Alabama football coach Nick Saban
Alabama football coach Nick Saban Photo courtesy of UA

The lull has arrived. Why not take some time to think about the coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide? Here are some completely random things that might be of interest about Nick Saban.

1. When Nick Saban was en route to being named the head football coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, thousands of Alabama fans gathered at the airport to mob Saban and cheered for Saban along the road as the Saban family arrived in Tuscaloosa.

2. While some were awaiting the newly chosen coach of the Crimson Tide to arrive, libations were flowing. Colette Connell was interviewed on television just moments before Saban’s arrival. She was shouting and celebrating the news. “Oh God, we love him!” she said. Then she screamed for the WBRC Fox 6 television camera, “We ballin’ baby. We ballin’!”

3. The usually reclusive Nick Saban arrived at the airport and headed straight for the throng of Alabama fans. He waved to the crowd and shook hands with others.

4. Police attempted to provide some order around the coach, but could not prevent a determined and intoxicated Colette Connell from reaching him. She reached out with her right arm and slipped it over Saban’s shoulder. In an instant she was pulling Saban toward her and reaching up toward him with her lips. The coach narrowly avoided a kiss right on the mouth, but Connell’s lips found the coach’s face. She then hugged him tightly until a uniformed law enforcement officer pulled her off the coach.

5. Nick Saban’s agent and Alabama began talking with each other as early as the 2006 loss to Mississippi State. However, some suggested the flirting started as early as Alabama’s October loss to the Tennessee Volunteers.

6. Nick Saban posted a top ten recruiting class in 2007 with only a few weeks to salvage the recruiting class.

7. Nick Saban followed the 2007 recruiting class with a #1 recruiting class in 2008, a #1 class in 2009, a #5 class in 2010, and a #1 class in 2011.

8. Nick Saban likes boat rides. Just ask Rick Karle and Paul Finebaum.

Boat Finebaum Saban Karle
Boat Finebaum Saban Karle

9. Dr. Kevin Elko was used by Alabama and coach Saban as an inspirational speaker. Elko is also mentioned in Saban’s autobiography: How Good Do You Want To Be.

10. Saban’s book looks at what drives people to do what they do—what is their passion. Saban said what motivates him is his family. According to his book, “Terry, Nicholas and Kristen, and my mother Mary—for they have all sacrificed greatly for me and my job. They inspire me to invest a tremendous amount of time and effort, to run a great football program that gives young people a chance to succeed.”

11. Forbes proclaimed Nick Saban as the Most Powerful Coach in Sports. Forbes magazine featured him on the cover of its August 7, 2008 edition and examined his control and influence within the University of Alabama.

12. Saban is an optimist when it comes to people. Unlike Machiavelli who provided an eloquent summation of mankind when he wrote, “One can make this generalization about men: they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit.” Writing in 1536, John Calvin would construct a similar view of mankind describing the children of Adam as “perverse, corrupt and lacking any good.” In contrast, the Alabama football coach wrote, “To me there is good in all people.”

13. Nick Saban is a political philosopher. From his book How Good Do You Want To Be: “The most effective teams or organizations are those in which all the members have a say in the direction of the group…Dictatorships don’t rally the masses as democracies do. Now, life is not always a democracy (and neither, of course, is a football team), but allowing individuals power strengthens the foundation.”

14. There is a difference between discipline and punishment, according to Saban. Discipline is a process that teaches. Punishment just makes people suffer, according to the coach.

15. Nick Saban doesn’t like the media, but sure likes the media. Saban has become a master at getting his likeness and the Alabama Crimson Tide brand before the public. He was the subject of the motion picture release Gamechanger and fans along with future football prospects got a glimpse into Saban’s coaching style in the ESPN special Training Days: Rolling with the Crimson Tide.

16. Alabama football player Rob Ezell does a very good Nick Saban impression.

17. Saban was named national Coach of the Year three times and three times was picked as conference coach of the year.

18. One criticism leveled at Saban when he arrived at Alabama was that the coach had never posted successive ten win seasons. That is no longer the case. Saban won 12 games in 2008, 14 games in 2009 and 10 games in 2010. Also before arriving at Alabama, Saban had never posted an undefeated SEC regular season—he has done that twice since arriving in Tuscaloosa.

19. According to the coach’s official bio (link), “Saban spent four seasons (1991-94) as defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns under head coach Bill Belichick. The Browns went from allowing the most points (462) in the NFL prior to Saban’s arrival to allowing the fewest points (204) in the league in 1994, the sixth-fewest points surrendered in NFL history at the time. In each of Saban’s four years guiding the Browns’ defense, they never permitted an average of more than 19.2 points per game. He built a reputation as one of the finest defensive coaches in the league and also was heavily involved in the team’s player personnel and scouting process.”

20. Speaking of scouting, Alabama’s football coach has redefined the process of recruiting. ESPN published a piece on the influence of Nick Saban to college football. Quoted in the article are coaches at Clemson and Florida State—two schools that have become adherents to the Saban method™ See link. The Saban method is not to be confused with the God Thing™ Method used by Auburn. In that system, Auburn students sing “Bringing In the ‘Cruits” to the tune of “Bringing In the Sheaves”, and Pat Dye lectures on the Parable of the Prodigal Pants while Gene Chizik pretends to know what all is going on in Auburn’s questionable recruiting backrooms. For more on the God Thing™ Method, watch HBO’s Real Sports. It has all the “garbage” on Auburn.

11 thoughts on “20 Random Things About Alabama’s Nick Saban”

  1. As reported by me on here several times, Auburn University is nothing but trash. Their backyard will be cleaned in the coming years and all hypocrites will be forced to move on. You cannot call it a “God” thing and then scream “war Damn Eagle” out of the same mouth

  2. C’mon mane….ease up on the barn hawhawahawhaw. Yep, them Auburn people all of em gone burn in hell alrite. Them sunsabytches are just downrite skank. They needs to be moore like us Bammer fans, classy and religious and already signed the contract to get into them pearlie gates. Aubrun, you sunsabytches, go to hell. burn in hell you damn classless basturds. RTR RTR RTR RTR!!!

  3. Now,now,now. WE DO NOT USE THAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE IN HERE!!! One more outburst and you will be banned from this virtual Heaven. We are a highly religious fanbase in here, as well as very moral people. THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING. You have been reported to “you know who”. I can’t say His name at this time as I am waiting on trademark and copyright permission. Thank you and Roll Tide Roll!!!

  4. Auburns recruiting method:

    1. Use the Lowder & Dye Scouting Method to identify and value the best player money can buy. Preferably a naive kid whose dad is easily corruptible by money.

    2. Rent a limousine for a week or two and put ALL of your coaches in it, and travel to various high schools across the state. Have Trooper Taylor hang out the moon roof waving a towel. Anything to get the attention away from Nick Saban.

    3. Offer plenty of incentives, like $1,000 per sack against Alabama.

    4. Get creative with scheduling classes, and don’t put a lot of stock in players graduating. It is all about beating BAMA! Nothing else matters.

    5. Go after every top Bama commitment, say whatever it takes to get them to flip. Shock the world! Tell them to not ever listen to their parents, unless said parent is willing to make a deal (see rule #1)

    6. If the switch is not successful, slander and try to ruin the family of said recruit.

    7. Deny any report about any NCAA investigation, just counter it with the trouble that will come to you if you go to Bama.

    8. Use high school coaches, that have Auburn affiliations, to actively push and pressure star athletes to go to Auburn. Tell them whatever it takes, and lying is acceptable.

    9. Promise early playing time, and promise Auburn will not recruit another kid for the targeted recruits position.

    10. The Colonial Bank ‘loan’ program is now defunct, so all payment options are to go through the Rev. Chette Williams Foundation, care of Wayne Hall. Because it IS a God Thing! And it always has been at Auburn.

  5. 20 Things Never Heard in Auburn:
    1. Naw, I just couldn’t. She was too young.
    2. Wrasslin’s fake
    3. Can’t fix that with duct tape
    4. We don’t need another dog or gun
    5. We need larger minority enrollment
    6. Way I see it, if Carnell and Carlos can’t make their grades, they need to flunk out – like anyone else.
    7. People with diverse opinion should be heard.
    8. Just because he criticizes Lowder doesn’t mean he should have his property torched.
    9. About time SOMEONE stood up to the klan.
    10. Deer have as much right to life as my pet dog or cat.
    11. Cheatin’s just wrong
    12. My hero’s have always been writers and artists.
    13. There are just too many house trailers on 280.
    14. I need to visit my dentist.
    15. If we keep paying hush money, how will we know if some racketeers are not in charge of Auburn.
    16. Accreditation is more important than football.
    17. Chizik should have been fired before the season…for Cheating.
    18. The administration? Its time for a change.
    19. Its not about winning or losing but how you play the game.
    And the MOST infrequently heard saying at Auburn:
    20. Something MUST be going on when you lead the ENTIRE LEAGUE in cheating.

  6. I hope you are all ok and didn’t have any problems with the tornado. You will be in my prayers.

  7. Nice list Brando funny stuff I would like to add one if I may to the list of things rarely heard in the awbum

    21. “I cant marry you, you’re my cousin!”

  8. Just wanted to hear from some familiars on here to make sure they are ok. Praying you and your families are safe.

  9. I know we get on here and bash each other. Today is NOT a day for that. I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy to those who have lost friends and family in yesterdays storms, and also to those who suffered other losses.

    My thoughts and prayers are with you.

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