OT: Alabama's facilities might be better than Oregon
Whoa! I've always thought facilities played a small role in recruiting, but after watching this video I must say it would be hard to turn this down.
http://www.rolltide.com/allaccess/?media=394427As a high schooler, I don't see the appeal of playing for possibly the most robotic man in the game. Hoke's family atmosphere impacts real athletes more than glamour or recruiting facilities ever could.
True. aside from facilities, championships, SEC ball, massive crowds, NFL scouts, high chances of being drafted, great competition, excellent coaching, and being the toast of the town, Bama football doesn't have much going for it.
All that stuff is nice, but they don't have any hot chicks there.
Wait . . . .what? Nevermind.
I understand where you are coming from. I mean I wouldn't want to play for this guy.
But like the other comment, you go to college thinking you will play someday in the pros, and Alabama, with the system they play, the NFL attention they get, and the conference they play in, is a very sexy college choice. Plus, brand new state of the art facilities only make Alabama an even cooler option in the eyes of recruits.
The impression of Saban's personality among the kids/families that Alabama recruits is certainly different from the impression among, say, the Michigan fan base. I'm friends with an older sister of a kid in last year's Alabama recruiting class, and she absolutely loves Saban -- he'd do things like call her on her birthday, and he was apparently at least passably charming in all their interactions. I make no claims about how ingenuous these interactions were, but the man's certainly capably of coming off as non-robotic.
Not sure if you saw but an Alabama fan compared Saban to Hitler and meant that as a compliment. So there is that.
You couldn't have watched the vid before you wrote your post. It is very difficult to argue with the level of success enjoyed by Alabama and the rest of the SEC.
Face reality....this is what we and the rest of the B1G are up against if the B1G wants to compete with the SEC for the same level of talent. Once you get past Michigan and Ohio, the talent level falls off quickly.
Lol at the idea that this is for player development and easier educational opportunities. This is to draw recruits. Period. And that's totally fine, but let's not pretend there is some higher purpose here.
But it most definitely is also for player development, health, and the overall team atmosphere. Having everything (and awesome stuff at that) in the same place like this, giving players a place they want to be all the time, and making it so they don't have to go to a bunch of different places, has definite benefits to the actual team as well., including already putting them in a place where their academic support staff already is. So now they go there, they can focus on working out, practicing, working together, hanging out, and get academic support all in a one-stop spot. It makes everything a ton easier for the players and puts them in a position and environment where team and football are obvious all the time, therefore also affecting results on the field.
I'll buy that it improves the comfort of the team but that lady said the lounge was great because it's the perfect place to give educational seminars on nutrition... It's a rec room with some nutri-grain bars and gatorade.. That is for fun, not education.
But it also means they are eating nutri-grain bars and drinking gatorade rather than getting high and drunk, at least to some degree. I guess in that sense it's educational.
You learn way more when high and/or drunk. And greatly increase the likelihood of eating nutri-grain bars. In conclusion, the rec room is meant to serve the drunk and/or high.
That rec room with nutri-grain bars and gatorade can't be the location of a nutrition seminar? I don't understand why they can't get the team or a portion of the team together to talk about nutrition at this location.
Ummmmm, I was told there would be waterfalls in the locker rooms... Bama has to know that's my dealbreaker.
Part of the new era of college football is the arms race.
Completed Schembechler Hall is going to be amazing.
Here was Michigan's first football building. The Clubhouse-
It just simply amazes me how far college football has come.
I believe this would be an upgrade over Eastern's current facilities.
Every other college football program though...
not looking too hot down the road at Eastern
Any architectural drawings/visuals of what the new Schembechler Hall is going to look like?
BTW, I think that Michigan's football building from way back in the day looks pretty sweet. Certainly not just a cinder block bunker with some hooks and a shower.
Ford Field-esque
Well there's still the issue of "There's a waterfall in here??...I'd rather just have $20 to go spend on some dinner".
State Street yes. Main Street, no way.
Hey, don't talk shit about Mongolian Grill.
So really they are benefitting from their toil with this facility. They and they only can use this building.
"Hi, I'm Nick Saban, an this is my crib."
sign me up
The only difference between Alabama and an NFL team is the players getting paid.
*Snicker*. There is no difference between Alabama and an NFL team.
Even their environmental science students are in on it.
Looks like the best facilities in college football to me.
They did, but you missed it.
you have to live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Gosh! That place is a dump.
I remember my three campus visits while in high school were Michigan, Cincinnati and Alabama.
The bus ride to Tuscaloosa was hell, it was hotter than hell down there and it was the most underwhelming campus of the 3.
For some reason UA had a love affair with my school district. They were at every college fair and had flyers all over my HS.
Core family values, great facilities, the Big House, Chrysler Center, Hoke, Mattison, Beilein, Bacari ... Enuff Said..