That Gary guy sure knows what he's talking about... ;-) http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/122704/lsu_timeout001.shtml
I get the feeling he almost thought I had a negative attitude towards Nick...and even though I believe that the "my mind was changed," and "I turned it down," was actually orchestrated and a very calculated bargaining tool on his & Sexton's part, I do believe that we will have gotten the best of Nick Saban. It couldn't last forever, and like I told Dubois...Anyone who thought that he'd come out with a quote ala Tuberville's infamous "They'll take me out of Oxford in a Pine Box," 48 hours before he took the Auburn job is dreaming. He was never destined to be here long term. He leaves us better than he found us, and NO ONE can ask for more. Period. Point blank.
That's exactly what I've been feeling but unable to put into words, partly due to my still simmering anger at those who would turn on Coach Saban after all he's done for LSU.
You have to give NS credit. I was concerned at first because he was going to coach our team and head to Miami on Monday for a press conference, have no idea how long he would be there. But he made the right choice and a classy one at that by not going through with it. The press conference can and should wait until after the season. Its not like there was anything he could do to help the Dolphins from yesterday til Saturday. I will say I was a bit hurt by the whole thing the other night but I got over it and will root for Nick and the Dolphins like I always have said.
I truly wished I had posting privileges on the site while he was going on his harangue after Coach Saban left...I agree that Coach Saban used LSU and played his hand beautifully in order to maximize the benefits of his situation with Mr. Huizenga. But, to say that he doesn't deserve to coach the bowl game? Well, what's more important. Being petty with Coach Saban, or winning a New Year's Day Bowl game? To say that you agree with Peter Finney (People think this guy is some soothsayer when it comes to LSU athletics...I've met the guy...and he spends LSU football games scanning the stands with power binoculars looking for hot chicks-and this is an OLD MAN we're talking about here) and his starter after the 8th inning whose lost his fastball outlook on LSU soprts is myopic... What is more positive overall to the general health and well-being of LSU Football? Making sure Nick Saban is the first one to tell Xavier Carter & Travis Daniels-who were not in Baton Rouge and would not have been immediately aware had Saban announced from our humble city-that he would be coaching them for the final time on January 1st? Or to make sure that people like Peter Finney and other selfish LSU fans got to see Nick Saban on the 5th floor of the Athletic Administration Building one last time? I mean, it's incomprehensible to me that people would sit there and take potshots in hindsight. Absolutely incomprehensible. To be honest, it's partly that same mentality of those like FightinTIGER who drove Saban away. There were grumblings amongst the coaching fraternity that Saban was amazed at the "What have you done for me lately" attitude amongst the fanbase after the rough stretch had LSU sitting at 3-2 and one UF loss away from mediocrity... Perhaps we actually hastened his departure...But, whatever the case may be, the bottom line is that we knew that his eventual departure was as evident as it was inevitable... FightinTIGER wants to Monday morning quarterback and say he disliked Saban all along...But let's find ONE post before this became obvious where he mentions that dislike directly, or talks of why he dislikes Saban... You won't find one...But hindsight is 20/20...and while we thought Saban was staying...It wasn't a twinkle in his eye...But now that he's gone...He's spewing his invective all over the place... Get over it people...
I totally agree with you, TE, but: I'm sure you can find him spewing venom after the Georgia loss because he's a prototypical front runner.
Why is it I don't hold ill will against Saban? I was just as sure as anything he would stay. Sure I was very disapointed but if someone walked up to me and said "Rick, I know you work here and you love your job but I want you to come work for me, I'm going to give you control of everything and on top of that I'll double your salary but you have to uproot your family and move to Florida". Why is that a tough decision? I'd say CYA faster than you could say...see ya.
I feel like Ebeneezer Scrooge...Waking up on Christmas Day...amazed at the world around him he's been ignoring... Saban...You totally agree with me on something other than the thought that John Kerry is the antichrist? Whoa... I will say this...Name me one time he came on here and said, "I just don't like Nick Saban. Everyone thinks we owe him something. People act like he's given us a gift." I'll hum the Jeopardy theme 2,896 times in a row before passing out due to exhaustion before anyone finds that...Because it doesn't exist...
