Saban is Bearish on ‘Bama’s future

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, May 15, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Alabama Crimson Tide
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We probably won't see Nick Saban donning a hound's tooth hat any time soon, but there is definitely some Bear Bryant in this guy.

Like the Bear, his most celebrated predecessor as head football coach at the University of Alabama, Saban isn't shy about getting what he wants. And he knows that what happens off the field can sometimes be as important to a team's success as the action between the lines.

Under Bryant, Alabama became one of those iconic programs -- like Southern Cal and Ohio State today -- that were always a contender for a national championship. Over the past decade, however, the Crimson Tide has ebbed. Saban, who won a national championship at LSU, would like to tap into the old tradition.

Part of that, he knows, is to fire up not only the players, but the alumni and fans. You say you're 70 years old and can't block and tackle any more? Then dig a little deeper into your bank account and make a contribution that way. You want to play for the Crimson Tide? Then try to graduate early from high school so you can participate in spring practice.

Earlier this month, Saban went on record as saying he would like to use the annual springtime Crimson Caravan for rewarding large donors rather than serving as a fundraiser through sales of individual tickets.

"Philosophically," he said, "what I'd like to see in the future is that it should be something that is a 'thank you' to the fans for the support they give throughout the season."

But not just any fans.

"It should be an invitation to people who are the most significant contributors to the University of Alabama and the athletic program," Saban said.

As it stands now, anyone with $100 for a ticket can attend one of the five Caravan stops.

Saban also made news recently with the revelation that he was using video conferencing to contact recruits, a legal (for now) end run around NCAA rules against coaches visiting high schools during the spring. With the camera, Saban was able to communicate face-to-face with Mobile defensive back prospect Gerald West, for example, without leaving Tuscaloosa.

Fred Riley, West's coach, immediately told Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, who said, "It sounds like a great idea."

'Bama was only 7-6 last season in Saban's first season, losing four in a row at one point. Yet the Tide's 2008 recruiting class was ranked first in the nation by four of the six top recruiting magazines. Saban has already gotten a jump start on the 2009 crop, recently signing A.J. McCarron, the state's top quarterback.

Bear all that in mind.
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