Donovan: "Credit him for not going Nick Saban...."

[quietfan 233]

LEST WE FORGET:

http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/pf...&thispage=1

Slams on Saban get new life

Saturday, March 31, 2007

It happened again this week and you have to wonder if it's ever going to stop for Nick Saban. All of it pertaining to his Shakespearean departure from the Miami Dolphins to the University of Alabama.

Radio talk shows around the country, newspaper columnists and even bums on the street -- or so it seemed -- once again taking shots at Saban in relation to Florida's Billy Donovan's prickly situation with the University of Kentucky basketball opening.

Saban must be wondering what he did to deserve all of this. The Donovan-to-Kentucky rumors have been the major sideshow at the Final Four, helped in part because he has done little to tamp down speculation.

Donovan, who once served as assistant at UK under Rick Pitino, has said all the usual things about being focused on winning a second national title at Florida in playing dodgeball with the media. What he hasn't done is recreate one of Saban's most macabre scenes from December in Miami: Looked right into the camera and said, "I guess I have to say it. I'm not going be the coach at Kentucky."

Donovan hasn't had his agent go loco like Jimmy Sexton did with the Saban rumors, screaming and hollering about how there is nothing to it, when everyone knows he is No. 1 on the hit parade.

Donovan has simply bitten his lip, winning praise and criticism at the same time.

"Credit him for not going Nick Saban and lying to everyone's face," said Jim Rome, a syndicated radio talk show host.

Of course, what Rome and others fail to point out is that Saban was in the middle of the NFL season.

So the question goes beyond whether Donovan is leaving and concerns whether the national media will ever get beyond lighting up Saban and roasting him over an open fire?

Probably not for a while.

Saban probably doesn't care. Saban may not even know about it since he said the other day in the media (for about the 15th time) that he doesn't read newspapers, watch television or listen to the radio. That's really coachspeak for "I pay someone else to do the dirty work."

However, Saban has become the "code word" now for when coaches don't shoot straight, and until someone else goes beyond what Saban did at Miami (and this will eventually happen and pity the poor fool), Saban is stuck with it.

From this point, it is a minor negative for Alabama's $4 million man.

You can call a coach a lot of things. But I'm sorry. I don't know many people who enjoy being called a liar. It's not a good rap to have. The media will forgive someone for "coachspeak." It comes with the territory. However, the media have short memories for blatant deception and deceit, which is the rap Saban has seemingly earned for his follies in Miami.

It's way too late in the game for Saban to really do much about it. What are his options? Do a sitdown with Barbara Walters and plead mea culpa or go on "Dr. Phil" and say he was just having a bad hair day?

Of course, from Saban's side of the fence, he never lied.

Interestingly, other coaches have apparently subscribed to the Saban Manifesto.

Tubby Smith said the other day that even though his agent had been talking with University of Minnesota for several weeks, he didn't even know until the day before his departure from Kentucky. Does anyone with a working brain really believe this?

However, Smith took that drivel right out of the Saban/Sexton playbook.

Down here in Sweet Home Alabama, the Tide fans have quit caring about what others think of Saban. No problem with that. They love the guy, at least, until Auburn beats the Tide in November .

However, for now, Saban is stuck with the undeserved and unwanted label of "liar." And the sports world has a new phrase, "Going Nick Saban." Perhaps, there are much worse things that could happen to Alabama's new rock star.

His coaching could be compared to that of Mike Shula.

[GalensGhost 0]

LEST WE FORGET:

http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/pf...&thispage=1

Everybody knows a poop-throwing monkey has more credibilty than Saban.

[drewau02 0]

This is the same Paul Finebaum who praised Jim Rome and the likes of those at ESPN during and after the 2004 season. After the bowl season, when Auburn fans would call in and complain about the BCS, Finebaum would respond by saying something to the extent of, "Well, Jim Rome, ESPN, and all the writers of the AP believe that USC is the better team than Auburn. Are you gonna sit here and tell me that they don't know what they're talking about? The BCS worked because USC was the best team that year and would have beaten Auburn had the two teams played. I think these people know a little more about football than those who live in Lee County" Click. End of call.

Now, the same ESPN character are clueless hacks who get off on seeing Bama suffer. They're the ones who are conspiring to ruin the reputation of Nick Saban by envoking his name everytime a coach is offered a job elsewhere.

This is the same Paul Finebaum who scoffed at the notion that ESPN was biased against Auburn back in 2004. Now, he claims that ESPN is biased against Bama as if it's a matter of fact.

Guys, do you need further proof that Paul Finebaum is a complete joke and should not be taken seriously? If you want more examples of his ridiculous hypocricy, then I can provide you with a slew of them. He's no more of a serious journalist than Howard Stern. At least with Stern you get a few laughs here and there.

The guy lives in 2007 and still has a 1960's mindset. That's a sad existence. The Tennessee grad can have his pissy radio network. Only Bama homers listen to him anyway.

By the way, isn't it time for his anual column on speaking to Bear Bryant from the grave?

[DKW 86 7,429]

Was listening to the ESPN pre-Final Four today while out working on rental property. They were beyond vicious on Saban.

I could not believe it at first and then I just howled as they said over and over that Donovan would not do it as bad as Saban.

BTW, PF spent the few minutes I listened Friday saying that BD should leave asap.

[BamaGrad03 0]

If he leaves for UK how is saying "I'm going to be at UF for as long as they'll have me" any different?

[SouthLink02 8]

I gotta admit that Donovan is in a bad situation. Bad in that whatever he says will screw him.

To me, its obvious he wants to just hear what they have to say.

But, unless he flat out says he will NOT leave and will NOT listen to UK, he will be said to be interested and want UK.

So, I guess he is doing the best he can in saying he ISNT interested now but will be after

[tiger88 934]

He's not going to leave for UK. UF will pony up the money to keep him.

He hasn't once denied the possibility of ever going to UK like prick saban did. You know like when he said, "I am not going to be the next football coach at alabama". Then got all pissy about the reporters even having the balls to bother him with such ridiculous questions.

Donovan has been pure class when dealing with these questions which are thrown at him everytime he is in front of a mic. To me he has made it clear that he wants to coach at Florida. He has never said he wouldn't leave UF for the right offer if UF didn't work with him a little at least. He has said that he is focused on the gators 100% and I believe him. He has no reason to be worrying about some offer UK may or may not make. Plus he just seems striaghtforward about everything. Unlike that douche saban who got all defensive when asked about the bama job. It's almost like he had something to hide, lol.

To me saying " I'm going to be at UF as long as they'll have me" says he will be there as long as they do what is necessary to keep him there. I think UK offers and UF matches or tops what they offer or close to it and he stays at UF.

With the level of success he has achieved at UF if someone came in and offered him a deal and UF didn't at least sweeten the pot for him that would be a slap in the face to some degree.