Nick Saban: I'm not buying the hype.

[Digger44]

The announcers suggested Saban needs a "designated flag thrower".

no he did not at all. that comment was directed at john madden if he were coaching now. dont pull stuff out of context.

 

[patsacolachick]

I'm not saying a coach can't be intense, but when he gets mad, he looks insane, like he wants to go stick a knife in a telephone pole.

That line is going to make me laugh for days!!!

 

[FSUPatsFan]

Yeah, I really don't understand why Saban was immediately labled as a great coach before he even coached a game in the NFL. There is no evidence that he has drafted well yet. I mean, Ronnie Brown hasn't done much in the league and he may well be a little overrated. I think Saban was considered to be a great coach because of what he did at LSU. Just because someone is a good college coach, doesn't mean they're a good NFL coach and vice-versa. College football is a total different game and coaches require a completely different skill set. Spurrier couldn't cut it in the NFL, Switzer won a superbowl, but that wasn't his doing. And Callahan at Nebraska had a bad first season, whereas Pete Carrol has build a dynasty. Just because Saban had a very successful college career doesn't mean he should be labled as a good NFL coach.

 

[njpatsfan]

The announcers suggested Saban needs a "designated flag thrower".

Remember Herm's 'designated' clock watcher ?

It's tough for a coach to look 'personally' like a fool coaching a football game, but Nick was able to pull it off.

R

 

[National Sports Advisors]

Some guys, for whatever reason, get their backsides kissed before they ever do a damn thing in the pros to deserve it. Steve Spurrier was suppossed to be the next big thing and look what happened. Everybody was saying it his first couple of years until he left with his tail between his legs. I'm not saying Saban will be that bad, but he sure as hell has not proven a damn thing to me yet that he is this sure-fire 100% championship caliber coach. Not only is Culpepper not the guy you build around, but picking Ronnie Brown #3 was definitely not smart. The guy will never be a franchise back, mark my words. You don't take RB's #3 unless they are without a doubt ALL-PRO material. Brown split action his whole college career and shows no signs of being an ALL-PRO in the NFL. Solid, possibly borderline pro-bowl material, but definitely not #3 draft pick worth. Saban simply has not impressed me that much compared to the hype he constantly gets. Period.

 

[Digger44]

Some guys, for whatever reason, get their backsides kissed before they ever do a damn thing in the pros to deserve it. Steve Spurrier was suppossed to be the next big thing and look what happened. Everybody was saying it his first couple of years until he left with his tail between his legs. I'm not saying Saban will be that bad, but he sure as hell has not proven a damn thing to me yet that he is this sure-fire 100% championship caliber coach. Not only is Culpepper not the guy you build around, but picking Ronnie Brown #3 was definitely not smart. The guy will never be a franchise back, mark my words. You don't take RB's #3 unless they are without a doubt ALL-PRO material. Brown split action his whole college career and shows no signs of being an ALL-PRO in the NFL. Solid, possibly borderline pro-bowl material, but definitely not #3 draft pick worth. Saban simply has not impressed me that much compared to the hype he constantly gets. Period.

brown is a very good football player. the oline is not his fault.

 

[National Sports Advisors]

Brown is a very good player. Problem is he is definintely not GREAT. And when you take a RB at #3 in the draft you had better believe he better be great. .

 

[arrellbee]

Saban is a very good coach.

Well, I don't think you could predict that he isn't a very good coach at this point. BUT, I really am puzzled as to why it is possible at all to call him a VERY GOOD coach at this point. Don't we need to see how he does for a few seasons first ? His realistically 8-8 record last year (he CAN'T get credit for the Pats win) was with a team that was put together for the most part before he got there.

So now we begin to see what kind of a relationship he has with his players after just one year. Does he build more buy-in and effort from his team or does he, like some coaches, start 'losing' the players - we just can't know this yet but there are some hints that this is not a done deal for him.

How well can he win this year wihout two good backs ? How well can he win with some key players getting older ?

How well will his free agent pick ups work out compared to his losses ?

He basically tied his success on picking Dante Culpepper. School is really out on whether his judgment in this case and other key such cases will get him wins or an erratic W-L record.

How well did he draft over a couple seasons ? We begin to get an idea about that this year but we can't know at this point.

He has a pretty favorable schedule this year. So even a solid record is less indicative that what his team can do against the stronger teams. The first data point on that isn't encouraging.

But that's an awful lot of unknowns to be so sure right now that he is a VERY GOOD coach.

 

[PonyExpress]

I disagree. I like what I see from Brown. I thought they should have taken Merriman at the time, but Brown appears tough, durable, can block, catch, breaks numerous tackles, and is a good teammate. I think Brown is a bell-cow back. One game does not a season make. I expect the Steelers to end up 8-8 by the way (see Pats, 2002).

 

[The Gr8est]

Brown is a very good player. Problem is he is definintely not GREAT. And when you take a RB at #3 in the draft you had better believe he better be great. .

Alex Smith went #1 overall? It was a terrible draft year.

 

[denverpatsfan]

You just can't say enough about Saban. Did you see the way he jumped out onto the field and quickly got the officials attention in order to review that bogus TD? They overturned the call and his stellar D held the Steelers to just a FG. That was the turning point of the game folks. This guy is something else.

 

[Richter]

I disagree. I like what I see from Brown. I thought they should have taken Merriman at the time, but Brown appears tough, durable, can block, catch, breaks numerous tackles, and is a good teammate. I think Brown is a bell-cow back. One game does not a season make. I expect the Steelers to end up 8-8 by the way (see Pats, 2002).

The Pats were 9-7 that year. And they should have taken the Cadillac, not his backup at Auburn.

 

[PonyExpress]

The Pats were 9-7 that year. And they should have taken the Cadillac, not his backup at Auburn.

Believe me I know what the Pats record was. I mean the same basic season, the effects of the banquet circuit and the previous season's emotional drain. And I disagree about Cadillac. Cadillac is a more talented runner, but he's less durable and not nearly as good a blocker or receiver.

 

[PatsWorldChamps]

The Pats were 9-7 that year.

the pats should have made the playoffs then... the pats won that afternoon, then brett "throw-and-pray" farve folded like aquafina playing holdem against Fggsand.... actually the stadium lots were very cool; most people stayed to watch the late game.