I'm just glad that we didn't have to fire the first black coach in the SEC. Can you imagine how the national media, which was still staunchly anti-Bama at the time, would have spun that?!
Former FB Kyle Bennett speaks about Fran and Shula on local radio show.
- Thread starter Bamabuzzard
- Start date
The diffrence between Shula and Franchione IMO, is while Shula may have not been a good coach or good person and not qualified, at least he did not use the Alabama football program to further his career and leave his team holding the rope. The hiring and ultimate firing of Croom would have been a disaster for the University.
I have no inside information whatsoever. But I think this is a big reason why Croom didn't get the job. Moore knew that whoever was in the chair was going to have a tough time. Neither Shula nor Croom had been head coaches, so it was more of a crapshoot than is normal when hiring a new HC.
If Croom didn't work out, the combination of scholarship limitations, post-Dubose / Franchione / Price detritus, and the racial angle would have made it difficult to fire him for at least six, maybe eight, years. If Shula didn't work out, it could be (and was) done significantly sooner, before the damage became insurmountable, and we became thenceforth and forevermore relegated to has-been status.
That, and has been reported on this forum by extremely credible posters, Croom thought the job was his for the taking, and by his own admission blew the interview.
Shula may not have been a great hire. But the Croom non-hire might have been a decision up there with Moore's decision to camp out in his car in Miami.
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When you think of the bad press CNS had to endure when he took the Alabama job; can you image the picture the media would have painted of Alabama had it been Croom rather than Shula that CNS replaced.
Thanks for the post reminding folks. I was a Big Shula fan until I read detailed reports of abuse & just plain stupidity from Shula. He is Not a nice guy, terrible coach.
Oh My Goodness. I had not thought of that scenario. The Media would have had the proverbial field day.
I guess im changing the subject just slightly. We all remember watching in 2007 when Saban was being introduced as the head coach at the Alabama press conference. I remember how well prepared he was and told everyone what his goals were for the team and how he planned to build a great football program, which he has done. Anyway, I can't find any kind of video or transcript of the Price or Mike Schula hire. I've always been curious as to what they said to the press and the fans as to what type of future was planned for the team and how they would make it happend. If anyone knows where I can find either press conference please let me know. Thanks
No video, but here's an old thread comparing CMS's and CNS's introductory press conferences.
http://www.tidefans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53149
No, it's inside baseball but from reliable sources here who have repeatedly demonstrated the ability to be reliable.
Don't worry about it. Focus on 16.
All I know is after the Dubose / Fran / Price / Shula debacle, we could have hired a Chinese coach named Win Wan Soon and I would have been happy. Getting CNS was like winning the lottery compared to where we came from prior to his arrival.
I was there in school during that time. I consistently heard the same thing from my friends on the team about Justin Smiley. He was just a nasty linemen that played until well after the whistle blowed..every play...every practice..no matter what
its on here just search, Earl has some of his own stories.
it was hard for me, I have been out to dinner with Mike & his wife when he was in Tampa, but their are posters on here that really know what they are posting.
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