This should probably be a thread in its own right, but since I can't find how to start one, I'll say my piece here.
This reminds me of when Bear Bryant shook up the SEC fifty years ago. Saban even has the same "Evil" tag that many sportswriters used to like to tag Bryant with. Can you look around and see any coach that could have anywhere near the kind of effect Bryant had on college football -- except maybe Saban? Urban Meyer? But he and Richt have been shown to be human.
The Bama myth is this, that the tradition is so great, if you put the right coach in there, it will be just as it happened with Bryant a half-century ago, like throwing a match into gasoline. Could it be that the myth is true, and that this is exactly what has happened with the hiring of Saban?
As Casey Stengel used to say, "You can look it up!" I think you will find the following to be historical.
Within about five or six years (or less) after Bryant came into the SEC in 1958, the following SEC schools changed head coaches: Georgia (Vince Dooley), Florida (Ray Graves), Mississippi State (Paul Davis), LSU (Charley McClendon -- Paul Dietzel went to Army). Georgia Tech under Bobby Dodd got out of the SEC. Ole Miss under Johnny Vaught settled in to being beneath the power they had enjoyed in the fifties. Auburn under Shug Jordan left behind the power that had brought them the 1957 national championship.
This firing is of Tony Franklin is almost directly a result of Nick Saban's swooping up all the skill players within the state in February. Tuberville looked around and told his assistants, "We've got to do something about this!" Ergo, the Spread Offense and Tony Franklin. But no players to run it! Conclusion: Auburn football shook up by Saban.
What is happening "north of the border"? Fulmer lost his state's best prospects to Saban and Bama last February -- Hightower, Jordan, and the Memphis OL. You can hear it on WLAC-Nashville -- the natives up there are as restless about Fulmer as Auburnites have been about Franklin (and Tuberville). Conclusion: Tennessee football shook up by Saban.
Georgia. Last I heard, Georgia was 31 points down at the half, when they were supposed to "whup up on Alabama" like they had done for several years. Conclusion: Georgia football shook up by Saban.
Florida. Urban Meyer was over here trying his hardest to get Julio Jones last year. But Saban stole the show at Foley, and Meyer had to stand by silently and watch it. So far this year Meyer is lacking the offensive punch he needs to dominate like we thought he would. Conclusion? Florida football shook up by Saban.
LSU. Apparently Saban is trying to steal 5-star WR Reuben Randle of Bastrop, LA out from under Les Miles' nose. If he can do that, maybe it will take some of the strut out of Les Miles. So far, LSU people are still true believers that Miles has made it unnecessary to grieve any longer about the loss of Saban.
OVERALL CONCLUSION -- or at least a hypothesis: Nick Saban is doing the same thing at Alabama that Bear Bryant did fifty years ago. And the firing of Tony Franklin is a perfect indication of this.
It all started when they went after Petrino!
