February 2, 2021 · 7:30 AM

Sabansplaining

Yeah, that Nick Saban, he be slippin’, man.

Helluva sales pitch, especially ’cause nothing he says is factually incorrect.  Yeah, it’s depressing to hear.

Kirby’s gotta beat Nick, plain and simple.  The sooner, the better.

53 Comments

Filed under Nick Saban Rules, Recruiting

53 responses to “Sabansplaining”

  1. gastr1
    February 2, 2021 at 7:36 AM

    Uhh…yup.

    Like

  2. dawg100
    February 2, 2021 at 7:38 AM

    We did it to Spurrier, we can do it to Saban! Every Dawg has its day.

    Liked by 2 people

  3. W
    February 2, 2021 at 7:45 AM

    Who’s the kid that shared this? Becoming normal to just record and share private convos now?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Biggen
      February 2, 2021 at 7:47 AM

      Please. In today’s culture, if you even try and question this, you’d be cancelled into oblivion.

      Liked by 4 people

    • gastr1
      February 2, 2021 at 7:49 AM

      Yeah, I was wondering about that too. Surely Saban told him it was ok. Otherwise he’d no longer be an Alabama recruit, I have no doubt.

      Like

    • The Truth
      February 2, 2021 at 7:55 AM

      That take is a little heavy-handed, especially under the right conditions. Say a recruit said up front, “Coach, I’ve got a hard decision to make. I’d like to record what you’re saying so I can go back and review it when I make my final decision.” Coach would be crazy to say no, but he better be ready to give a great performance.

      Like

    • ASEF
      February 2, 2021 at 8:40 AM

      It was the kid’s coach who posted it.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. akascuba
    February 2, 2021 at 7:55 AM

    Kirby knows he must do what no other former Saban employee has done beat him. All former Saban coaches are 0-forever against him. That will change and Kirby has the best team to be the man to do so.

    Is it fair to ask if not 2021 when? I dont know Im sure if we play Bama in 2021 that question will be asked. Assuming a healthy team. I think Kirby has the right answer.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. 86bone
    February 2, 2021 at 8:07 AM

    To be da Man you gotta beat da Man…and Nick’s da MAN
    💪🏼

    Liked by 6 people

  6. ASEF
    February 2, 2021 at 8:48 AM

    No lies told.

    His 2017 class got 2 titles, 3 Heisman finalists and a winner. Insane. Wonder what his pitch was for that group.

    Liked by 1 person

    • MGW
      February 2, 2021 at 10:15 AM

      Same as that pitch, and same as the first pitch to his first Bama class: “Look at what I’ve already done. See? I piss excellence, and so do my players, and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is obviously lying”

      Liked by 4 people

  7. Sanford222view
    February 2, 2021 at 9:00 AM

    Only thing Saban put a little spin on was his “competition” answer. The examples he gave were great examples of competition to make you better, but that isn’t the competition recruiters from other schools are referring to when saying, “you can play sooner at our school” because Bama has a stacked roster. They are referring to the competition at the kid’s position group.

    Everything Saban said is still true and everyone can’t play for the “Yankees”, but you want the players who have the confidence come in and battle for playing time with 5 Stars from previous years.

    Aight?

    Liked by 1 person

    • godawgs1701
      February 2, 2021 at 10:12 AM

      The Yankees thing was the only part where I thought Saban sounded old and out of touch – today’s high school juniors and seniors have only been alive for one NYY World Series win and it was when they were 6 or 7 years old!

      And Saban may have been addressing the competition at practices, but I think he probably also tells recruits who are worried about early playing time the same thing that Kirby does: if you’re good enough to play, you’ll play. The best and the brightest are pretty high on their own abilities and they tend to think they’ll play from day one no matter who else is there – witness Justin Fields committing to Georgia despite Fromm and Eason being there and Stockton committing to Georgia despite – well, everyone being there.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. Previously Paul
    February 2, 2021 at 9:15 AM

    Kirby’s problem, if you can call it that, it’s that he didn’t take over a broken program. He was hired specifically to do one thing. Beat Saban. Georgia was winning consistently. But we couldn’t get beyond champions of the east. Georgia was not a rebuild. Kirby was hired to take us to the next level. So far, the closest he’s come was with players mostly recruited by others. The last couple of seasons have been disappointing by the standards and expectations that have been set for Smart. So the question becomes, with all the money being spent how long is his leash? How long will BM be content to be better and more competitive? As long as the donations keep coming in? Or do they actually expect a a national championship? If so, when? Will they cut him loose for someone they perceive might do better? Or is Kirby their guy no matter what? I know the inevitable question here is ‘who do you have in mind?’ I don’t have anybody in mind. I’m just asking questions. It’s the off-season and that’s when we ask questions like this isn’t it?

    Liked by 1 person

    • eethomaswfnc
      February 2, 2021 at 9:39 AM

      PP, there is so much to unpack in your comment that the good Senator could write a series on your questions if real estate closings are slow in a particular week. I’ll try to give my perspective:

      “Kirby’s problem, if you can call it that, it’s that he didn’t take over a broken program.”
      As a Richt supporter, I’m not sure I would agree with you. The program had a culture problem that started in 2008 and blew up in 2015. As CMR became more of a CEO (and an expected fundraiser) and less of a hands-on coach, he began to lose control of the culture of the program.

      “He was hired specifically to do one thing. Beat Saban.”
      I totally disagree with this comment. Mark Richt wasn’t fired purely for that failure in the rain in 2015. He was fired for losing the SEC East to Missouri in 2013-14 and especially for the Florida losses in 2014-15.

      “Kirby was hired to take us to the next level. So far, the closest he’s come was with players mostly recruited by others.”
      I agree with the first sentence, but only because Richt had lost the confidence of University leadership and the big money boosters to get it done. I totally disagree with the 2nd sentence. Do the 4 guys (especially the running backs) stick around for 2017 if they didn’t believe in Kirby’s vision? Doubtful. People made the same comment about Richt. Guess what? Donnan couldn’t get it done with the same players. Richt didn’t get it done with the same players. I go back to the culture comment at the top.

      “The last couple of seasons have been disappointing by the standards and expectations that have been set for Smart.”
      I guess you could say the same thing about 2003-05 with Richt. I’m sorry, but unless you win the SEC, you likely aren’t getting in the CFP. IMHO, this is “natty or bust” thinking that will ruin your enjoyment of the run we are currently on.

      “So the question becomes, with all the money being spent how long is his leash? How long will BM be content to be better and more competitive? As long as the donations keep coming in? Or do they actually expect a a national championship? If so, when? Will they cut him loose for someone they perceive might do better? Or is Kirby their guy no matter what?”

      If Kirby is eventually measured by the expectation of a national championship, the pressure is going to get so intense I wouldn’t be surprised for him to tell all of us to go to hell and see him take an equivalent job. I’ve said from the beginning that my expectation is that we are competitive, in the conversation, and doing things the right way. I think that’s what University leadership and the big donors expect.

      Just my $.02.

      Liked by 9 people

      • godawgs1701
        February 2, 2021 at 10:16 AM

        Agreed on most of these points, but especially the statement that Kirby wasn’t hired JUST to beat Saban. Coach Richt did many great things at UGA, but he also let the program slip to a level that simply wasn’t acceptable in his final seasons at the helm. The decision to bring in Schottenheimer and let him stay at the controls all year long despite it being glaringly obvious he wasn’t equal to the task – the completely nonsensical Faton Bauta episode in the Florida game – losing control of his own coaching staff – Kirby was brought in to take the program to a new level but in the short term I think he was also brought back simply to get the team back to the level where we were in the first half of Richt’s tenure and also 2011 and 2012. Be competitive. Be in the conversation. Be ready when it’s your time.

        Liked by 2 people

      • Previously Paul
        February 2, 2021 at 10:28 AM

        You make some good points, many of which I agree with. But I do believe Kirby is being judged by the standard of ‘anything less than a national championship is failure.’ I don’t think that’s fair but I do think it’s true. Sure, generally speaking you cannot compete for the Natty without winning the SEC (unless you’re Saban). When I said he was hired to beat Saban the assumption was that to win the SEC you have to beat Saban. I know LSU and Auburn had a year there. But generally, you have to beat Saban to win the SEC. if Kirby wins it all after Saban retires he will probably go to his grave hearing people say ‘but you never beat Saban.’

        Liked by 1 person

        • eethomaswfnc
          February 2, 2021 at 10:38 AM

          “Kirby is being judged by the standard of ‘anything less than a national championship is failure.’”

          I don’t have inside information, but I guarantee you that’s not the standard that the ultimate decision maker (Jere Morehead) is using to measure Kirby’s performance. The national media and individuals in the Atlanta media may measure him that way. Segments of the fan base may measure him that way. There may even be individuals on the athletic board and within the liquor barons/big boosters that believe that.

          Like

          • Previously Paul
            February 2, 2021 at 11:02 AM

            Eethomaswfnc ultimately I guess that’s the big question I’m getting at. I agree certain people and groups are judging Kirby by impossibly high standards. The question is how do the people that matter judge him? Maybe I shouldn’t have been but I was a bit shocked by what happened at Texas. I’m just wondering if we we have some folks who have both unreasonable expectations and the influence to force their hands.

            Like

            • eethomaswfnc
              February 2, 2021 at 11:24 AM

              I go off of what I do know about President Morehead from having his class years ago and the limited opportunities I’ve had to speak with him in very short spurts. He is invested in UGA’s reputation as pretty much a lifer. If Kirby were to get us in big trouble with the NCAA or there were a big scandal involving football players (think a Vandy type of scandal) and Kirby was asleep at the wheel, I don’t think Morehead would hesitate to move on a change. If the football team went on a 1993-1995 skid, Kirby would be on thin ice especially if boosters made it clear they didn’t like the direction of the program. Morehead isn’t going to make a snap decision that makes us turn into Tennessee because he’s throwing a temper tantrum over a loss (and I doubt he would listen to others who throw that tantrum).

              Like

      • rugbydawg79
        February 2, 2021 at 4:52 PM

        Losing to florida is what did Richt in. IMO if Kirby goes on a losing streak to those stinkin gators he will be in hot water. Yes we want to beat Saban but losing to fla is not accepted.

        Like

  9. Derek
    February 2, 2021 at 9:49 AM

    He lied about how many players he had in the league and lied about the gap between Alabama and the next team.

    Alabama 56
    Ohio State 50

    https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2020-09-07/nfl-players-college-2020-rosters

    Like

  10. TripleB
    February 2, 2021 at 10:01 AM

    I don’t think that guy does anything accidentally. He knew it would be recorded and he wanted every recruit in the country to listen to it. There’s never been anybody like him and there’s never been a program as successful as Alabama.

    BUT, I’d rather be a Dawg any day of the week because I’ve been to Alabama and I just don’t think much of them! You’ve got to be a little deranged to actually like Alabama (You’ve go to be totally deranged to like Florida).

    Liked by 7 people

    • ApalachDawg aux Bruxelles
      February 2, 2021 at 10:19 AM

      From gods lips to your ears.
      Saban doesn’t let anything out accidentally
      Beating the man in 2021 will be as rewarding as a Ric Flair figure-four leg lock on NWA!

      Liked by 1 person

  11. rincondawg
    February 2, 2021 at 10:07 AM

    It takes three things to win a national championship. Players, coaching and luck; all at the same time. So far under Kirby we have had 2 of the 3! When we manage to have all three, it will be 1980 all over again!! Go DAWGS!!

    Like

  12. CB
    February 2, 2021 at 10:22 AM

    I can’t help but love every word of this. Not because it’s Bama, but because it’s just all true. Kinda makes me realize that Kirby is a better recruiter than I thought because THAT is what he’s up against.

    Liked by 2 people

      • CB
        February 2, 2021 at 10:34 AM

        Not a 1:1 comparison by any stretch, but I recruit HS athletes for a different sport at a much lower level. I talk to kids all the time with better offers than I can provide and tell them they should take the better deal. Kirby has a lot more to offer than I do, but it’s hard to argue Saban isn’t operating with a clear advantage. How do you come up with a pitch to combat his?

        Like

        • Senator Blutarsky
          February 2, 2021 at 10:37 AM

          No doubt it’s tough. I think some of it depends on selling personality, maybe some on selling the chance to build something new as opposed to continuing a dynasty.

          One advantage Kirby has is having worked for the man for so long, he knows a lot about Saban and the program.

          Like

          • CB
            February 2, 2021 at 10:45 AM

            That’s true. Kirby can take partial credit as well. Thing is 5 years later the train is still rolling.

            Like

          • ASEF
            February 2, 2021 at 10:59 AM

            85 counters helps.

            There’s the other component of this pitch, which is laying out for each kid the plan for the kid and resources the program will invest in him. That’s not playing time promises per se. it’s “here how we’d use you and here’s where the S&C program sees the most potential in your growth as an athlete, and…”

            To match Saban on recruiting, Kirby needs to beat Auburn and Florida in recruiting regularly and Clemson and LSU occasionally.

            Liked by 1 person

        • FlyingPeakDawg
          February 2, 2021 at 11:09 AM

          You appeal to everything that is not Bama. The chance to take down the king. To carve your own legend. To lead rather than follow. Basically, I’d show that tape and say, “If this appeals to you, go be a cog in the machine. We’re looking for leaders.” And mean it.

          Liked by 1 person

  13. chuckdawg
    February 2, 2021 at 10:26 AM

    Well, I don’t think he’s 100% on playing time. Some guys want to play, and play a lot. If you go to bama, with so much depth, you probably aint playing much as a freshman even if you are good. Bama sells the competition makes you better, and you will be healthy in your junior year and really good bc of all the training and waiting model – and it works, but that doesn’t mean that’s what everyone wants. He handles his spin really well on it without a doubt, but “playing time” is always a counter to the top programs and with good reason.

    Personally I find Saban as dry as it gets. But I didn’t get the money bag to offset that.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Terry McCullers
    February 2, 2021 at 10:32 AM

    All worlds lead thru Alabama.Recruiting National Championship everything!

    Like

  15. aucarson
    February 2, 2021 at 10:53 AM

    Malzahn beat this asshole 3 times. He’s now unemployed.

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Derek
    February 2, 2021 at 11:24 AM

    He should have added that alabama is so dedicated to winning that they’ll bring in a DT with pending felony charges on campus, do no due diligence whatsoever, tell the public that his admission was an academic decision and when he beats another woman after only 6 weeks there, he’ll personally complain that he shouldn’t be forced to release him until after he has had his day in court.

    Liked by 2 people

  17. ant1123
    February 2, 2021 at 1:27 PM

    What a hypocrite! As many times as we’ve heard tell the media that every year is a new year and they can’t lean on what previous teams have done. So the team can’t rest on it’s laurels but he sure can. Just terrible i tell you.

    Like

  18. RangerRuss
    February 2, 2021 at 2:03 PM

    To be successful long term against the Gumps Kirby has to first beat them once. That’s going to require a force multiplier, a true generational QB such as Joe Burrow along with an innovative O coordinator. Daniels and Monken could fit that slot if Kirby brings in a QB guru to tighten up Daniels’ mechanics. Everything else is in place. Try quick passes to Washington and other big receivers and backs to bruise their DBs early then switch to Pickens and the speedsters to smoke ’em later in the game. Pick on that one aspect and make ’em quit. Simply must out score ’em.
    I know it ain’t that simple. The recruiting narrative has to be reversed to guarantee regular wins against Bama. It needs to begin this year.
    Fuck luck. A team makes its own luck by being better.

    Liked by 3 people

    • mg4life0331
      February 2, 2021 at 2:24 PM

      That right. Also when Saban loses, it doesn’t take a 5 star at every position, the absolute perfect called play every down, and constant promises to higher powers.

      Like

    • TN Dawg
      February 2, 2021 at 11:54 PM

      The tough thing is, even with all that talent, LSU only eeked out a 46-41 win over Bama.

      A good team, even a great team, isn’t any guarantee of a win against Bama.

      That is the especially depressing part about Kirby blowing those two leads. Those opportunities aren’t endless.

      Like