According to the ESPN crawl thingy, Texas contacted Saban's agent......

[droner]

.......last year just after the BCSCCG. Then they asked Mack Brown if he still wanted to coach. He said yes and the matter was dropped.

I don't think Texas will ask Mack that question this year if things don't turn around.

[Black Diamond Vol]

If Brown goes, you can bet they'll make a serious run at Saban.  They've been passed by A&M in short order, and you know that's not sitting well with the whorns.  They can't hire a young up and comer.  They HAVE to make a splashy hire.  It's not hard to imagine that they'll throw an 8 figure salary out there and see what happens.

[VinnieVOL]

I've heard it said and I believe it.. if Texas comes in with an $8 million per year offer it will take Alabama five seconds to raise it to $10.  Don't you guys think Bama can match any offer out there?

[droner]

I've heard it said and I believe it.. if Texas comes in with an $8 million per year offer it will take Alabama five seconds to raise it to $10.  Don't you guys think Bama can match any offer out there?

I don't think it would be about money. At Bama he knows that for Bama fans they have to be in the NC picture or it's a bust. At Texas he can rebuild a program and fans will be happy for improvement for the first couple of years.

It's pressure to stay where he is and it's pressure to rebuild a program. But when you're rebuilding, expectations are tempered for a while.

[VinnieVOL]

I don't think it would be about money. At Bama he knows that for Bama fans they have to be in the NC picture or it's a bust. At Texas he can rebuild a program and fans will be happy for improvement for the first couple of years.

It's pressure to stay where he is and it's pressure to rebuild a program. But when you're rebuilding, expectations are tempered for a while.

Sure hope so!

[Stogie Vol]

I saw on the tv that he said he was too old to start over somewhere else.  He wouldn't lie. Never has....never will.

[Volznut]

"I will NOT be the coach at Texas"

[BanditVol]

I saw on the tv that he said he was too old to start over somewhere else.  He wouldn't lie. Never has....never will.

 

[FLVOL]

Call me crazy, but I want him to stay at Bama AT LEAST until we beat them again. It would be like when SOS left Florida, it's just not the same now.

I would rather lose a time or two more then beat them than beat then next year after he's gone, but Im definitely a sick, twisted up hill battle kind of guy too 

[Creek Walker]

It is so hard to think that Saban would leave Alabama. He has it made there. However, as good as the Alabama job is, it has to take a toll on coaches. Saban doesn't keep Alabama at the top without a lot of wear-and-tear on his psyche as well as on his body physically. Texas is the best job in college football because you can achieve just as much there without having to work as hard to do it.

Question: If Saban leaves Alabama to take the job at Texas, do they take down his statue?

[droner]

Question: If Saban leaves Alabama to take the job at Texas, do they take down his statue?
[/quote]

That's the problem with putting up statues before that person is retired or dead.

[Creek Walker]

Let me add that I hope like hell that Texas throws the kitchen sink at Saban. It's going to be bad for college football in the long run, because it's going to drive up coach salaries throughout the game, and it's the fans who will ultimately pay for that. But it's good for Tennessee. A strong Alabama is just fine and dandy; it makes our rivalry fun. But a strong Alabama when we're trying to claw our way back to relevance just makes Butch Jones' job ever so tougher. I know some people disagree with me (here's lookin' at ya, Bandit ol' buddy), but Alabama is going to be competing for national championships every single year as long as Nick Saban is there. They're going to sign top recruiting classes every year as long as he's there.

[BanditVol]

Let me add that I hope like hell that Texas throws the kitchen sink at Saban. It's going to be bad for college football in the long run, because it's going to drive up coach salaries throughout the game, and it's the fans who will ultimately pay for that. But it's good for Tennessee. A strong Alabama is just fine and dandy; it makes our rivalry fun. But a strong Alabama when we're trying to claw our way back to relevance just makes Butch Jones' job ever so tougher. I know some people disagree with me (here's lookin' at ya, Bandit ol' buddy), but Alabama is going to be competing for national championships every single year as long as Nick Saban is there. They're going to sign top recruiting classes every year as long as he's there.

Well first of all, you state above that the job is no doubt taking a toll on Saban.  I agree!  I have made this point in the past, and people laughed at me.  So..glad you agree now! lol.

Second point...bammer will be recruiting top classes every year...you are right about that.  Right up to the point that the NCAA nukes them.  The violations are there IMO, it's just a matter of evidence coming out. There is no way their recruiting success adds up...it's like Lance Armstrong winning an unprecedented 6 Tour de France races after surviving testicular cancer.

And when the shizzle does hit the fan, if the NCAA ever wakes up, Saban will run to the NFL like Carroll.  He will have no choice.

I will also add that, while not denying they were good both years, bammer caught a TON of breaks the last two years.  Everything fell into place perfectly.  I am not that impressed with them this year either, but they well could win another one on account of only facing 1.5 "real" teams in the regular season (I'm not counting Tamu's D...it's terrible).

[Creek Walker]

Toll or no toll, don't hold your breath waiting for Alabama to fall out of its position as a perennial title contender because Saban is washed up.

And, frankly, the idea that the NCAA is going to come in and hammer Alabama back to the stone age for recruiting violations is nothing more than a pipe dream by Tennessee and Auburn fans.

[BanditVol]

Toll or no toll, don't hold your breath waiting for Alabama to fall out of its position as a perennial title contender because Saban is washed up.

And, frankly, the idea that the NCAA is going to come in and hammer Alabama back to the stone age for recruiting violations is nothing more than a pipe dream by Tennessee and Auburn fans.

Wow, you are awfully opinionated about this.

I really don't give a crap if the NCAA hammers bammer or not, but I would love to see it.  That isn't really my point.

My point is that his recruiting ability simply defies logic and any rational explanation.  The only logical conclusion is that they are cheating their arses off.  There are tons of circumstantial evidence to back that up.  If I cared to put the time into it, I could probably provide at least thirty links.  And my point with that is that ANYONE could win with the talent Saban assembled.  ANYONE.  Would they win three in four years?  Probably not, but I think even Jim Donnan could have won an NC at bammer with the talent they have.  No. 1 FIVE YEARS IN A ROW!  Nothing remotely like that has ever happened in college football before.  And there's more...stuff I heard back in 2007 when Saban was getting started up that no bammer fan wants to discuss now, like a huge slush fund, and some other stuff I won't go into.

I also again point out that they caught a ton of breaks the last 2 years...breaks I hope they don't get this year, but we will see.

One thing I know for sure, I hate everything crimson and want to see them fail.  You, on the other hand, are a Saban fanboy.   Keep smelling his taint.  It doesn't do much for me, but to each their own.   

[Creek Walker]

It's called being a realist. You can call me a fanboy and pat yourself on the back for being a good little UT fan for hating Alabama all you want to, but it doesn't change the fact that Saban is the best coach in college football, is the best coach college football has seen since Bear Bryant's retirement, will continue to have Alabama in the hunt for a national title, and any talk of the NCAA's hammer waiting to fall is nothing but wishful thinking that is backed up by all conjecture and no facts.

[FLVOL]

The violations are there IMO, it's just a matter of evidence coming out.

Um, are you completely blind to UT's issues lately? A clip from Adrian Foster was JUST aired where he said he was getting paid while in school, and all you can focus on another school being corrupt? Talk about not seeing the forest from the trees....

[BanditVol]

It's called being a realist. You can call me a fanboy and pat yourself on the back for being a good little UT fan for hating Alabama all you want to, but it doesn't change the fact that Saban is the best coach in college football, is the best coach college football has seen since Bear Bryant's retirement, will continue to have Alabama in the hunt for a national title, and any talk of the NCAA's hammer waiting to fall is nothing but wishful thinking that is backed up by all conjecture and no facts.

Let's be clear...there is no wishful thinking.  I could care less if the hammer actually falls....I would rather beat them on the field.

But all their MNCs are tainted in my opinion.  If you get pretty much whatever athlete you want in recruiting 6-7 years in a row, and are NO ONE IN RECRUITING EVERY SINGLE YEAR...yeah....you're gonna win.

That's my point.

[Creek Walker]

But all their MNCs are tainted in my opinion.  If you get pretty much whatever athlete you want in recruiting 6-7 years in a row, and are NO ONE IN RECRUITING EVERY SINGLE YEAR...yeah....you're gonna win.

Oh that's your point now? 

Wait...should their be an asterisk by our 1998 national championship?!? Look at all the players from Georgia, Florida and North Carolina we had on that roster. It wasn't fair for Fulmer to stockpile talent and hoard it from those other states' top programs. 

[BanditVol]

Oh that's your point now? 

Wait...should their be an asterisk by our 1998 national championship?!? Look at all the players from Georgia, Florida and North Carolina we had on that roster. It wasn't fair for Fulmer to stockpile talent and hoard it from those other states' top programs. 

Did Fulmer cheat his ass off to stockpile that talent?  Heck, he may have, but he didn't get caught.  Fulmer never came close to being no. 1 in recruiting five years running.  In fact, of our classes leading up to 98, only the 94 class was no.1, the one that included Peyton, and the only players left from that class in 98 were fifth year seniors.

If Tennessee had cheated on the scale that I am pretty sure bammer is now, we easily would have won in 2001 at a minimum, and possibly 97 and 99 as well.  The level of talent assembled at bammer is unprecedented.  I think YOU could coach it to an MNC, just about.

[Creek Walker]

Did Fulmer cheat his ass off to stockpile that talent? 

Did Saban? Please offer proof, not just the usual conjecture of "well it's impossible to do that."

[BanditVol]

Um, are you completely blind to UT's issues lately? A clip from Adrian Foster was JUST aired where he said he was getting paid while in school, and all you can focus on another school being corrupt? Talk about not seeing the forest from the trees....

I could give a rat's ass what Foster says about anything.  I read his comments...they didn't add up to much.  A coach brought him tacos.

If we were cheating on the scale that bammer obviously is, we would be much better than we are.  So I'm not worried about it.  No way did Dooley cheat, the talent level he left us with is just too low.

As for my opinion on bammer, I have been ranting about it for over a year now, ever since I checked the recruiting records closely and I don't plan to stop.   All you have to do is look...there is no way they recruit the way they are without massive cheating.

Don't believe me?  Tell their fans.  A bunch of them  have responded along the lines of "everyone does it, we are just better at it".  Seriously, this is the majority that I have mentioned it to, and they aren't joking when they say it either.  Hey, they know.    It's...so...OBVIOUS. 

[VinnieVOL]

Did Saban? Please offer proof, not just the usual conjecture of "well it's impossible to do that."

Until there is proof, it really just sounds like sour grapes to say "they just CAN'T be that good!"

[BanditVol]

Until there is proof, it really just sounds like sour grapes to say "they just CAN'T be that good!"

Not "they can't be that good" on the field...I give saban credit for that...more like "they cant be that good in recruiting".

And CW, the proof is at your fingertips...circumstantial, yes, but I could do like 30 links if I wanted to bother.  Without even trying...

perks from stores, jobs to girlfriends, facilities at high schools for players, bump violations, selling textbooks, players driving SUVs they cant afford, baby momma's in houses, transcripts changed in LA (Lower Alabama)...the list goes on and on.  Hell, even a top NFL agent openly said they had cheated and covered it up last year.

If bammer's recruiting success was comparable to any other major program in their situation....say Florida from 2005-2009, or USCw from 2002-2005, or even maybe LSU from 2002-2007, who has probably recruited as well as anyone in the SEC the last five years other than bammer, I wouldn't say a word.  But bammer's recruiting is way beyond any comparable situation and it doesn't add up.

That's not sour grapes, just an observation.

But yeah, I have probably beaten that horse a bit much....but I don't care....if they didn't recruit in a way that defies all logic, I wouldn't say anything, but it's too ridiculous not to point it out.