actually pulling for Georgia. BUT, as it stands, I’m so glad they got beat, i tell you….I’m going to have another party just for that. How do you spell capitallize????? lol.
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
7:55 pm
And no Im not 10 Im 64. But sense you make fun of my spelling you have bad spelling errors to.
It is loser not looser. Maybe you know something about “looser” more than loser.
dcope
January 30th, 2010
7:58 pm
OK, so how old were you when Georgia won there last national championship? Bet u don’t see another one.
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
8:03 pm
You make fun of my grammer then make me do math questions about titles?
I think Coach Richt is one of the best coaches in the country. We got robbed in 2002 and 2007. We were the best teams both years in the country and they wouldn’t let us play. We just hired a better DC than Smart and I think we can be a top defense next year.
Good to see you work in capitillizing your words as I am trying harder and double checking my spelling.
dcope
January 30th, 2010
8:04 pm
You don’t have to be a Doctor, like my brother who went to UGA, and then to medical school in Augusta…… you just shouldn’t be ignorant. About UGA or anything else as far as that goes. Maybe they’ll put a statue of u up in Athens.?.
dcope
January 30th, 2010
8:05 pm
Smart turned down that job. lol
dcope
January 30th, 2010
8:12 pm
goooood night old man, goodnight. (the goat)
Heavy Dawg
January 30th, 2010
8:13 pm
Ignorant? I’ve been yanking your chain. I’m literate and both an Auburn and UGA graduate. But yes, if I reach my goals in life, maybe they will erect a statue of me somewhere on campus.
The inscription will read, “Heavy Dawg was a literate indivdual who consistently spelled ‘capitalize’ as ‘capitillize.’
By the way, in all seriousness, my cousin is an underclassman player at UA under Saban. From what I have been told, I have acquired a great respect for him. In spite of the Disney Dawgs, I’d trade Richt for Saban in a second. And in that, I am neither lying nor exagerrating.
I think Alabama will be great until he leaves.
major325
January 30th, 2010
8:31 pm
Jealousy, ignorance, and a distinct lack of class abound both in the article and some many of the comments.
Mr Schultz, it helps establish your credibility when you have a bit of knowledge about what you are writting about. Then again, the AJC lost its credibility a long time ago, so this is the kind of sour grapes hack writing which many come to expect.
It is hard to have an appreciation for another team’s history and traditions, when you really haven’t accomplished much to celebrate or remember. That also explains the hysterical sniveling & whining from Mr Schultz and the rabble. Instead of demanding better from your school’s administration and coaching staff, it is much easier to bad mouth and slander the programs/schools which actually perform and produce at a higher sustained level…that way you can feel better about yourself without actually putting forth the effort or accomplishing anything.
BamaGrad2000
January 30th, 2010
11:06 pm
As a Bama Alum in ATL I was hesitant when the discussion came up after the BCS Clock hit zero…but if it helps win…GO FOR IT. With that being said…if he leaves town that thing will come down faster than you can say Saddam Hussein
01HAWK
January 31st, 2010
2:07 am
Let’s go over the records JAH-JAW FANS
BEAR BRYANT……….13 NC at BAMA……………..323-85-17……………13 SEC Championships at BAMA………….15-12-2 IN Bowl Games
VINCE DOOLEY………1 NC…………………………….201-77-10…………8-10-2 IN Bowl Games
NICK SABAN…………..2 NC. 1 at BAMA
CMR……………………..0 NC
But he is the KING OF CARPETS OF DALTON. Sounds and looks like he is a CARPETBAGGER the way he has ripped JAW-JAH off.
You guys are so funny.
Colpnel Butler
January 31st, 2010
5:21 am
This regional elitism spewing forth from the columnist and many posters is as tiresome and juvenile as Alabama football fans bashing UGA and Mark Richt because the columnist went after UA, Saban, and Alabama in general in his column, accusing us of misplaced priorities. People in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee should respect one another and be cool. What goes around comes around and the old sun shines on a different dog every day. And fer Chrissake, quit demeaning people who live in mobile homes and shop at Wal-Mart. Who are you to judge a man or a woman who is merely trying to stretch resources?
Let’s enjoy football but when the game ends act like people with honor. Enough’s enough.
DangerousDan87
January 31st, 2010
8:31 am
i vote for BOBBY COX STATUE
Alabamatide
January 31st, 2010
11:12 am
Woohoo!!!!!!!!!
All this jealousy over Alabama putting up a statue?
Damn imagine if we won a National Championship?
Imagine if we went 26-2 in a Two year period.
What would happen then? Jeff Schultzie here would write a childish column about Alabama putting a Statue on there property that would not cost him one red cent, then he would go on to say-
“Three years and you get a statue? Most jobs, you don’t even get vested for 10″.
Makes you wonder why his bosses have kept him around.
What is jeff’s contribution to journalisim?
Hey Jeff- Jealousy is so ugly!
Tweets that mention Saban gets a statue? Is his birthday a holiday now? | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
January 31st, 2010
12:03 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ajc sports editor, Scott Fuller, James_Goodlet, Jack Tater, Jack Tater and others. Jack Tater said: Tide: Saban gets a statue? Is his birthday a holiday now? http://bit.ly/cVbs4C [...]
DawgFaninBama
January 31st, 2010
2:35 pm
Maybe now the Aubies can go roll Tuscaloosa instead of Toomers…. Too many T’s in the state….
rick rogers
January 31st, 2010
4:22 pm
Haters got to hate
rick rogers
January 31st, 2010
4:23 pm
Haters go to hate
Joe
January 31st, 2010
6:08 pm
Yeah, Alabama’s all about football, and nothing else. It’s not like we have one of the top business schools in the nation, or a renowned music department. It’s not like Tuscaloosa has produced Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black or anything. Surely we haven’t contributed mightily to the US space program – it’s not like Robert van de Graaf taught there or anything.
Nope, it’s all football, all the time, and we’re not even that good at it – only 13 national championships, 22 SEC championships, 32 bowl games, 44 consensus All Americans, and 17 players and 3 coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame. Kenny Stabler never played there, nor did Joe Namath, Lee Roy Jordan, John Hannah, Shaun Alexander, Cornelius Bennett, or Derrick Thomas. Just a bunch of pikers – we don’t take it seriously enough.
So choke on your haterade, Schultz. As our learning institution continues to turn out world-class graduates, our world-class football team will continue to stomp ass across the SEC and the nation, and provide me with lots of comic relief as hacks like you pour it on. Keep it coming; it makes me laugh.
messin with sasquatch
January 31st, 2010
6:16 pm
jackie is wright
Shula gets his statue before Saban | Dan On The Street - Sports and More from Dan Sheldon
January 31st, 2010
8:40 pm
[...] coincidence being that this past week, Alabama officially announced its plans for a statue to honor Nick Saban after the Crimson Tide won the national championship. It's a [...]
Cody
February 1st, 2010
11:11 am
Harper Lee never graduated from Alabama. She attended law school but did not complete it.
Saban Statue A Hot Topic | MrSEC.com
February 2nd, 2010
9:29 am
[...] the Southeast folks have laughed at Bama’s plan. Jeff Shultz of The AJC wondered last week if Saban’s birthday had been made a state holiday yet.Kevin Scarbinsky of The Birmingham News was apparently moved by a sermon and now believes Tide [...]
Roll Tide in GA
February 2nd, 2010
2:46 pm
Jealousy isn’t pretty on you. In case you haven’t noticed. Bama has already completed the hostile takeover of adjoining states. Haven’t you seen the recruiting results the last three years? Pay close attention to the attached photo. The additional National Championships will simply be added to the wall surronding the statue. Focus on in-state schools winnning the east (Georgia) or winning a bowl game (Tech) instead of a lame attempt to crack on a successful Bama program. Roll Tide Roll.
DoninMarietta
February 8th, 2010
9:10 am
The only requirement for getting a statue outside Bryant-Denny Stadium is to win a national championship. Bama has either 13 or 8 of those, depending on whether you use every organization which declared NC winners pre-poll or 8 poll-driven services. I realize that most fans of other schools either don’t have 1 NC, whether by organization declaration or by polls, or they only have 1 or 2. It isn’t for any reason that lame AJC writer Jeff Shultz gives. (Does the AJC still have writers on their staff or is Shultz writing on a per column basis? The paper is imploding so fast, it’s hard to tell these days.) It would be funny, if other schools put up bronze statues to NC winning coaches. For example, Auburn would have one single statue of Shug Jordan outside its stadium. Most others would have none.
Countdown: Holyfield KOs Dr. Phil, and that Tiger gal can act! | Jeff Schultz
February 23rd, 2010
1:04 am
[...] “Roll Tide,” don’t you think this guy? Not sure if he’ll be out in time for the Nick Saban statue unveiling or not. (Thanks to Sports By Brooks, via Friends of the Program, Busted Coverage and all others with a [...]
The Monday Melange 03.01.10: Fight Club, Nick Saban, Justin Bieber « Everyone's Entitled to Joe's Opinion
February 28th, 2010
11:10 pm
[...] –Nick Saban is getting a statue. Three years at Alabama, one national championship, and he gets a statue. The artists are being asked to design the sculpture so that it conveys “Coach Saban’s love of student-athletes” and “his love of being a teacher”. I wonder if the sculpture will convey his love of being a liar? Because he did lie to get the job at Alabama. He went on record for over a month saying that he was not interested in the Alabama job–and we all know how that turned out. [...]
If I Had Known Alabama Was Going to Do This, I Would Have Rooted Against Them in the BCS Championship Game « Everyone's Entitled to Joe's Opinion
March 9th, 2010
11:16 pm
[...] 10, 2010 by joederbes Nick Saban is getting a statue, as noted by AJC sports columnist Jeff Schultz. This is only after three seasons at Alabama, in one of which he just happened to win a national [...]
Cameron
July 22nd, 2010
10:10 pm
You should really do a little research before you write your articles and end up looking like a Jack Ass. This is case and point why the AJC is bankrupt and regarded as one of the worst publications in the industry. Not to mention how horrible their sports reporting is, a complete joke.