OT: Mother of recruit is upset with Nick Saban

Submitted by MGoCooper on

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/27/recruits-mom-miffed-over-sabans-focus-on-nfl-over-academics/

 

The Mother of Landon Collins, is upset that Nick Saban focuses on the NFL more than academics with his players.

 

In an interview with ESPN the Magazine, Justin explained that an in-home visit conducted by Tide head coach Nick Saban last June was something she couldn’t shake.  Specifically, Justin was put off by the coach going with his “I can get your son into the NFL” pitch

 

 

Saban doesn't care about academics? In other news, snow is white, grass is green, water is blue, and I will die one day.

detrocks

January 27th, 2012 at 11:12 AM ^

I believe that outside of Vandy and Florida, pretty much all of the SEC schools aren't mediocre to bad from an academics perspective.

One other thing that I found interesting from this link was that Stanford--  which according to a number of posters from the Garnett threads is an appreciably better school than Michigan-- ranks all of three spaces higher (#11 vs. #14) on this list, and only one space higher when you look at FBS schools (Cal Tech and Princeton are #12 and #13).

 

Michigasling

January 27th, 2012 at 1:05 PM ^

As much as I liked Josh Garnett and hoped he'd go blue, I think I was more depressed about the suggestions that academics was the deciding factor and suggestions that Michigan wasn't even in the same ballpark for a would-be doctor.  I have only anecdotal data of the success in the medical profession of a few people who either went to Michigan as undergrands (none in pre-med; one a physics major and one with a BA and MA in a completely unrelated field before taking a couple of required courses for med school application later, in a commuter school, when the career path led to medicine).  The physics major went up the hill to med school at Michigan, which got him a residency at one of the Harvard hospitals and a specialty fellowship at Duke.  Both eventually became professors of medicine. 

Of course, they didn't play football, so they weren't tempted to go to Stanford.

sheepdog

January 27th, 2012 at 11:26 AM ^

Alabama GRAD here, from the business school.  It is actually fairly highly ranked nationally and 3rd in the SEC behind Vandy and UGA.

Its no Michigan, but not a bad school academically at all.  Especially when you consider afordability for guys like me who graduated high school "thankyalaudi"

ON THE OTHER HAND - I had a couple classes with some of the athletes.  WHAT A FREAKIN JOKE.  Everything in the OP is pretty legit to say the least, and I wasn't even there in the saban era, I was there in the Shula era.

Ventilator

January 27th, 2012 at 6:22 PM ^

It's good to pay close attention to the methodology when viewing lists that rank colleges. The Forbes top colleges list, for example, has wildly different results than most other lists. I found their methodology to be somewhat odd. They base 17.5% of their ranking score off of students' debt. Private universities attract more students from wealthier backgrounds that tend not to need loans and such. This also benefited the cheaper colleges that have good academics to the point that they were beating out pricier colleges with slightly better academics. However, we all can agree that Alabama is a bad school, like most of the SEC schools.

Wolverman

January 27th, 2012 at 10:39 AM ^

 Yea she's pissed at Saban so she threw a fit on national T.V because she wanted her son to play for Les Miles..... Miles is every bit as bad as Saban. I think she is just trying to save face since she looked like a jack ass on TV

Wolverman

January 27th, 2012 at 10:47 AM ^

 Miles does the same stuff as Saban just not on as grand of a scale. Michigan Alum or not dudes as much an ass as Saban. If Saban equals Satan then Miles can be the unibomber , I was gonna say hitler but he's not a michigan alum

WoodleyIsBeast

January 27th, 2012 at 10:39 AM ^

Any recruit that sees this says "I'm a high profile player and coach Saban is only concerned with getting me to the show".

This interview may be a bad look for parents, but it sure isn't a negative for recruiting......

Wolverman

January 27th, 2012 at 11:06 AM ^

 With all the negative press on Saban and how he treats recruits the last 3-4 years It's a safe bet that if you attend Alabama on an athletic scholarship you'll either A. play in the NFL B. receive a medical grey shirt or C. Manage a Mcdonalds. If you're trying to sell Alabama football of course you'll sell the NFL.

  The recruit who choose Bama really get what they deserve. The red flags are there if you choose to ignore them there is nobody to blame but yourself in the end.

MGoCooper

January 27th, 2012 at 10:39 AM ^

"It should be noted that, of the 12 schools which make up the SEC, Alabama’s 69 percent was the fourth-highest Graduation Success Rate according to the latest NCAA findings.  LSU, incidentally, was No. 2 (77%), well behind Vanderbilt (86%) and just ahead of Florida (76%) in the conference."

 

This is like comparing the best students at Summer School.

hvsiii

January 27th, 2012 at 10:49 AM ^

Not shocked at all.  Some recruits love this approach and some see through it.   He does what he does and gets great recruiting classes.  I personally think he is an evil cyborg but then again, I don't have any chance of making it to the NFL.

 

I am shocked to learn water is blue though.  I thought it was clear.

 

 

pdgoblue25

January 27th, 2012 at 10:55 AM ^

From what I read it seemed like the Mother was also pissed because she felt like Saban stereotyped them with his pitch.  Basically centering it around the NFL insinuating that it's what his family needed.

VSS

January 27th, 2012 at 11:04 AM ^

I agree, and that's what some people are overlooking. Whether or not Miles is as bad as Saban, she felt disrespected w/ the approach that Saban took. The reality is that with a blue-chip recruit, at most of the big time programs, having them succeed on the field and eventually go to the NFL and become rich is what is one of the most desired outcomes. But, different coaches sell their school and their character in different ways and she was turned off by Saban. This isn't to say that she should have behaved the way she did at the announcement, however. 

NOLA Wolverine

January 27th, 2012 at 10:57 AM ^

I don't understand why this always gets played out to be a big deal (Not that this is the real issue, this is the mom trying to save face, as pointed out above). The kid has a gift to play football, and Nick Saban said he can help develop that into a career better than most. Do mathletes get upset when they get academic scholarships that don't point out "you can be great at IM Sports too!"? You go to MIT or Michigan to be become great in mathematics, not junior college, and this is sold to students quite often throughout high school. You go to Nick Saban, or someone of that stature, to be great at football, not Greg Robinson. He'd have to be a terrible recruiter not to point that out.

pdgoblue25

January 27th, 2012 at 11:26 AM ^

That NFL pitch is horseshit.  So few make it to that level, and become successful.  The kid could rip his knee in the first non contact drills of practice and never be the same.  As Saban has proven, if that happens he will ship him off the team. 

He's selling an 18 year old kid a pipe dream, which is an easy sell to an 18 year old kid.  The very few elite players who make it to the NFL and get that million dollar contract are so stupid with their money that they're broke before they retire.  Ricky Powers' story would be a good one to read.

To each his own, but if it was my kid, I would have a huge problem with it.  If you're elite, and lucky enough to stay healthy, you maybe play in the NFL for 10 years.  So you're 32 years old, now what are you going to do?  Maybe someone you trusted to invest your money was running a ponzi scheme, you sure as shit better have some sort of backup plan.

goblue7612

January 27th, 2012 at 1:24 PM ^

was your post directed at me? I was indeed a mathlete (name given to math counts competitors) that received an academic scholarship to Michigan. I was not told that I could be great at im sports but I have trumped that obstacle and become an im dodgeball champ and a four time runner up in various other sports. so he clearly can still get an education even tho Saban only sees him as an athlete

NOLA Wolverine

January 27th, 2012 at 1:42 PM ^

I can't tell if you're supporting the idea that this recruiting pitch isn't as evil as it's cracked up to be by playing out the analogy or if you're angry at me for not acknowledging your dodgeball skills.

JeepinBen

January 27th, 2012 at 11:18 AM ^

Are you drinking? My drinking water is clear.

all /s aside, good post. The more pub stuff like this gets the better it is for institutions like ours which are great athletically and academically.

BIGWEENIE

January 27th, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^

"With all the negative press on Saban and how he treats recruits the last 3-4 years It's a safe bet that if you attend Alabama on an athletic scholarship you'll either A. play in the NFL B. receive a medical grey shirt or C. Manage a Mcdonalds. If you're trying to sell Alabama football of course you'll sell the NFL."

 

I think manage a Mcdonalds is pretty far fetched. Maybe screwing up your order at the drive thru.

burtcomma

January 27th, 2012 at 12:39 PM ^

At least Saban is very upfront about what his focus is on, and it sure ain't life after football or any life without football!

At least he is telling the truth about what he, his staff, and his program are focused on.

True Blue Grit

January 27th, 2012 at 1:34 PM ^

probably attracts so many top level recruits.  He's pitching his ability to get them ready for the NFL, and a lot of them buy into it.  Of course he can back it up to some degree by showing the dozens of kids that have gone to the NFL from their school.  But the fact is still that the majority of Alabama players (like everywhere else) don't make it in the NFL.  So, IMO it's unethical on his part to be selling a pipe dream to many kids vs. something that is far more tangible and real - a college degree that can help them get a better job.  No revelation here.  Look at who we're talking about.