Saban and his Little Debbie Fetish?

[DKW 86 7,441]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/16401648.htm

Ricky doesn't understand the Saban bashingBy BARRY JACKSON

bjackson@MiamiHerald.com

Chatter off a crazy Dolphins week:

• Outspoken ex-Fin Bob Kuechenberg calls Nick Saban a ''scoundrel and a skunk,'' and several team employees are privately delighted to see Saban go.

But Ricky Williams, who angered Dolphins fans by retiring before 2004 training camp, can't understand the backlash against Saban's move to Alabama. In fact, Williams says the Dolphins are losing ``the best coach in the world.''

''I'm extremely happy for Coach Saban,'' Williams said via e-mail. ``It is extremely rare to find such a stand-up guy in football, especially in the NFL. I can't understand why anyone would be upset with him. If they really cared about him, they would be happy for him. It is unfortunate that I may never [again] get the opportunity to play for a coach who really cares about his players unconditionally.'' Is RW still stoned on something?

Agent Leigh Steinberg insists Williams will return to Miami if the NFL reinstates him.

• Saban's departure brought relief to numerous Dolphins staffers who felt as though they were walking on eggshells with him.

An official said a Dolphins staffer once complimented Saban on his haircut. That staffer later was told not to speak directly to the coach again. And as profootballtalk.com once reported -- and an official confirmed -- Saban once snapped because a team staffer didn't purchase the correct type of ''Little Debbie'' cakes.

• Saban last year wouldn't allow quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett to join Scott Linehan in St. Louis, privately saying he had to be loyal to the Dolphins. How's that for irony?

• Though most current Dolphins have been diplomatic about Saban, alums keep ripping away. Kuechenberg chuckled when reminded of his October comment that Saban should be impeached because of bad decisions, disloyalty to Gus Frerrote and other factors.

''The man is immoral,'' ''Kooch'' said last week. ``It's totally unforgivable. The Dolphins franchise has never been betrayed anywhere near this scale. But it's better in the long run. You don't want a liar leading your people.''

Said Jim Kiick: ``I know Wayne Huizenga is a friend of Saban, but he was kissing Saban's [butt]. If he did something to warrant kissing his [butt], it's one thing.''

O.J. McDuffie called Saban's departure ''cowardly,'' and said ``he will get everything he deserves. Karma is a beyotch.''

Nick Buoniconti mused: ``Anyone who passes up dinner with the president for a team meeting has their [butt] backwards. You have to be pretty shallow to do what he did to Wayne Huizenga.''

• Multiple alums expressed concern about the franchise's predicament. ''The way this organization has been going the past five years is pathetic,'' McDuffie said. ''I don't see players getting better except Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas.'' Said Kiick: ``The franchise is in disarray. They haven't been successful in a long time and they don't know what direction they're going in.''