OT: Saban and his QB's - are you not surprised?
I haven't seen this posted, but wow is this telling of the manner in which Saban communicates (or not) with his supposedly key players. I just can't see this kind of horseshit happening in a Harbaugh interaction with a Peters or McCaffery. Bateman and Barnett were 5* QBs that I know we were after at certain stages. Hurts is a talent, no question, but not all is fun and games in Tuscaloosa.
http://nypost.com/2017/08/08/ex-alabama-qbs-nick-saban-screwed-us/
Like Saban said, the kid quit. Nick said he himself wasn't raised a quitter. Tell that to Miami.
Warning: I'm about to go all get-off-my-lawn here . . .
How could you possibly go to Alabama and think that any competetive position is guaranteed to you at any time? Regardless of what the coach says or does not say on any given day.
What do you think it means when they bring in all those 5-stars? It means fierce competition, at all times. Are you not paying attention?
I would not assume I owned or was entitled to any job for more than one week at a time.
You want the job back, win it back. There are no side deals.
You want to be entitled to a position and not worry about competition? Then commit to a MAC team as a 5-star.
You can't have it both ways.
that does not mean the coaches need to deceive players. And it does not mean that the head coach should bash players in the media.
If Saban mislead players about playing time, that was a mistake.
And even if he did not, bashing these guys in the media is also a msitake.
Better to have those conversations in private and then to the media say something diplomatic like...'These guys are talented football players. But Alabama always has competition and the best guy will be the starter. We have talked about it and cleared up any prior misunderstandings. I am sure they will have lots of success at their next school....'
The two players did not handle it very well either. But that is irrelevant. As the HC, as the guy paid millions, as the guy with many more decades of life experience, it really falls to Saban to comport himself with complete honesty, never throw players under the bus in the media (even the players are more to blame), and by managing any discord in private.
Because he is a skeeze ball.
But I do not put a ton of stock into what these young men had to say. When you get to the upper eschelon coaching and programs, lots of kids are getting told certain things or being led in one direction or another to get the most out of them during practice and for the university.
It is a gross practice, and one that I do not find tasteful at all. But playing for schools like Bama, you almost have to expect that everything you hear is going to be BS until your name is actually called.
“According to [Saban], I was their guy,” Barnett said. “Once Jalen went in, I was expecting it. But then he went out on the next series, the next series and the next series. I don’t know if everything was communicated correctly.”
I always raise an eyebrow about the agrieved player, at least initially, because you never really know what the story is at first. I will say, however, that I would love to hear a chat about what communication channels do exist in "The Process", as Saban seems to call it, this all-encompassing philosophy of his.
I mean -- I'm as anti-Saban as anyone, but if the two were the ones better than everyone else, they would be the starters.
Don't have any problem with Saban going with the best player, but bashing the kid on his radio show is bushleague. Saban runs his program like a business. That's fine, but don't be surprised when a player makes a business decision.
There are no promises in life. In football the best guy* is always going to play unless the coach is dumb.
*best guy means the guy that gives you the best chance of winning. There are intangibles like chemistry and experience that are hard to measure.
Hurts won the job on those early possesions. These kids transfer in high school 2-3 times, this is what they do. I see nothing wrong with what Saban did. These players want you to worship them and give them the world. Funny thing is, I don't think Hurts will last at Starter through 4 years, he has a lot of flaws in his game.
College football at this level is all about competition including MIchigan. Michigan is loaded at several postions and there will be disgruntled players.
Where I have a problem with Saban is his lack of sensitivity to the feelings of the players who are not playing. Did he expect a 5 star player to sit on the bench for four years? None of us would neither would he.
Only reason Hurts won the job is that running a real Pro-set offense is hard. Saban did not have the time or patience to wait for the 5* to "get it". Taking a guy like Hurts and sticking him in back of super talented OL and running 5* RB is so much easier. It also cost him the Natty.
Any Offensive Player at the QB, WR, and TE position would be remiss to go to any team running these power spread type offenses. You don't learn what it takes to be a Pro.
With that said, you can win lots of games sticking to a simple Offense that takes advantage of your ATHs.
the Dolphins he actually stepped over a player who was writhing in pain at a practice.
Nah, he's probably just a douchebag.
Ok, not so much. Meh story.
August 9th, 2017 at 10:01 AM ^
I continue to wonder why people will play for this guy. Life is too short, and there are too many other places to go with good coaches who are seemingly better adjusted than Nick Saban.
You have four years of playing eligibility, and then that's it. I will never understand why people rag on kids for transferring for a better opportunity within that four year window. Most people in the same situation would do the same thing.
Najee leaning towards transferring yet? I kid, I kid.
Saban ripping a kid for doing what was best for him is some of the most hypocritical pieces of BS, seeing as he would drop Alabama and the kids who came to play for him in a second if there was something he thought was better for him
August 9th, 2017 at 10:24 PM ^