Sports - Football[font="][/font] [font="][/font] Dolphins Await Nick Saban's Decision 3 minutes ago[font="][/font] [font="][/font] By STEVEN WINE, AP Sports Writer DAVIE, Fla. - LSU coach Nick Saban kept the Miami Dolphins (news) on hold Thursday, apparently still hesitant about making the leap to the NFL. AP Photo [font="][/font] [font="][/font] [font="][/font] Saban, who has turned down other chances to join the pros, had not yet responded to an offer he received Wednesday to coach the Dolphins. Saban told LSU athletic director Skip Bertman he might need until Friday to decide whether to take over one of the NFL's worst teams. "I know he wants to make as quick a decision as he can," Bertman said. "But there's no pressure on him to make a fast one, certainly none from the university. So he should think things through." The Dolphins' offer came when owner Wayne Huizenga met in Fort Lauderdale with Saban's agent, Jimmy Sexton. "The question is: Does he stay here and continue to build, or does he take on a new challenge?" Bertman said. Saban previously has said he'd prefer to resolve the situation by Christmas Day, when LSU travels to Orlando for its Jan. 1 bowl game against Iowa. Miami players expressed disappointment that the team's offer didn't go to popular interim coach Jim Bates. "It hurts," cornerback Sam Madison said. "But he's going to continue to do his job, and we're going to continue to do our job for him." Bates, preparing for Sunday's game against Cleveland, declined to discuss the situation as the Dolphins took the practice field. "When I started this job, the main focus was to prepare this team to win games, to improve this team, to give them a positive note going out in a tough year with everything that has taken place," Bates said. "That is still my objective." Bates is 2-3 since taking over as interim coach, including Monday night's upset victory over Super Bowl champion New England. The Dolphins (3-11), mired in their first losing season since 1988, were 1-8 when Dave Wannstedt resigned. He became coach Thursday at the University of Pittsburgh, his alma mater. Bates said the Saban situation won't distract the Dolphins in their two remaining games. "Remember this: This team is like a sponge," Bates said. "The more we get, the more we take, and the better we'll be." Saban is 48-15 at LSU, which went 3-8 the season before Saban arrived; the Tigers then went 8-4 in his first season. An SEC title followed in 2001, and he led LSU to last season's BCS national championship. Saban has been approached previously by at least five NFL teams, including a year ago by Atlanta and Chicago Got It?
