How many years does Saban keep coaching?

Deathroll said:
3 or 4. He’s gonna be 70 this season.

(insert the inevitable bammer saying he’ll last at least another 10 years).:)
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Is there an expiration date for a coach? I mean I'm curious, assuming this is the maximum he can expect to be, at what point won't it be good enough? And I have another question. At what point is a coach expendable? I'm of the opinion everyone eventually fades to inconsequence. Coaching probably carries with it a lot of personal baggage. Remember the Arkansas coach? Bobby Petrino. He was expendable. Everyone is.
And while it's nice to think nobody will ever replace you, that's also inevitable. A smsrt coach would have an exit strategy. Whether it be three years or ten. It should be on the table. Too many people never live to their full potential. I like Saban but I disagree with his methods. But I can't say he hasn't lived to his full potential. That I do believe he has.
 
CollegeFBFan2021 said:
Is there an expiration date for a coach? I mean I'm curious, assuming this is the maximum he can expect to be, at what point won't it be good enough? And I have another question. At what point is a coach expendable? I'm of the opinion everyone eventually fades to inconsequence. Coaching probably carries with it a lot of personal baggage. Remember the Arkansas coach? Bobby Petrino. He was expendable. Everyone is.
And while it's nice to think nobody will ever replace you, that's also inevitable. A smsrt coach would have an exit strategy. Whether it be three years or ten. It should be on the table. Too many people never live to their full potential. I like Saban but I disagree with his methods. But I can't say he hasn't lived to his full potential. That I do believe he has.
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I truly hope Saban does have an exit strategy. It would be sad to see him end up like Bowden or Paterno. Still a figurehead on the sideline, but past the ability to run the team operations because age took their skills, but nostalgia maintained their position. I'd also hate to see Saban follow in Bear Bryant's shoes and pass away within months of retiring. Be like Erk Russell. Erk led Georgia Southern to a 15-0 season in 1989 and won the FCS/1-AA National Championship for the third time in 5 years, then retired at the age of 63 on top of the world. He lived a happy retirement for the next 17 years before passing in 2006 at the age of 80.
 
There was another coach I remember being at W. Virginia. Having a little difficulty with the name but was actually very successful. I know what you are saying about people wise beyond their years. When I was growing up in Alamosa we had a coach Ron Harms who left for Texas A&I. They've actually had surprisingly good coaches relative to the size of school (2,000 undergrads). My dream, if you can believe it was to play for an institution like the college here. Adams St. I went here for a year before transferring. I actually never graduated college. I don't want people to think I'm anything other than a novice and I never played organized football. But did try out for freshman football. In 1984. And I was injured. And the coach wasn't particularly interested in my welfare but was present because John Knight had a broken hand. I never played again. The life of a former nobody turned nobody ought to be the first line of my obituary. But since attended games. Adams St is more prominently known for track and field many All American people came here.
 
CollegeFBFan2021 said:
There was another coach I remember being at W. Virginia. Having a little difficulty with the name but was actually very successful. I know what you are saying about people wise beyond their years. When I was growing up in Alamosa we had a coach Ron Harms who left for Texas A&I. They've actually had surprisingly good coaches relative to the size of school (2,000 undergrads). My dream, if you can believe it was to play for an institution like the college here. Adams St. I went here for a year before transferring. I actually never graduated college. I don't want people to think I'm anything other than a novice and I never played organized football. But did try out for freshman football. In 1984. And I was injured. And the coach wasn't particularly interested in my welfare but was present because John Knight had a broken hand. I never played again. The life of a former nobody turned nobody ought to be the first line of my obituary. But since attended games. Adams St is more prominently known for track and field many All American people came here.
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I'm gonna guess you're talking about Don Nehlen. He was HC at WVU from 1980 till 2000.
 
RTR...USN (ret) said:
Well, he’s 69, but looks at least 10 years younger and is in great shape. He stated he was miserable while quarantined, and didn’t realize how much he missed it until he wasn’t able to leave the house. I honestly think he will coach until he physically can’t.
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I think he can coach for as long as he feels it's worth the time. Obviously, I can't speak for him, but when you are approaching seventy some think a person ought to retire. I guess the question I have is when is it time to put yourself out to pasture? Would it be better (hypothetically, only) to retire early? Or wait until his services are no longer required? I think that's a tough question you respond to. Honestly, I think he's done. I know you guys will laugh at that, but he's already resting in his laurels. It was gravy, last season. He ought to contemplate retirement. That he isn't is understandable, but father time will catch up with him. It should probably be Lane Kiffin running it. He's obviously too stubborn to admit his time is past and it's time to appoint a successor. But I guess time will prove itself.
 
CollegeFBFan2021 said:
I think he can coach for as long as he feels it's worth the time. Obviously, I can't speak for him, but when you are approaching seventy some think a person ought to retire. I guess the question I have is when is it time to put yourself out to pasture? Would it be better (hypothetically, only) to retire early? Or wait until his services are no longer required? I think that's a tough question you respond to. Honestly, I think he's done. I know you guys will laugh at that, but he's already resting in his laurels. It was gravy, last season. He ought to contemplate retirement. That he isn't is understandable, but father time will catch up with him. It should probably be Lane Kiffin running it. He's obviously too stubborn to admit his time is past and it's time to appoint a successor. But I guess time will prove itself.
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Is there a color people can use for sarcasm? If so maybe you should have used it. What criteria do you use for Saban resting on his laurels?
 
LyquidMetal said:
Is there a color people can use for sarcasm? If so maybe you should have used it. What criteria do you use for Saban resting on his laurels?
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Age, obviously being one. You really think he wants to coach into his nineties? I wouldn't know whether he's resting on his laurels but he's probably thinking about his legacy at this point. Sure he wants to leave them in a better place than they were prior to his having taken the job there. Who wouldn't? But at some point you have to admit Father Time is nipping at your heels. I found it interesting Lane Kiffin left. Steve Sarkisian left. Obviously so did the Maryland coach. They wouldn't be doing that if there was job security there. Maybe I'm too critical. Maybe I'm jealous. Who wouldn't be? But Alabama shouldn't be able to meet the challenge without much difficulty. Regardless of who's captaining the ship.
There are too many good players. Recruiting rankings really aren't that relevant. Many of the best collegiate prospects rank fairly low.
What I want to see, it might not resonate with many people here is comparability across the spectrum of college football.
We are inching closer, I think, to that happening. Alabama won't disappear.
I'm just saying that other programs in addition to Alabama will rise to the challenge. Because that's how life is!
But in complete honesty, as it has always been, it will probably remain a token few who meet that challenge head on. Brigham Young is one example. I doubt it was an accident they met the challenge. Or Coastal Carolina. Or Liberty. Or Tulsa. Or Cincinnati.
 
FQ_Caroline said:
Definitely! I just kinda feel bad for his family. Have you watched the Belichick and Saban interview that HBO did? It's so clear that all of their life is football. I don't know man. It just seems like maybe a break would be beneficial but then again maybe he (and they) is incapable of taking a break
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I wouldn't know, obviously. My own opinion is both probably take it a little too seriously. I played football in middle school. And as I matured other people played while I sat. At the end of the day, it's a game. Nobody likes losing, and both should be given every plaudit for any success, but it's still just a game. At least in my estimation.
Let's say Alabama wins every remaining championship ad infinitum. Who cares?
Why am I the only one who gets it? Let's take it a step further. Let's pretend they never lost to anybody, ever. Why is that such a major accomplishment? Sure it's fun to win. But it isn't everything. And the thing I don't like is when Alabama loses Saban has to throw someone under the bus.
THAT'S why I hope he gets his ass kicked. Not because of anything personal. Because he's a jerk a pretentious butt of a human being. I thought the way he treated players was terrible. I don't have a high opinion of Saban. Maybe I'm alone but I'll be whistling Dixie if and when he's ass is handed to him on a sling. Because I detest arrogance.
 
CollegeFBFan2021 said:
Age, obviously being one. You really think he wants to coach into his nineties? I wouldn't know whether he's resting on his laurels but he's probably thinking about his legacy at this point. Sure he wants to leave them in a better place than they were prior to his having taken the job there. Who wouldn't? But at some point you have to admit Father Time is nipping at your heels. I found it interesting Lane Kiffin left. Steve Sarkisian left. Obviously so did the Maryland coach. They wouldn't be doing that if there was job security there. Maybe I'm too critical. Maybe I'm jealous. Who wouldn't be? But Alabama shouldn't be able to meet the challenge without much difficulty. Regardless of who's captaining the ship.
There are too many good players. Recruiting rankings really aren't that relevant. Many of the best collegiate prospects rank fairly low.
What I want to see, it might not resonate with many people here is comparability across the spectrum of college football.
We are inching closer, I think, to that happening. Alabama won't disappear.
I'm just saying that other programs in addition to Alabama will rise to the challenge. Because that's how life is!
But in complete honesty, as it has always been, it will probably remain a token few who meet that challenge head on. Brigham Young is one example. I doubt it was an accident they met the challenge. Or Coastal Carolina. Or Liberty. Or Tulsa. Or Cincinnati.
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No. You said he's already resting on his laurels. Yeah, Lane left, Steve left and Mike left. To become HEAD COACHES elsewhere. Which is the goal of most I presume. Some are ok with being an oc or dc or whatever on the coaching staff.
Well, we've seen what happens with BAMA when they don't have a quality coach. Mediocrity. We'll see if Liberty, Coastal, etc., can keep it up.
 
CollegeFBFan2021 said:
I wouldn't know, obviously. My own opinion is both probably take it a little too seriously. I played football in middle school. And as I matured other people played while I sat. At the end of the day, it's a game. Nobody likes losing, and both should be given every plaudit for any success, but it's still just a game. At least in my estimation.
Let's say Alabama wins every remaining championship ad infinitum. Who cares?
Why am I the only one who gets it? Let's take it a step further. Let's pretend they never lost to anybody, ever. Why is that such a major accomplishment? Sure it's fun to win. But it isn't everything. And the thing I don't like is when Alabama loses Saban has to throw someone under the bus.
THAT'S why I hope he gets his ass kicked. Not because of anything personal. Because he's a jerk a pretentious butt of a human being. I thought the way he treated players was terrible. I don't have a high opinion of Saban. Maybe I'm alone but I'll be whistling Dixie if and when he's ass is handed to him on a sling. Because I detest arrogance.
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Speaking of pretentious and arrogance. You look in the mirror lately?
 
LyquidMetal said:
Speaking of pretentious and arrogance. You look in the mirror lately?
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Not trying to create animosity. I know my comments can be pretty brazen. I think I said I dislike the way Saban presents himself to the media as well as the public. He isn't the first to treat people that way. It's hardly a new device. I'll give him credit for being transparent. He doesn't cloak anything at all. But I can hardly agree with his methods.
Maybe I shouldn't say anything. I've never coached anyone. I know nothing about it.
But I am familiar with the technique. I don't agree with it and for that reason I'm not going to sing his praises. It will catch up with him eventually, assuming it hadn't already. The generation gap is widening.
He says he doesn't do Twitter. Fine. But that's going to put him at a disadvantage.
Eventually someone will ask themselves why they should play for Nick Saban if there's a more hip and more entertaining coach to play under? Rick Neuheisel comes to mind.
No, he isn't coaching anymore, but he assumed successful and he wanted kids to be happy. Not to be miserable.
I credit Saban for success in the short term. He nearly signed Freeze as an OC. But many, if not all of those guys especially Locksley were borderline be criminal in their behavior.
I credit Saban for taking a chance. It's like rehab. Sarkisian was fired for drunk and disorderly. But admittedly has righted himself. I know something about addiction.
I can relate to what's been happening.
Colorado had problems with it. I went to Colorado. And I know something of prejudice. Colorado was prejudiced, but McCartney tried to remove that stereotype.
Eric Bieniemy was recruited to Colorado. Karl Dorrell obviously is if Black ancestry
Brigham Young has a coach of Samoan ethnicity. You think that's the norm? Hardly.
So, I credit Saban but he could use a softer touch. Make no mistake, he's earned every penny, but sometimes he's a little too strict.
That's all I'm getting at. I don't want to call him a show boat. He's just too serious for my taste. I like Gary Patterson. Texas C.
As far as other programs there are going to be a lot more to contend with.
Certainly the crux are SEC teams. That's good and it says a lot about comparability.
I think what Alabama did, to their credit is raise the competitive bar. By the way that's what Relative Proficiency does.
By seasons end only three teams were above 100% R P. Cincinnati was fourth.
They lost so we need not worry about them.
But they were closing in on a Championship.
You can only keep the barn door closed for so long. Eventually someone will creep in.
Did I mention Tulsa? They're competitive.
 
Hard2Bluff said:
He will be the AD after a few years. Then he will have a luxury recliner in the stands overlooking his monumental statue.
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I still say that the only school Saban would take an AD job is Kent State but he will have no interest in an AD gig. When he thinks he cannot maintain the work ethic he demands of others, he is done working. Until then, he is a coach IMHO.
 
LyquidMetal said:
Is there a color people can use for sarcasm? If so maybe you should have used it. What criteria do you use for Saban resting on his laurels?
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I think anyone who is establishing a legacy like Saban wants to rest on his laurels. I think they made a mistake in letting Lane Kiffin go. I know that's been some time ago, and I recognize why it was done but that one will bite him on the ass.
 
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