AnthonyThomas

January 23rd, 2015 at 12:37 AM ^

Think about it, Saban is probably terrified of Harbaugh. JH had Stanford on the verge of national championship contention, while the best Saban could do at a similar school from a football perspective (MSU) was win nine games. Then Harbaugh goes to the NFL and blows Saban out of the water. There is no way someone as self-conscious as Nick is unaware or in denial about Harbaugh's ability. He is absolutely scared of what JH could do at a place like Michigan. 

M Go Dead

January 23rd, 2015 at 12:53 AM ^

I assume that we have all made decisions when we were 16/17/18 years old that we regretted six hours later.

I know when I was 16 I decided not to wrap it up and six hours later I realized it was bad idea. A couple weeks later I was really worried about my decision and my future, but it all worked out and was a false alarm and I didn't have some small human being screaming at me for the next four years.

We'll see how McMillon's story plays out the next few weeks/years.

Miami Maize

January 23rd, 2015 at 1:21 AM ^

Holy fucking shit. This is as obvious a tampering situation as was Cam Newton and likely countless other unreported bagmen-involved cases in the ESS EEE SEE. Young Josh McMillon learned that in the Hotel Alabama, you can try to check out other opportunities, but once you've committed, you can never leave. Point made, Saban. Urbz the Columbus Antichrist just finished exposing a lot of chinks in the Alabama mystique armor in front of a live national audience. That was bad enough, but when yet another B1G team then looks to poach one of his committed recruits 3 weeks later, that is now an offense punishable by a hell of listening to "Sweet Home Alabama" backwards repeatedly for eternity. And I even like that song. Once or twice. As if Saban gives a shit about a single LB recruit. He shits 4 and 5 star recruits and can replace one as easily as he could a toothbrush. The point is that if one like McMillon leaves Hotel Alabama in a public display like this was becoming with the visit to A2, then the Saban magic and myth that he has worked 8 years to build starts to lose its patina. Saban is smart enough to know that empires aren't destroyed in one swoop. It's done brick by brick. The CFP loss was one brick. Losing a committed recruit to a rock star high profile coach building his own empire is an even bigger brick because it shows underlying weakness. When was the last time Alabama lost a committed 4 or 5* to someone outside of possibly Auburn or LSU, which is like keeping it in the family anyway? Losing a recruit in a high profile way like this exposes the whole Alabama mystique in a way like when the fluorescent lights go on when a dance club closes, and you see drunk assholes sprawled across couches and out for the count. Not pretty. I suspect that either Saban or one of his appointed henchmen paid young Josh a visit or a direct phone call with some solid advice. Stick with the commitment and forget the boondoggle trip to icy cold Michigan. Never mind that you liked Michigan enough to almost want to go there before while a fraction of the caliber coach that's there now offered you. Who knows what kind of pressure they put this kid under to tow the party line. Disgusting. I have no way to prove this, but cumong guys - the boy was already packing for a flight to Detroit. He then hours later decides "nah, what was I thinking?" Nice work Saban. May you and the Columbus Antichrist rot in the same foul hell. When Michigan emerges from its own self destructive last 8 years and starts Harbaugh-ing the rest of FBS, it won't be pretty for you. Enjoy your ride, it's ending soon.

CoachBP6

January 23rd, 2015 at 4:19 AM ^

He probably received death threats from that awesome fanbase, some of whom called for Saban to be fired after 2013 and 2014.

UMChick77

January 23rd, 2015 at 5:32 AM ^

Saban must have threatened to yank his offer if he took a visit--probably telling him something along the lines of,  "Do what you need  or what you want to do but I can't wait on guys who are unsure when I have ten just like you who would do anything to have your spot."

 

Saban tipped his hat. He's scared at what Harbaugh is doing.... he knows what's coming. This is good. 

the real hail_yes

January 23rd, 2015 at 8:00 AM ^

I'm not sure this is a money issue, other than the money he's going to make in the NFL.

As exciting as things are in A2, Alabama is still about as sure of a bet as you can get for good development, exposure, and draft status.

Nofx1728

January 23rd, 2015 at 7:33 AM ^

Any different then what we witnessed under hoke. Several of our commits explored taking visits only to speak with our coaches and decide it wasn't in their best interests.