Coach Saban upset with high expectations

[CrimsonForce]

I find it a bit odd that an administrator on this forum is making negative statements toward our coach. I just don't get it.

Maybe because we just got outplayed and should have lost to a team that is something like 0-20 in the last 2 1/2 years in SEC games. And our coach criticizes the fans at the PC today for being disappointed in beating almighty Arkansas by 1 point lol

 

[alwayshavebeen]

I'm not apologizing for those remarks. I will, however, take some sensitivity training.

I didn't think you would. I guess I'm just a "Sabanite" as you call people that greatly appreciate what we have and won't see for a long long time again. BTW your sarcasm comment wasn't at all funny.

 

[BamaMoon]

What does his pay have to do with anything? He's paid to get results, and if he believes asking certain things get results, that's him doing his job. I do not understand the twisted logic that says we pay you to produce results, but don't you dare include us in those results *unless it's praise in which case we'll gladly accept it.

Every time he's credited the fans, I barely hear anything about it. Heck, even the fans don't seem to get happy, it's kind of like oh yeah sure what ever. He says they were a big reason he got the #1 recruiting class, or really supportive during a big game and it's a collective yawn, he is specifically mentioning the fans! He's singling them out! He says something negative? It's horrible! Bear Bryant didn't do that to us, why I never...

Besides that, he was offered more money to go elsewhere. He didn't, so to turn this into a talk about money is kind of off considering he took less money to stay at Alabama, you know like he took a pay cut to come to Alabama.

I wonder if this is what it was like to be a head coach for Jerry Jones.

That was in response to a couple of posts about CNS's "right" to criticize fans, if we can criticize him.

If you don't think there's a difference in it being his job to coach football and for us to expect him to do and say the right things as our coach, while he's making that much money, then I can't explain what I meant any more clearly.

 

[Alasippi]

Well, here's the difference. Nobody pays me to be a Bama fan. CNS makes $500,000 A GAME TO COACH FOOTBALL.

and he's earned every single dollar. If he was a commissioned sales person he'd be underpaid.
Three national titles, and in contention every year except 2007.
Plus, Check our athletics revenue since he became football coach.
Moon, this is what I've been talking about. It's like nobody can say a positive word about our football program, since we lost to Ole Miss.
I think it's time for us to yell, "Roll Tide", rather than, "OMG! What's Wrong!"
I feel like I'm talking to deaf ears though.
For the most part, at least.
sip

 

[TideFan in AU]

I can't believe that someone would read that and come away with your response. His point was that no one dared to challenge or question JoePa on anything. Thus what happened at Penn St happened..

LOL It's an apples and oranges comparison. Plenty of people questioned what Paterno did ON THE FIELD. Many of their fans thought he should have retired years before he did. They thought the game had passed him by and thought they needed a new coach, but didn't want to see him fired disgracefully because he had done so much there in his career.

What Joe Paterno did off the field has ZERO to do what with what we talking about. There's no shortage of people questioning what CNS does. That is not what this about.

It's even more amazing that CNS saying that the fans shouldn't expect a group of 18-22 year old men to play the perfect game and dominate every opponent every week has drawn the asinine comparisons and reactions that it has.

You do realize that what he said, right? He said the extremely high expectations that a lot of fans put on the team were unrealistic.

 

[Con]

Before ya'll run Coach Saban off, I sure hope you have a contingency plan in place.....otherwise, a return to the pit toilet is in the cards....

We don't. We decided Coach Stallings wasn't that bad of a coach after a few that came after him. We will appreciate Coach Saban after he leaves even more. I just wish I could blast parents (fans) like Coach Saban does. I never take it personal because I know he isn't talking to me.

 

[CrimsonForce]

LOL It's an apples and oranges comparison. Plenty of people questioned what Paterno did ON THE FIELD. Many of their fans thought he should have retired years before he did. They thought the game had passed him by and thought they needed a new coach, but didn't want to see him fired disgracefully because he had done so much there in his career.

What Joe Paterno did off the field has ZERO to do what with what we talking about. There's no shortage of people questioning what CNS does. That is not what this about.

It's even more amazing that CNS saying that the fans shouldn't expect a group of 18-22 year old men to play the perfect game and dominate every opponent every week has drawn the asinine comparisons and reactions that it has.

You do realize that what he said, right? He said the extremely high expectations that a lot of fans put on the team were unrealistic.

Aren't apples and oranges both fruit though?

 

[JustNeedMe81]

Time to put everyone in a timeout and make everyone think about what they have said to this point.

 

[BamaMoon]

and he's earned every single dollar. If he was a commissioned sales person he'd be underpaid.
Three national titles, and in contention every year except 2007.
Plus, Check our athletics revenue since he became football coach.
Moon, this is what I've been talking about. It's like nobody can say a positive word about our football program, since we lost to Ole Miss.
I think it's time for us to yell, "Roll Tide", rather than, "OMG! What's Wrong!"
I feel like I'm talking to deaf ears though.
For the most part, at least.
sip

I'm not saying he's not worth every penny he's making...that's not the point. You said it ought to be fair for him to criticize the fans if we can criticize him.

I'm a fan...for free...never made a penny off Bama, nor will I ever. But he's making millions to be accountable to us, the people who support the University and give him the opportunity to have this job. I see a huge difference in why he should be professional enough to be accountable to do his job and not blame it on me or any other fan.

 

[KrAzY3]

If you don't think there's a difference in it being his job to coach football and for us to expect him to do and say the right things as our coach, while he's making that much money, then I can't explain what I meant any more clearly.

What up until this point has lead anyone to believe he might not be capable of doing or saying the right things? He hasn't just won four BCS championships, that isn't all. He's never had any serious run ins with the NCAA, he's had fantastic graduation rates, he's picked up programs from shambles and built them into something special. Why on earth would any of us assume that he might not know what he's doing? Believe me, if he's going senile I think it would involve more than a quote about expectations. What you're really saying if you want him to do and say what you want him to, and what I'm really saying is he's much more qualified that either of us to decide what his team needs.

If I had cause to question Saban I would. I've open admitted I questioned Stallings (which I now regret), I was questioning Shula pretty much from the start. I'd just need something more substantive than a down year to decide Saban has lost his way. I do believe this is a down year, but the guy is so good at his job that even that isn't certain.

 

[alwayshavebeen]

Time to put everyone in a timeout and make everyone think about what they have said to this point.

I'm good with what I've said :biga:

 

[RTR91]

LOL It's an apples and oranges comparison. Plenty of people questioned what Paterno did ON THE FIELD. Many of their fans thought he should have retired years before he did. They thought the game had passed him by and thought they needed a new coach, but didn't want to see him fired disgracefully because he had done so much there in his career.

What Joe Paterno did off the field has ZERO to do what with what we talking about. There's no shortage of people questioning what CNS does. That is not what this about.

Really don't understand how folks are struggling to comprehend my original comment. I didn't say the two were exactly the same. I said the mentality Saban does no wrong is the foundation of the belief Penn State fans had when told JoePa didn't act in the Sandusky case. That's all. I'm not saying the two are identical.

It's even more amazing that CNS saying that the fans shouldn't expect a group of 18-22 year old men to play the perfect game and dominate every opponent every week has drawn the asinine comparisons and reactions that it has.

You do realize that what he said, right? He said the extremely high expectations that a lot of fans put on the team were unrealistic.

He's upset because fans have high expectations, the same expectations he said "we" have for the program on January 4, 2007 - the day he began building the program he has today.

Maybe he's upset at himself for those expectations and needed a way to release that anger. I don't know, but I'm not fine with him getting behind the microphone and going on a rant like that on his own.

 

[JTBama]

This may not be a popular opinion, but...

CNS needs to suck it up and coach the team. They've looked ill-prepared and sloppy the last two weeks and that's on him. If he thinks fans expecting a coach to win when he's given $7million/year, has an arsenal of talent that's as good or better than any other team in the country and is given everything he's ever asked for wrt tools, buildings, etc. is unreasonable, then maybe he needs to refocus his efforts.

Frankly, I'm tired of hearing what CNS and wife think of us as fans. Put a product on the field that reflects what you preach and we'll all be happy.

Excellent post, Crimson

 

[Bamaboda1]

Well, on the one hand, I'll be the first to admit that our expectation for the football team is over the top. No team can be perfect. And I can understand how the fans (that's me and you) attitude toward those expectations can frustrate the coaches and team. Are there problems right now...sure, that's obvious. But the players and coaches need to focus on getting things righted, not spending time responding to every fan criticism...and if you read this thread, some of the criticisms are really off-the-wall. So, I understand what Coach Saban said, and I will try to take off my Crimson Glasses when we play.
BUT...there's a reason the fans have such high expectations. The reason is that our teams and coaches over the years have built those expectations in our fans. As I've said before, I am 73 years old, and have been a Bama fan since I was a very young child living in Tuscaloosa. Sure, we have hit a few "dry" spells, but over the years the Tide has built a reputation that supports expectations of excellence. And no one has done more to add to those expectations than Coach Saban. He will right this ship. I have every confidence in him and this staff...as well as the young men on the team. That's his job, and he does it better than anyone in the country. My expectation for him is very high.
So, here's what I'm going to do: I will not lower my expectations for this team or staff. They're the best. To lower expectations would be an insult to them and the University. I will lower my rhetoric. I will remember that no frustration of mine can come near to matching theirs. I will refrain from making comments about their performances that further exacerbates problems. I will be careful to couch my observations about our performance so as not to denigrate the professional expertise of our coaches and players, and i will remember that none of us wants the win as bad as the young men who put in all the work to get it.
Thanks Coach and Team for all you do for the University...and all you do for an old man every Saturday. Roll Tide.

 

[alwayshavebeen]

Bama Arky on SECN right now...Spoiler Alert...Bama only wins by 1.

 

[TideFan in AU]

But he's making millions to be accountable to us, the people who support the University and give him the opportunity to have this job.

LOL - You must be on the Board of Directors with davefrat!

 

[alwayshavebeen]

Well, on the one hand, I'll be the first to admit that our expectation for the football team is over the top. No team can be perfect. And I can understand how the fans (that's me and you) attitude toward those expectations can frustrate the coaches and team. Are there problems right now...sure, that's obvious. But the players and coaches need to focus on getting things righted, not spending time responding to every fan criticism...and if you read this thread, some of the criticisms are really off-the-wall. So, I understand what Coach Saban said, and I will try to take off my Crimson Glasses when we play.
BUT...there's a reason the fans have such high expectations. The reason is that our teams and coaches over the years have built those expectations in our fans. As I've said before, I am 73 years old, and have been a Bama fan since I was a very young child living in Tuscaloosa. Sure, we have hit a few "dry" spells, but over the years the Tide has built a reputation that supports expectations of excellence. And no one has done more to add to those expectations than Coach Saban. He will right this ship. I have every confidence in him and this staff...as well as the young men on the team. That's his job, and he does it better than anyone in the country. My expectation for him is very high.
So, here's what I'm going to do: I will not lower my expectations for this team or staff. They're the best. To lower expectations would be an insult to them and the University. I will lower my rhetoric. I will remember that no frustration of mine can come near to matching theirs. I will refrain from making comments about their performances that further exacerbates problems. I will be careful to couch my observations about our performance so as not to denigrate the professional expertise of our coaches and players, and i will remember that none of us wants the win as bad as the young men who put in all the work to get it.
Thanks Coach and Team for all you do for the University...and all you do for an old man every Saturday. Roll Tide.

Best post I've seen since I joined this forum. Thank you.

 

[BamaMoon]

What up until this point has lead anyone to believe he might not be capable of doing or saying the right things? He hasn't just won four BCS championships, that isn't all. He's never had any serious run ins with the NCAA, he's had fantastic graduation rates, he's picked up programs from shambles and built them into something special. Why on earth would any of us assume that he might not know what he's doing? Believe me, if he's going senile I think it would involve more than a quote about expectations. What you're really saying if you want him to do and say what you want him to, and what I'm really saying is he's much more qualified that either of us to decide what his team needs.

If I had cause to question Saban I would. I've open admitted I questioned Stallings (which I now regret), I was questioning Shula pretty much from the start. I'd just need something more substantive than a down year to decide Saban has lost his way. I do believe this is a down year, but the guy is so good at his job that even that isn't certain.

CNS messed up today...totally unprofessional IMO.

This thread is about what he said today in the presser about "high expectations."

I'm not judging anything else...you point out his great tenure and accomplishments as a our coach and I agree with everyone of them.

Why can I not disagree with what I think was a mistake he made today and still think he's a great coach and hope he stays many more years at Bama???

 

[RTR91]

I didn't realize last year when Jimmy Sexton was playing Bill Battle and the Alabama fanbase like a fiddle he told BB Saban wanted $7 million a year to tell Alabama fans how to be fans. I thought he was paid to coach, recruit and run a football team.

This rant has only made more clutter. Instead of eliminating it, he's added more to the pile.

 

[TideEngineer08]

He hasn't had a bigger supporter than me over the years, and today his griping finally crossed a line for me. It'll do the same for some of y'all who are so adamant to support him on this right now the next time he does it. And then a few more will get fed up the next time. Eventually, he's going to lose the fan base. And that will be entirely because of his own self, and it will have nothing to do with wins and losses.

I said earlier this year that AJ was going to find out how quickly one could go from beloved to hated if he didn't learn to keep his mouth shut. Coach Saban is going to do the same, if he's not careful (and no, I don't think he is anywhere near that at this point. But he is closer than he was yesterday).