Any word on Saban's new contract?

I think you just describe 95% of the college coaching profession. The only coaches that can truly claim they love their school are those who went to school there ... like Fulmer and Spurrier.

I will say this about Saban ... I think when his coaching days are over and he is sitting in his rocking chair, he will have very fond memories of LSU. This will probably be his favorite college job when it's all said and done.

I truly believe he is happy here, but it's not the ultimate job for him. This happiness will allow him to be more selective when looking at the NFL. Saban is a control freak ... I can't imagine him taking a job where he doesn't have any control. I'm sure he is well aware of what happened to Spurrier in Washington.

Yes, LSU needs to protect itself in the contract...

 

LSU: "We want a buyout clause in the new contract, Nick."
SABAN: "I'm not signing any contract with a buyout clause."
LSU: "OK, don't worry about it. Just kidding."

 

Speaking as the daughter of a longtime high school football coach, I'd like to weigh in on the "loving LSU issue." My dad had the propensity to jump from one program-building job to another; he liked the challenge. However, we, as a family, always LOVED the school he was coaching--while he was coaching there. Now, that he's retired, we have our favorites from his career, but school loyalty while we were there was never an issue.

I'm sure Coach Saban is much the same way. LSU will be his favorite, in retrospect, and he'll probably always own a house in Baton Rouge. He may move on at some point, but it doesn't mean he isn't 100% loyal to us now.

 

When you really stop and think about it, Nick is a lot like all of us.

When we are at a job, we hopefully like what we do (if not, move on), but I don't think any of us would say "I'll never leave this job"
or "I will love this job forever" i.e. Dietzel: "I'll never leave LSU"

If someone offered us a better opportunity, we would be foolish not to at least listen to what they have to offer.

If the fishin' s better on the other side of the pond, ya gotta go.

And when you're a "climber", like Nick, then you want to prove that you're the best no matter where you go.

I will be happy if he stays 10 years. If not, I wish him luck wherever he goes, whenever he goes, because the guy brought the magic back (Sorry DiNardo)

Every man's will is golden.

 

FightinTIGER

Glad you stepped up. Most of us (at least I) are guilty of LSUitesss. That is the disease of believing (no… knowing) there is no place like Baton Rouge and LSU. And at times like this (Football NC, Basketball team looking good, Baseball loaded and ranked 2nd, Softball top 10, women’s basketball tourney bound, etc…) we all put our blinders on and think everyone in the world bleeds Purple and Gold (or wants too).

As much as we believe in LSU and the state of the university, this just is not so. It’s like owning your own company, no matter how much you believe in your business the West Virginian you hired using a head hunter from Memphis, TN just does not feel the same as you. He may love it, his wife may love it, and his kids may love it but in the end… It is just an awesome stop on a career ladder.

We need to enjoy our time, his kids will graduate and head off to college and Nick will be free to chase that dream that HE dreams of. Hopefully it is Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, but if not… he will leave us better than he found us and we all will thrive.

The bottom line is this… I have friends and business associates from across the country that I have brought to Tiger Stadium and/or Alex Box for a game and 85% of them have left “Die Hard” fans. I mean they follow the Tigers as close as or closer than I. I was lucky enough to have been born here; some are infested with it from their first experience others the bug never bites them.

Time will tell what is most important to Nick and family and it should be clear to us that no one of us (Skip or Mark either) are going to knock Nick off of his course (what ever they may be).

Get After’em Tigers

 

It's as simple as supply and demand. The demand is inconceivably high for a coach of Nick Saban's caliber, and the supply is very very low. We are very fortunate to have him. We need to do what we have to in order to keep Saban. This is a symbiotic relationship. LSU and Saban are in a win/win situation, and that's the way it should be. When he accepted the job, I believe Saban had no intention of being at LSU more than 3 years, but like any surprisingly good job, LSU (administration & fans ) has made him think twice. I am one of the few who think that we will keep Saban for a long time. As long as we, LSU fans, keep doing what we do best-SUPPORT LSU FOOTBALL, we leave Saban in a position where it would be foolish to leave. We need to be prepared to support Saban and his team (our team) when the going gets tough. 2003 was an easy year for us fans. Let us hope that future years are equally easy, but in the event that we encounter an obstacle, we need to let Saban know that our support will not falter. I will never forget the Archer-Hallman-Dinardo years- a period that included 6 straight losing seasons-correct me if I am wrong. Saban has been a Godsend.

 

I'VE HEARD ENOUGH OF THIS.

I'M GOING TO ASK THE MAN HIMSELF WHEN I SEE HIM ... ALONG WITH OTHERS AT THE BASH ... IF HE DOES TRULY LOVE LSU or it's just a good professional position and stepping stone in his coaching career.

If you are right, I'll get back to you.

I won't be getting back to you.

 

OSU might be one he'd leave for, but I don't think Tressel is going anywhere soon. Maybe Penn. State when Joe Paterno retires and they want to get a good coach. But, he says he likes Baton Rouge so going to OSU or PSU would be lateral moves for him, unless he wants to go back up North.

Even with Pitt. doing okay, PSU should have the the pick of the crop in PA, NJ, NY.

You can buy Tony's Cachere's all over in the North. I can buy it up here and a lot of Louisiana spices.

 

There are some colleges that have the keys to success:

1) Great recruiting base
2) Great fan support
3) Great administration support

A decent head coach at any college with these things should be able to produce teams that are top 10-15 even in most "off years".

A great coach at such a college should be able to stay in the top 5 most years, and occasionally compete for the national championship.

I can only see 3 reasons why such a coach would leave:

1) Wants to retire for personal reasons (too old, burnt out, etc.)
2) Wants to tackle a new challenge (NFL).
3) Wants more money (NFL).

However, the negatives of today's NFL are well-known (salary-cap issues, prima-donna players, meddling owners, etc.), so it will probably keep some coaches away who, in years past, would have jumped at the opportunity.