Nick Saban Saying Strange Things - Retirement Rumors

#1

Coug

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#1
For a man who loves college football, Nick Saban sure does seem to have a lot of problems with the state of the game. The more he talks these days, the more it sounds like he's not crazy about the way the game is played or the way the game is run.

"I learned what I feared the most would happen. All the attention, all the interest would be about the four teams in the playoffs, which is exactly what happened, which was great to be a part of."

"But what I was most fearful of is college football is unique. A lot of young men get a lot of positive self gratification from being able to go to a bowl game and that's always been a special thing. That by having a playoff we would minimize the interest in other bowl games, which I think is sort of what happened and I hate to see that for college football."

"Maybe we need to go one way or the other," Saban said. "Either have bowl games or have playoffs but not try to have both."

Nick Saban retire? Sounds crazy but he seems unhappy with the game he loves | AL.com
 
#3
#3
Losing all your big games as of late will do that to a guy.

Yep. Have to wonder if he'd feel that way if he'd won the NC this past season. Once you make the playoff, anything short of the title game is disappointing.
 
#5
#5
As much as I dislike him when we play his team, I didn't read anything I disagreed with. He's also right about playing 9 conference games.
 
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#10
#10
Saban is right about the diminished significance of bowl games. He's wrong about when it started.

Bowl games are diminished by the sheer number of them being played and still they are adding yet 3 more this year. When 84 out of 128 teams get to go to a bowl game, it's just another game at that point and there isn't much special about it...except not sucking bad enough to get left out.
 
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#11
#11
I cannot tell you how happy I am that Bama has gotten to the point where folks don't consider the SEC Championship Game to be a "big game".

You're like lost UK fans concerning what those salaries are for. I'm sure everyone was relishing that SEC title as OSU was smacking you around.
 
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#12
#12
Saban is right about the diminished significance of bowl games. He's wrong about when it started.

Off topic but

Do you think that Blake Sims deserved to be the starter over Jake Coker? Haven't saw you post in awhile so figured I'd ask while you're around.
 
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#13
#13
You're like lost UK fans concerning what those salaries are for. I'm sure everyone was relishing that SEC title as OSU was smacking you around.

You're so aggressive while agreeing with me. You're right: nothing other than a national championship game, or playoff, is a big game for Alabama. I'm right there with you, pal.
 
#14
#14
For a man who loves college football, Nick Saban sure does seem to have a lot of problems with the state of the game. The more he talks these days, the more it sounds like he's not crazy about the way the game is played or the way the game is run.

"I learned what I feared the most would happen. All the attention, all the interest would be about the four teams in the playoffs, which is exactly what happened, which was great to be a part of."

"But what I was most fearful of is college football is unique. A lot of young men get a lot of positive self gratification from being able to go to a bowl game and that's always been a special thing. That by having a playoff we would minimize the interest in other bowl games, which I think is sort of what happened and I hate to see that for college football."

"Maybe we need to go one way or the other," Saban said. "Either have bowl games or have playoffs but not try to have both."

Nick Saban retire? Sounds crazy but he seems unhappy with the game he loves | AL.com

I find what he said pretty stupid.

The scenario about the other bowl games losing interest happened a LONG time ago under the BCS. To act like it just happened because we went to a playoff is silly and not even close to reality.

If he's really worried about other bowl games losing interest, perhaps he should push for the number of bowl games to be lowered. Because it's more likely interest is lower because fans are more spread thin on bowl games, and the perception is now that simply making a bowl game isn't really that special anymore considering almost every .500 team makes one.
 
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#15
#15
I find what he said pretty stupid.

The scenario about the other bowl games losing interest happened a LONG time ago under the BCS. To act like it just happened because we went to a playoff is silly and not even close to reality.

If he's really worried about other bowl games losing interest, perhaps he should push for the number of bowl games to be lowered. Because it's more likely interest is lower because fans are more spread thin on bowl games, and the perception is now that simply making a bowl game isn't really that special anymore considering almost every .500 team makes one.

I agree with what you're saying and you're right about the bowl games losing interest under the BCS. Several outlets have already pointed that fact with regard to Saban's statements. He really comes across as whining in my opinion though.
 
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#16
#16
I agree with what you're saying and you're right about the bowl games losing interest under the BCS. Several outlets have already pointed that fact with regard to Saban's statements. He really comes across as whining in my opinion though.

I think Saban is one of those people who isn't happy unless he's unhappy. There is something new bothering him every offseason. Sometimes he's wrong, like with the ten second rule or why bowl games are insignificant. Sometimes he's right, like being the only SEC coach pushing for a nine game slate.
 
#19
#19
I cannot tell you how happy I am that Bama has gotten to the point where folks don't consider the SEC Championship Game to be a "big game".

Unfortunately, the game played on "the third Saturday in October" hasn't been a big game for Alabama in a very long time.
 
#22
#22
Another thing, is Saban not equally upset that smaller conferences garner much less interest than the bigger conferences? I haven't seen him complain about how the Sun Belt, MAC, CUSA, etc all play in the large shadow of the SEC, Big 10, etc.

Seems like the same principle.
 
#23
#23
Another thing, is Saban not equally upset that smaller conferences garner much less interest than the bigger conferences? I haven't seen him complain about how the Sun Belt, MAC, CUSA, etc all play in the large shadow of the SEC, Big 10, etc.

Seems like the same principle.

While he's never said this outright, Saban seems to be of the belief that the small conferences should fend for themselves. On numerous occasions, Saban has said that he wants the Power 5 conferences to just play each other, and not schedule any small schools out of conference. I don't agree with that at all, because it would spell doom for a bunch of programs.
 
#24
#24
You have to really read into his statements on an epic level to conclude that he is considering retirement........JMO
 
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