Saban seen in a black helicopter headed for Seattle

NutherT · Jul 30, 2008

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/messagetopic.asp?p=9150623

From Tiger Droppings:

Here is what I have. It is from two independent sources in the Seattle business/UW booster community:

1. Saban has sent very informal "what if" feelers to Mark Emmert. It seems that Saban believes there MAY be some ugly things surrounding the Bama program outside of his control, that might make things unbearable in the next year or so. These things somehow involve the Univerity of Florida, and specifically Coach Urban Meyer. (maybe someone can explain this part to me as I am unaware of any UF-Bama tension).

2. Emmert has floated Saban's name to NUMEROUS UW boosters. He also has presented it as a "what if" scenario. He has painted a picture to boosters that goes something like this " the similarities with LSU and UW are eerily similar. both are once-proud programs fallen on hard times, with great resources and facilities. UW has a chance to provide a counterweight to USC on the West coast which has been pitifully neglected. As Willingham flames out- UW needs to commit to football, and we need to prepare to hire the best possible coach".

Expect the UW/Saban speculation to gain traction in the next few months.

I am now entering my Gump-proof "safe-room". It is expletive-proof, so no worries.

NutherT · Jul 30, 2008

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/messagetopic.asp?p=9150623

From Tiger Droppings:

Here is what I have. It is from two independent sources in the Seattle business/UW booster community:

1. Saban has sent very informal "what if" feelers to Mark Emmert. It seems that Saban believes there MAY be some ugly things surrounding the Bama program outside of his control, that might make things unbearable in the next year or so. These things somehow involve the Univerity of Florida, and specifically Coach Urban Meyer. (maybe someone can explain this part to me as I am unaware of any UF-Bama tension).

2. Emmert has floated Saban's name to NUMEROUS UW boosters. He also has presented it as a "what if" scenario. He has painted a picture to boosters that goes something like this " the similarities with LSU and UW are eerily similar. both are once-proud programs fallen on hard times, with great resources and facilities. UW has a chance to provide a counterweight to USC on the West coast which has been pitifully neglected. As Willingham flames out- UW needs to commit to football, and we need to prepare to hire the best possible coach".

Expect the UW/Saban speculation to gain traction in the next few months.

I am now entering my Gump-proof "safe-room". It is expletive-proof, so no worries.

bulldogs726 · Jul 30, 2008

that contract is iron clad at Alabama. There is no way he can get out of it or U Dub can afford it

Todd4State · Jul 30, 2008

don't underestimate Washington's clout. They are a HUGE University with a lot of influential people. I'm not saying that they will be able to get Saban away from Bama, but if there's one school that could do it, Washington is certainly a school that wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. Football is a big deal for them, to.

Personally, if they were to get a coach from the SEC, they would probably have a better shot at getting someone like Petrino than anyone else.

diehard4dawgs · Jul 30, 2008

Anyone have any idea what the connection to Florida is?

saltybulldog · Jul 30, 2008

Its not gonna happen, but if Saban leaves Bama for anywhere else, I could see Bama spiraling into our spot in the mediocre to crappy dept.

rdhdawg · Jul 30, 2008

I wouldnt be surprised if Saban ahs a few out clauses in his contract... like "if boosters pay for a recruit, and we go on probation, I can leave, etc..."

Not sure how things would be tied to Florida. Were there any big time players they were both fighting over last year that Bama won out on?

RebelBruiser · Jul 30, 2008

Todd4State said:
Personally, if they were to get a coach from the SEC, they would probably have a better shot at getting someone like Petrino than anyone else.

Now, that would be entertaining, though I think Petrino sticks it out at Arkansas for at least 3-4 years simply because he needs to do some repair work to his reputation before jumping ship again.

Todd4State · Jul 30, 2008

rdhdawg said:
I wouldnt be surprised if Saban ahs a few out clauses in his contract... like "if boosters pay for a recruit, and we go on probation, I can leave, etc..."

Not sure how things would be tied to Florida. Were there any big time players they were both fighting over last year that Bama won out on?

going after Tim Tebow really hard? I know that UF got him, but they may have had a "gentleman's agreement" to not say anything about any type of illegal stuff going on with boosters.

patdog · Jul 30, 2008

It was part made-for-ESPN HS game and part Alabama recruiting trip. For the record Hoover won because they just had the better overall team, but Tebow put on a spectacular one-man show.

Shmuley · Jul 30, 2008

The question asked was this:

Were there any big time players they were both fighting over last year that Bama won out on?

You do realize, do you not, that Tebow was in the Feb. 06 class, not the Feb. 07 class?

bonedaddy401 · Jul 30, 2008

a legitimate possibility. I don't put anything past Saban and the high profile status of being the coach there seams to be wearing on him. With all of the off the field trouble and the way he routinely snaps during press conferences you can see the disconnect. Bama boosters are probably doing who knows what behind his back to help with recruiting.

I think that U Dub has all of the financial tools they need to buy out Bama's contract. Don't forget, the Pac-10 is desperate for a year in year out challenger to USC.

The UF connection ------ might it be Julio Jones? Just going to float that name out there and see if it sticks.

Spotdawg · Jul 30, 2008

is Urban Meyer's book is coming out and perhaps there is a smoking gun in there somewhere. That wouldn't surprise me at all. Urban seems to come off a little "holier than thou" from the excerpts that I have read. He even goes into the third person when he jumps on Richt's act during the Ga/Fl game...

"That wasn't right," Meyer said in the book, which was written with sportswriter Buddy Martin and will be out in early September. "It was a bad deal. It will forever be in the mind of Urban Meyer and in the mind of our football team. We'll handle it and it's going to be a big deal."

However, I don't think that Mr. Meyer should be pointing any indignant fingers at anyone else in this conference. Probably not a real smart move.

I still think that Saban may have more to fear from the "served" Fat Fulmer. There is way too much common territory and too many common recruits. There is still a whole lotta smoke and fire left in that relationship.

Isn't it wonderful though, that Saban may be actually looking to leave because even HE can't control the mouth-breathing mass of over-entitlement that is the Alabama fanbase. Just damn funny.

FurnitureDog · Jul 30, 2008

There is no buyout. He can leave whenever he wants. He just packs up his pitchfork and moves on. On the other hand, should he fired without cause, UA owes him the balance of the contract.

From al.com regarding Saban's contract with UA:

Article V starts on page 20 and covers termination of the contract. The short story here is that there is no buyout clause, such as the one in Shula's contract. If Alabama fires Saban, he still gets all the money. If Saban leaves on his own, he forfeits the money.

As is typical, the contract covers every imaginable scenario for termination of the contract -- from Saban dying to Saban being convicted of a criminal violation to (and I call this the Mike Price clause) "engaging in any conduct or committing any act that brings Employee and/or the University into public disrepute, contempt, embarrassment, scandal or ridicule.

It also states that conduct constituting a major NCAA violation is grounds for firing, too.

Or, in general, breaking the numerous terms of the contract could be cause for dismissal along with more juicy items like betting on football or using illegal narcotics.

Then it breaks down the procedures for termination, appeals, etc.

If Saban is terminated for cause, he would not receive the balance of his salary. If he's fired because the football team doesn't win enough games, he still gets paid.

And if Saban wants another job..................

If Saban leaves, he cannot contact or recruit any prospect that he had been recruiting for Alabama for one year.

Another interesting, and unique, clause in the contract covers "confidential information." It basically says that Saban will obviously acquire confidential information about Alabama athletics while serving as coach. So should Saban take another job, he "expressly promises and agrees" not to share any confidential information that could put Alabama at a serious competitive disadvantage.

And if Saban becomes interested in another job, he must inform Alabama immediately when he or his agent is contacted about the job or must notify the school of his interest in that job.

Shmuley · Jul 30, 2008

yeah, UF was somewhere in the mix, but it came down to bammer or Oklahoma with him. UF wasn't really in there.

bonedaddy401 · Jul 30, 2008

[b said:
Shmuley[/b]]yeah, UF was somewhere in the mix, but it came down to bammer or Oklahoma with him. UF wasn't really in there.

Yea your probably right I was just trying to think of a big time player that Might Have been caught up in that whole mix.

THE DEVILS POST!
THE DEVILS POST!
THE DEVILS POST!
THE DEVILS POST!

SwampDawg · Jul 30, 2008

make it so.

Todd4State · Jul 30, 2008

I do, but while the coach at Bama was different, the boosters were presumably the same. Plus, Meyer was at UF then.

Shmuley · Jul 30, 2008

jmbeck · Jul 30, 2008

In fact, I think it was really a two man race between Bama and FSU. Oklahoma was a remote chance.

But, Florida was in there, and he took an official visit to Florida.

So, it's possible.

saltybulldog · Jul 30, 2008

...agrees" not to share any confidential information that could put Alabama at a serious competitive disadvantage.

HammerOfTheDogs · Jul 30, 2008

Dawg725 · Jul 30, 2008

Saban jumps ship, Coach Croom has another successful and even better year at MSU (beats BAMA again) and BAMA comes calling on Coach Croom...

haha, wouldn't that be some ****?!

Fletch Fletcher · Jul 30, 2008

Dawg725 wrote: _________________________________________________ Saban jumps ship, Coach Croom has another successful and even better year at MSU (beats BAMA again) and BAMA comes calling on Coach Croom...

haha, wouldn't that be some ****?!

If Saban leaves because Bama gets prohbation, then I don't think Croom would be interested. He has stated that he would NEVER recomend that someone take a head coaching job at a school that is on prohbation and that if he had to do it again, he would not have taken the job at State knowing what he knows now.

studentdawg87 · Jul 30, 2008

Ha and then Bryne wants some offense so we hire Malzahn who goes on to dominate Nutt every year. That would really take things over the top.

Todd4State · Jul 30, 2008

studentdawg87 said:
Ha and then Bryne wants some offense so we hire Malzahn who goes on to dominate Nutt every year. That would really take things over the top.

that Karma's a *****.

I hate to ruin the thread, but doesn't Croom have some sort of clause that prevents him from going to Bama? I'm sure the only reason LT put it in there is so he wouldn't have to do a coaching search, so Byrne might do what Barnhardt did with Cohen and cut him some slack as long as he doesn't take any recruits and takes Woody with him to Bama.

ArmyofDoggness · Jul 30, 2008

There is no telling who he could come up with, I hope we get to see that one day soon.

Todd4State · Jul 30, 2008

I bet he will one day. And I could also see him coming up with a guy like a Mahlzahn.

Southdowns · Jul 31, 2008

Saban and Emmert were VERY tight at LSU (Emmert hired him), and still remain so. I know Emmert holds Saban in the highest regard, and when Willingham is fired after this year, don't think Saban won't get a phone call. I would imagine Saban's agent has already had conversations with UW- he's good at what he does, and his job is to find better deals for Saban every year. Believe me, UW has more than enough $ to lure Saban away.

Another interesting tidbit. Let's assume all of this goes down and Saban is in Seattle next year. First game? LSU at Washington on Sept. 5, 2009.

AssEndDawg · Jul 31, 2008

I also said there was no way Saban would go to Alabama so I'm not putting my foot down on this one.

The money he is getting at Bama will be hard to match for a UW program that hasn't seen good days in a while. They might can do it but I just don't see it happening. Ya never know though.

I have no problem thinking of a reason he would leave Bama. Saban is a control freak and LSU just handed him the reigns and backed slowly out of the room. They left him the hell alone as long as things were going good. We all know that Bama can't do that. From the moment he got molested by the ultimate redneck Bama fan getting off the plane he has had Crimson all up in his face. I'm sure he has some Alumni out there "helping the program" in ways he doesn't approve of but he can't do anything to control those people. You also add in the hard reality that the Bama name doesn't carry the weight it used to and the recruiting is a hell of a lot tougher than it was at LSU. I think he is seeing that this is not a program that can be easily turned around. Insane expectations coupled with impossible job could possibly equal looking to jump ship.

If he leaves though I have no doubt they will get another good coach. They got money to throw around and no one can fully understand how much it sucks to step in Bear's shoes until they take the job. I think the Bama faithful need a couple of decades in the SEC cellar to temper their expectations a bit. It would do them some good. If they lose to us and Aburn this year though expect people to start talking about paying out the contract and firing him. Three in a row to us and what eight(?) to Auburn and those people will freak. Maybe that is what has him looking.

HammerOfTheDogs · Jul 31, 2008

AssEndDawg said:
I If they lose to us and Aburn this year though expect people to start talking about paying out the contract and firing him. Three in a row to us and what eight(?) to Auburn and those people will freak. Maybe that is what has him looking.

But Alabama needs to do what God did to the Hebrews after leaving Egypt-let an entire generation die out.

DawgatAuburn · Jul 31, 2008

AssEndDawg said:
Three in a row to us and what eight(?) to Auburn and those people will freak. Maybe that is what has him looking.

Seven, but no one is really keeping track of it. Seriously. It's not a bid deal.

lanceharbor7 · Jul 31, 2008

I'm sure he has some Alumni out there "helping the program" in ways he doesn't approve of but he can't do anything to control those people.

Let's not deify Saban. He's as crooked as they come when it comes to recruiting. This per coaches who've coached with/against him.

The Peeper · Jul 31, 2008

Edited to say I see what you mean now, this year would be seven............

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