What is Saban being paid to do?

[colbysullivan]

I could see Saban doing this - he's definitely a 'fix it' guy.

Not just that, but he actually cares. The current people making the decisions don't give a crap about the sport itself.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Not just that, but he actually cares. The current people making the decisions don't give a crap about the sport itself.

Or they're too far removed from the actual coaches and players - they only work from ideals created in their minds.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

I don't think UA can compete with what he's making from ESPN, so the only way I see that happening is if he wants to work in administration rather than continuing his involvement in CFB via commentary.

For some reason I just don't see that being as interesting to him, but who knows?

True, but he wouldn't have to travel as much...

 

[mlh]

What is Saban being paid to do?

Be Saban.

 

[BamaJoe23]

So I hope this question didn't come off as too negative as I certainly didn't mean it that way. I was just genuinely curious on what all it is that he's actually being paid to do now. I agree it's money well spent just to keep him off someone else's payroll!

Speaking of Saban though, I'll tell yall one thing I've read quite a bit lately that aggravates me a lot more than it probably should:

"Well Nick Saban retired because the game changed and he can no longer now stack up 5 star recruits on the bench"

While I think we can all agree that NIL most likely accelerated his retirement, the notion that he was really only successful because he had all the best players and now that the "game is even" he decides to hang it up is pretty dang ridiculous. The reason he had those recruits is because the kids knew he was the best coach and that was the best place to be to have a shot at making it to the NFL

I have no doubt if Saban was younger, he would be far more up for the challenge and he would have adapted. Just like I will never not believe if he was younger at the time, he probably would have just retired from Texas and not Alabama...and with a hundred million dollar carrot dangling in front of him, who could really blame him!

While having the best players undoubtedly helps, as we can plainly see from the performance since he retired, coaching is what makes the ultimate difference in the game.

End of rant.

 

[JessN]

So I hope this question didn't come off as too negative as I certainly didn't mean it that way. I was just genuinely curious on what all it is that he's actually being paid to do now. I agree it's money well spent just to keep him off someone else's payroll!

Nah, it wasn't negative, it's a question we get asked a lot because some people think he's supposed to primarily be a fundraiser; others think he's a de facto evaluator/GM of the head coach. He's more or less an ambassador at this point and some of his investments have built his net worth to the point that he probably doesn't even need the $500k salary for anything other than to tip the pizza guy.

I do think if something went terribly sideways, he'd be good to come in as an interim but the things that drove him out of the sport have only gotten worse.

By the way, for those who remember, we came very close to firing Mike DuBose after the Southern Miss loss in 2000 and bringing Gene Stallings in to finish out the year.

 

[BhamToTexas]

Speaking of Saban though, I'll tell yall one thing I've read quite a bit lately that aggravates me a lot more than it probably should:

"Well Nick Saban retired because the game changed and he can no longer now stack up 5 star recruits on the bench"

While I think we can all agree that NIL most likely accelerated his retirement, the notion that he was really only successful because he had all the best players and now that the "game is even" he decides to hang it up is pretty dang ridiculous. The reason he had those recruits is because the kids knew he was the best coach and that was the best place to be to have a shot at making it to the NFL

I do think there is some truth to this, and I don't consider it a negative thing at all. He was able to stockpile talent at every position. Because he was the best recruiter and he could promise and deliver on competition, winning, championships, development, and the NFL. Now teams just have to promise money and those players go elsewhere.

 

[editder]

Nah, it wasn't negative, it's a question we get asked a lot because some people think he's supposed to primarily be a fundraiser; others think he's a de facto evaluator/GM of the head coach. He's more or less an ambassador at this point and some of his investments have built his net worth to the point that he probably doesn't even need the $500k salary for anything other than to tip the pizza guy.

I do think if something went terribly sideways, he'd be good to come in as an interim but the things that drove him out of the sport have only gotten worse.

By the way, for those who remember, we came very close to firing Mike DuBose after the Southern Miss loss in 2000 and bringing Gene Stallings in to finish out the year.

Was Gene Stallings ready and willing to do that? Or was it just something that was being discussed but never went any further?

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

So I hope this question didn't come off as too negative as I certainly didn't mean it that way. I was just genuinely curious on what all it is that he's actually being paid to do now. I agree it's money well spent just to keep him off someone else's payroll!

Speaking of Saban though, I'll tell yall one thing I've read quite a bit lately that aggravates me a lot more than it probably should:

"Well Nick Saban retired because the game changed and he can no longer now stack up 5 star recruits on the bench"

While I think we can all agree that NIL most likely accelerated his retirement, the notion that he was really only successful because he had all the best players and now that the "game is even" he decides to hang it up is pretty dang ridiculous. The reason he had those recruits is because the kids knew he was the best coach and that was the best place to be to have a shot at making it to the NFL

I have no doubt if Saban was younger, he would be far more up for the challenge and he would have adapted. Just like I will never not believe if he was younger at the time, he probably would have just retired from Texas and not Alabama...and with a hundred million dollar carrot dangling in front of him, who could really blame him!

While having the best players undoubtedly helps, as we can plainly see from the performance since he retired, coaching is what makes the ultimate difference in the game.

End of rant.

Coach Saban hung it up because the motivation (goals) for recruits changed from "getting prepared for the NFL" to "how much am I going to get paid NOW"....

 

[mlh]

Coach Saban hung it up because the motivation (goals) for recruits changed from "getting prepared for the NFL" to "how much am I going to get paid NOW"....

That was the main reason. He said so. But he also said it wore him out. He said it took longer to bounce back and the season was exhausting.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

That was the main reason. He said so. But he also said it wore him out. He said it took longer to bounce back and the season was exhausting.

Yeah, I have been experiencing some of that myself...