Commence with the eye-rolling. Feel free to point out that Nick Saban once said he would not be the next head coach at Alabama only to become the next head coach at Alabama.
But the Crimson Tide’s leader has finally thrown a bit of water on the rumors that he’s unhappy and might be ready to leave the SEC and leap back into the NFL (with the Cleveland Browns). Yesterday on WAXY-FM in South Florida, Saban opened up about why it would be difficult for him to leave college football again:
“This has been a good thing for my family to be here. College football has been very good for us. The positive impact that you can have on these young me as players and as people, that’s just something that we really enjoy and something that I learned about myself.
I really enjoy what I’m doing here right now. I’m getting old now. I don’t think we’ve got too many moves left in us. You develop a lot of relationships and loyalties to the players you recruit and the players you have on the team and the people you have in the organization. I don’t think it’s really fair to leave. I regretted when I left LSU because I left a lot of relationships there. Hopefully I’ll be able to stay here for a long, long time…
Maybe I don’t always show it (happiness) and maybe I’m always worried about the next game. I’m happy. I’m very, very happy. I’m very pleased and happy with what we’ve been able to accomplish here.”
Saban also admitted that he didn’t necessarily handle “the way I left (Miami) very well,” saying: “That’s always been a thing with me that I’ve never felt good about.”
Plenty of folks will point out that Saban didn’t completely slam the door on a departure from Alabama, but we tend to believe he’ll remain in Tuscaloosa so long as the school and his bosses continue to give him the support and leeway that he currently enjoys.
That said, we’ll keep some crow in the freezer just in case.
I thought it was a good article. I don't think it's unfair at all to bring up what happened in Miami and John is one of the few that actually talks about it from a logical perspective. Many in the media have some sort of vendetta against Saban it seems, but MrSEC is one of the few places that doesn't make him out to be a villain.
Just can't cut Coach Saban any slack can you John. This was avery open and candid interview with one of, if not the biggest Saban haters, and he handled it with calss andnesty. Coach Sabam does not need me or anyone else tofend for him. But the contniued media war on him ( see idiot Ron Jawarski) after 6 years it sad. I always enjoy your sitre and read it evry day - but consider given him break, on your site at least.
Thanks and Roll Tide!
I've just spent two days getting emailed by folks claiming I'm a huge Alabama fan. And now you post this.
If I'd written this story with no mention of Saban's Miami departure, I would have been called a Tide/Saban homer by Tide/Saban haters.
If I'd written this story and said that I don't believe Saban at all, I would have been called a Tide/Saban hater by Tide/Saban homers.
Instead, I write the story honestly... Saban said X, a lot of people won't believe it because of his departure from Miami, but we at MrSEC.com -- and I myself specifically -- do believe him. The result? Both groups will twist my words to say that I either hate or love Saban/Alabama.
Kind of amazing, really.
But thanks for visiting the site,
John
John I did not call you one and do not think you are. I justt wish the good ones like your site would stop retreading these anti/lyer Saban articles. After 6 years it is really old. Most of us who read your site saw or heard the Lavatrd interview, which I thought was quite good. TGHe man was then and is now in a no win situation. Even today anything he says is usually taken out of context or used to try to re-full the hate.
Keep up the good reporting. Merry Christmas.
When you're talking about Saban possibly leaving for another job, his departure from Miami will always -- always -- be mentioned. There is no way that I could honestly put his quotes out there without acknowledging that he had in fact shot down talk of leaving Miami before he actually left Miami.
I've written that I think that his comments at the time were simply coach speak and that no coach would ever admit, "Yes, I'm trying to get out of here." But that doesn't change the fact that half the people reading any quote from Saban on the topic of staying or going will always think of the way he left Miami.
I've presented it honestly and I said that I believe him. But I can't ignore it.
Just as you can be sure folks at Western Kentucky will grow tired of hearing about Bobby Petrino's past exits and his downfall at Arkansas, you're just going to have to get used to the Miami thing never dying.
Thanks for reading,
John
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