Fire Mike Shula Now!

We've moved visit & bookmark us at CapstoneReport.com

2006-12-22T17:30:00.000-08:00

Visit us at CapstoneReport.com

Recent reports we've posted at CapstoneReport.com:

The salary war: Would a big coaching salary be bad for Alabama or college football?

Alabama warming to Houston Nutt?

Festivus Eve

Profootballtalk.com: Saban option remains open

Air of confidence: Saban remains focus, but it is a high stakes game Moore is playing

Finebaum to WJOX?

Testing new site: Feedback appreciated

2006-12-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

never mind, I got the same obnoxious thing on a second visit. Once I get that fixed I'll repost asking for more feedback. Thanks.

Just to scare you...

2006-12-22T11:55:00.000-08:00

Alabama warming to Houston Nutt? Is Sexton pulling a bait and switch? Could this be a real Nightmare before Christmas?

FESTIVUS EVE

2006-12-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Get your decorations here. Also get ready for the feats of strength!

Profootballtalk.com: Saban option remains open

2006-12-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

Profootballtalk.com said this morning the Saban denial didn't convince them. "We still don't buy it. Common sense suggests that Alabama wouldn't have made an offer to Saban absent some indication that Saban was interested. And with new ownership of the Fins on the horizon (we ain't backing off of that one yet), Saban is smart to keep all options open."

Air of confidence: Saban remains focus, but it is a high stakes game Moore is playing

2006-12-22T06:01:00.000-08:00

Listening to outsiders, the Alabama coaching search is a disaster. But if you listen to those close to the program or in the administration, there seems to be an air of confidence that this search will end on a positive note. There is not a frantic scramble. There is no panic. The University is moving ahead, privately, with its coaching search.

Despite the Thursday afternoon denial by Nick Saban, a person close to the administration (OH MY, DID I JUST USE THE ANONYMOUS SOURCE?!?), insisted Saban remains the candidate. On Wednesday afternoon, Saban told reporters he would not be the Alabama coach. It was his most specific denial to date. However, elements of Saban's story have contradicted versions of the story relayed by his agent Jimmy Sexton.

Previously, Sexton told the media that Alabama had not contacted him about Nick Saban. Later, Saban told the media, Alabama had contacted his agent, but Saban said he declined to discuss the opportunity since he wanted to stay with the Dolphins.

Someone's not telling the truth. You can bet it is the agent.

It appears from the beginning, Alabama Athletic Director Mal Moore wanted Saban.

He offered only an half-hearted attempt at Steve Spurrier, then followed that up with the Rich Rodriguez fiasco.

Moore was willing to settle for Rodriguez and to be honest that wasn't a bad decision. Rodriguez would've offered Alabama new blood and a new direction for the football program. It would have been a safe hire and ended weeks of speculation begun prior to the ouster of Mike Shula. However, someone, possibly University bureaucrats involved in the negotiations or perhaps Mal Moore or Dr. Robert Witt or even members of the Board of Trustees, interfered with the process. The result was an offer to Rodriguez, which was easily matched by West Virginia. The offer also complicated the relationship with Rodriguez. The coach was frustrated by the unsatisfactory offer (an offer paying him substantially less than Auburn's Tommy Tuberville.)

The numerous leaks within the University scuttled the Rodriguez deal by allowing UWV to craft a counteroffer. Leaks plagued the entire process and led to a credibility problem for the University and its officials.

The situation now has Mal Moore sitting in a high-stakes game of poker. Like the gambler, he's holding them, waiting on the end of the NFL season. There is a very real danger involved if Saban is not hired. Moore missed out on his best chance to play it safe and the Rodriguez hire was botched. Now there is no turning back. If Alabama doesn't land an A-list coach, the focus of fan discontent will fall squarely on Moore. For the moment, people around the program seem confident, but in the background consultant Chuck Neinas has worked on a doomsday back-up plan in case the Saban gamble fails.

Other news: From the Miami Herald, denials are not enough to be convincing.

Finebaum to WJOX?

2006-12-22T05:51:00.000-08:00

With Herb Winches out at WJOX is the way paved for Paul Finebaum to broadcast on FM and overcome the weak signal strength of WERC? According to the Birmingham News, Winches left WJOX due to its courting of Finebaum and a refusal to play on the "B-Team."

KEY QUOTES: He referred questions to his attorney, Russ Campbell, who said talk Finebaum might leave WERC is just "industry speculation." AND Daniels declined to say if Finebaum is a candidate to take Winches' place at WJOX.

Those are weak denials. There is obvious interest in the WJOX job by Finebaum. You can't trust his lawyer's weak denials. Where there is smoke there is fire. My sister's grocer's plumber's hairdresser said it was a done deal: Finebaum to WJOX.

Oh wait, I'm supposed to say those things about Saban. Just ignore that last paragraph.

Saban denies interest in Alabama job

2006-12-21T14:22:00.000-08:00

Saban: 'I'm not going to be the Alabama coach'

In his most vigorous public statement yet, Nick Saban said he would not be Alabama's coach next season. This despite a day filled with rumors and radio reports saying Saban was Alabama-bound.

Cutcliffe, Bielema and Jack Del Rio to Alabama? That's just stupid

2006-12-21T07:27:00.000-08:00

I didn't address this before because it was a stupid rumor created by a stupid commentator, but with the boring lack of information, this rumor is picking up supporters. It's stupid not because David Cutcliffe is a bad coach. On the contrary, he's a good coach who shouldn't have been fired by Ole Miss. What makes the idea stupid is Ivan Maisel suggested it.

Here's a simple rule: anyone Maisel suggests hiring would really be bad for Alabama.

While that appears axiomatic, it is certainly highlighted in this case. Alabama doesn't need to hire Cutcliffe because there are plenty of other coaches who are younger or more successful still available for the University to hire.

But the fearful fans demand we cease our search and "hire someone, anyone" now to staunch the PR and recruiting problems. As I've said before, the recruiting fears are a consistent posting of a small, but vocal minority of Alabama fans. The worst thing Alabama could do would be hire a lower-tier coach just to keep this year's recruiting class safe. A solid hire will keep the class together. And judging on a conversation I had, most of the Alabama prospects haven't wavered in their commitments. There are some big name recruits at risk, but a good hire prevents their defection or could bring them back into the fold. A bad hire not only sets back this year's class, but could harm several seasons.

Cutcliffe was knocked at Ole Miss for his failure as a recruiter. Of course panicked fans would rush head first into a bad hire. Let's stay the course. The dead period is here, the bowl season and NFL season will be over soon.

Other names just as absurd
Mark Edwards wrote in the Decatur Daily that Navy's Paul Johnson, Wisconsin's Bret Bielema and the Jacksonville Jaguars' Jack Del Rio are considered back-ups to Nick Saban. I think it is safe to say it won't be Bielema or Del Rio. Those names are just ludicrous.

He also questions why waiting for Saban is worth it. "I'm having a hard time figuring out why he's worth so much. His history says that even if he comes to Alabama, he'll leave quickly Â probably after four years or less, maybe when the next good NFL offer comes along," Edwards wrote.

I'm sorry. Saban is one of the best coaches around. Would it be better to hire a second-tier coach or a proven winner? The best bet is the winner. On a second note, the idea of Saban quickly leaving Alabama isn't a reason not to hire him. The problem is the analysis that Saban would leave based on history is afallaciouss assumption.

History can't be used to prove future performance. The reason is that in the past, Saban was working to get to his goal, the NFL. What happens when you realize your goal wasn't what you wanted?

How long was Bryant at Maryland, Kentucky and Texas A&M? Answer, Bryant was at Maryland one season, at Kentucky eight seasons and at Texas A&M four years.

My point? Good coaches job hop moving up the chain. And sometimes they make lateral or puzzling moves, but saying Saban doesn't stay a place long enough is a very bad reason not to hire him.

Hiring decisions should be about getting the best talent, not getting someone known more for loyalty than excellence. Hiring for loyalty is what got us stuck with Mal Moore as AD.

The most cynical appointment since Caligula made his horse a senator

2006-12-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

As I reflect on UAB's hiring of Neil Callaway, I'm struck by what amounts to the most cynical appointment since Caligula named his horse, Incitatus, to the Senate and attempted to make him a consul. It really was a horrible hire, not because Callaway is a bad coach, but because UAB ignored what could be more important than X's and O's--excitement.

Since the UAB program began, nobody has been excited about it. Not even a dramatic win over LSU could lift the program into the public's consciousness. The small, underdog program on Birmingham's Southside hasn't gained traction for lots of reasons, but perhaps the main reason is our cultural need for escapism.

As southerners, we are lambasted by the national media on a consistent basis. They'll make fun of the way we talk, the foods we eat and our passion for sports. But this passion comes from the fact we can excel on the gridiron in the way we haven't on other fields. Alabama and Auburn are top programs ready to compete for championships, but UAB is a program still in its early years, facing the troubles of adolescence.

One theory says UAB fails because Birmingham won't support a team (any team pro or college.) While the last few years of the Birmingham Fire and other laughable pro experiments have hurt Birmingham's image as the Football Capital of the South, one cannot look past how the community supported teams like the Americans and of course the Stallions of the USFL.

Of course the USFL days were a different time and Legion Field was in a different class back then. The stadium is a dump. Any time I go there I fear for my life because the area surrounding the stadium is dangerous.

The worries over safety keep many families at home who would otherwise consider a trip to watch a UAB game.

But the safety fears aren't the only thing keeping people away. If it were safety, then all those Hoover and Prattville people who attended the state championship game (approximately 30,000 fans on a cold Saturday afternoon) would have just stayed home and watched the game on television.

Why did those fans attend?

It was the excitement. Hoover fans were excited about the program, the chance of another title and the show the Hoover offense provided.

When have UAB fans ever been that excited about anything?

So when Hoover's coach Rush Propst said he was interested in going to college and was specifically interested in the UAB job, you would think administrators would at least give him a call.

It didn't happen. UAB administrators were enamored with Jimbo Fisher. While Fisher has a higher profile, he would not have excited the fans until he won football games. Depending on what story you believe, the UA system trustees either told UAB to forget Fisher or they didn't. Whatever the case, UAB moved from Fisher to Callaway. Whatever the case, UAB props up the football program with money from the president's discretionary fund.

The UAB program was bleeding money and should not have hired Fisher based on sound financial reasons. However, there was no reason to avoid hiring Propst. Propst would have come cheap in comparison to Fisher and could have energized the fans around Birmingham to maybe care about the Blazers.

In any event, Callaway is the coach and the hiring looks like a cynical move by the UAB president and athletic department staff. On second thought, cynical probably isn't the right description. Maybe incompetent would be a better word.

LOOKING AT THE BOWLS

2006-12-21T06:22:00.000-08:00

Papa John's Bowl notes from the Birmingham News has this disturbing quote about Legion Field: They Said It: "I love this stadium. It's one of the best ones I've played in. It's so big." - East Carolina wide receiver Phillip Henry on Legion Field.

Wow. Legion Field is a dump. It is a dump dump. The stadium continues to deteriorate as the neighborhood surrounding it. The city of Birmingham made a serious mistake in not spending the money necessary to keep the stadium in good condition. Of course the city made a major mistake in not investing in urban renewal and revitalization around the Legion Field and Birmingham Southern area.

Independence Bowl preview: The Mobile Press Register attempts to answer the question of how Dave Radar's offense would work post-Mike Shula. But the story misses key problems with Alabama's offense systemic to Mike Shula's system, namely, lack of toughness and discipline. I've always given Shula a pass on his offensive play calling. In most respects his play calling was not as conservative as a Gene Stallings-era team; other times it was more conservative, but conservative by itself wasn't the problem.

The problem always focused on how the offensive line and other players just were not tough enough to execute plays. With Kines as interim head coach, the team should execute better because practices are being run more efficiently and intensely. You can call the best play in the world, but if the players can't execute it, then it doesn't mater. At the very least, Alabama has the opportunity to look better in the bowl than it has all season, but that is hard to predict with all the distractions which the team has faced.

Alabama defeats NC State 82-75

2006-12-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

Richard Hendrix was the big star of the game scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. The win keeps the 10th ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on course for the start of the SEC season. The team shows potential, but must improve to make a real and sustained run to the Final Four.

Ronald Steele's knee problems are a concern. According to the Birmingham News, Star point guard Ronald Steele shrugged off recent ankle and knee injuries to start Wednesday, but he went to the bench late in the game with cramps in his left calf muscle. Missing its leader, the Tide couldn't convincingly put the Wolfpack away.

The road win over an ACC team should help the team come tournament time in March when the bids and seeding are done.

NY Times takes another shot at Auburn

2006-12-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

The NY Times takes on the NCAA and Auburn University in an editorial today, click here to read the entire editorial. The NY Times points out how athletics can corrupt not only the athletic side of the university but can seep into other areas as well. Worth reading.

An excerpt that points out the major problem Auburn fans can't seem to comprehend:

An internal audit by the university, made public this month, has uncovered a new round of problems. It found that a grade for a scholarship athlete had been changed — from an incomplete to an A — without the professor’s knowledge. This conveniently raised the athlete’s grade point average in the final semester just above the minimum required for graduation. In addition, the athlete received three other A’s from so-called “directed reading” courses that required no classroom attendance. The professor who issued the initial incomplete in 2003 — and only recently learned it had been changed — suggested that someone in the university had guided the athlete through the scheduling process.

Saban, Gruden center of speculation

2006-12-20T07:20:00.000-08:00

Two names are at the center of NFL speculation regarding Alabama's head coaching search: Nick Saban and Jon Gruden. And since the plumber has plugged most leaks, speculation is about all we have left.

As said about 100 times, the Saban situation is interesting because NFL sources repeatedly indicate he is interested. When you couple that with Alabama's obvious interest, then you've got the one person who is the frontrunner.

Gruden's name is interesting because it gets hotter every day in the Alabama coaching discussion. While Gruden is safe in Tampa for at least another season, there is growing media attention to a Gruden possibility. Much of the media attention is speculation; however, it is clear Neinas has contacted most coaches in the U.S. (and we hear even a few "football" coaches from Mexico and Cuba.) Gruden was probed for interest and could be open to listening to the University.

The post-Christmas/New Year period will be an interesting time as the NFL season ends and the bowl season concludes.

Self doubt could lead to bad head coach

2006-12-18T07:25:00.000-08:00

One of the worst things for your blood pressure is to read Internet message boards. And I'm not talking about the Auburn or Tennessee boards where opposing fans are critical of Alabama. The most depressing message boards have Alabama fans who either can find 100 reasons to be critical of a coaching candidate or can find 100 reasons to hire Joe Kines or you might even find the more panic-induced pleas to hire "someone...Anyone" now to salvage recruiting.

With no real news on the Alabama coaching search, some Alabama fans have taken their frustrations out on message boards. One of the most irritating things to do is to read message board posts bashing coaching candidates. These posts run from the expected Johnson's offense at Navy won't work in the SEC to the more idiotic, Saban sucks and we don't want him.

There are legitimate positives and negatives to every coaching candidate. And that's a fact Which some fans fail to realize. Does Saban have some drawbacks? Sure, but his positives--winning at MSU and LSU, 2 SEC crowns and 1 national championship in five years at LSU are big pluses. The most common criticism of Saban involves his short stays at every school.

Here is a trivia question: How long was Bryant at Maryland, Kentucky and Texas A&M?

Answer, Bryant was at Maryland one season, at Kentucky eight seasons and at Texas A&M four years.

My point? Good coaches job hop moving up the chain.

And sometimes they make lateral or puzzling moves, but saying Saban doesn't stay a place long enough is a very bad reason not to hire him.

The same could be said of someone like Navy's Johnson. He's won everywhere he's been and he knows how to make his schemes fit his talent. Coaching at the service academies is a difficult thing to do. Those schools aren't talent rich like the SEC or other programs, but he still has won.

Are their drawbacks to hiring someone like Johnson? Absolutely, his lack of name recognition would probably hurt recruiting the first year. But the discipline he would bring and experience he possesses would be a big improvement over the Shula and Dubose years.

The recruiting fears are a consistent posting of a small, but vocal minority of Alabama fans. Some want to hold out for a marquee name (probably the wisest course of action) and a subset of this group who wants "someone, anyone" right now to staunch the bleeding. The worst thing Alabama could do would be hire a lower-tier coach just to keep this year's recruiting class intact.

A solid hire will keep the class together. And judging on a conversation I had, most of the Alabama prospects haven't wavered in their commitments. There are some big name recruits at risk, but a good hire prevents their defection or could bring them back into the fold. A bad hire not only sets back this year's class, but could harm several seasons.

The growing sound of fans asking for Joe Kines as head coach isn't a testament to a faith in Kines, but rather exasperation with the hiring process. First, the firing of Shula lingered a week, so we ended up with Shula-fatigue and after about three weeks of coaching gossip fans are now weary of the coaching search. This fatigue combined with some fans sensitivity to national media criticism makes a Joe Kines for head coach movement possible. While I have nothing against Kines, in fact I believe he would make a good head coach and should have been hired instead of Shula following the Price fiasco, right now Kines is not the man for the job.

If you fans want a PR nightmare, name Kines.

But the PR aspects of this coaching search shouldn't be our main concern. The blowhards on ESPN will have their laugh, but with patience and the right hire we can end up laughing for years to come.

What the news is: It is now clear Alabama is waiting on Nick Saban. Whether Saban ends up the coach or not, nobody knows. But there is a clear effort on the part of the University to pursue the NFL option. Moore could have about a dozen second or third-tier college coaches, but he hasn't rushed to fill the slot; therefore, he is waiting on his first choice to finish the season. There is sufficient evidence from the NFL and other sources indicating Saban could consider bolting. The potential sale of the Dolphins is a rumor which shows the NFL team could lack stability. Futhermore, Saban wants to feel needed. His personality needs to feel important and the fans at the University would shower him with the desired reverence. Predicting anything in this circus is not wise. But we can say with certainty Alabama is looking at the NFL and looking at Saban.

For some of the interesting stories:
CECIL HURT: No early Christmas gift for UA

UAB hires Callaway
What a horrible move for UAB. They shouldn't have gone after Fisher or anyone but Rush Propst. Propst would have brought excitement to UAB and gotten fans in the Birmingham area interested in what was happening. It is probably better for Propst he didn't go into such a horrible situation. If UAB's search committee wouldn't even consider interviewing Propst you know the UAB administration has real problems.

FIRE MIKE SHULA NOW! NAMED TIME PERSON OF THE YEAR!

2006-12-16T21:38:00.000-08:00

Time Magazine has named its person of the year and it is everyone creating content on the Internet. OK, so maybe the headline is a little misleading; however, there is no doubt about the role blogs from Memphis Tider to Fire Mike Shula Now! to Roll Bama Roll and on and on have made in the way information is exchanged regarding Alabama football.

"It's a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter. Silicon Valley consultants call it Web 2.0, as if it were a new version of some old software. But it's really a revolution." --Time

With the old media composed of the Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, etc. being consistently wrong, the new media of blogs and message boards provides a check and balance on the runaway train of the 24-hour news cycle. By joining together in blogs and message boards, we can hold the old media accountable--expose mistakes--and by working together discover the truth.

Let's not stop now. Let's continue to hold the old media accountable and forge a new path via the information superhighway.

Trouble within: Alabama's Dysfunctional Management

2006-12-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

For those that missed it:

Tommy Gallion alleged in a Friday afternoon interview on the Paul Finebaum Radio Network that persons within the athletic dept. and the administration were the reasons for the last decade of instability for the University.

Specific Gallion allegations were: Marie Robbins and Gene Marsh were major problems for the athletic department. He said Marsh stabbed the University in the back in an effort to curry favor with the NCAA so he could become chairman of the COI. He also was disappointed in Dr. Witt's reaction to the lawsuit against the NCAA. Gallion alleged the University was attempting to cover up for "one of their own."

He said former University president Andrew Sorensen and others cared about personal agendas over the good of the University. Gallion said, Dubose felt the athletic administration (particularly Marsh and Robbins) were problems for running the football program. Gallion defended Dennis Franchione and said Franchione had major problems with Marsh and Robbins. Franchione could not run the program without interference from outside the football program.

This program has been destroyed methodically over the last five or ten years and for any chance of recovery, Alabama must "burn everyone out of the nest and start over," Gallion said.

ANALYSIS: Gallion's thoughts were interesting, but in my opinion there are many additional problems within the bureaucracy. I also do not believe Dr. Witt is a problem for the University. In fact, Dr. Witt's integrity makes him the only real hope for righting the ship.

Media meltdown: Alabama coaching search

2006-12-15T12:14:00.000-08:00

Real attention being given to the horrible media coverage of the Alabama coaching search.

While the media consistently butchers stories of far greater social and global significance (Katrina, the Sago Mine tragedy, Iraq and on and on), it's worth pointing out that the coverage of the Alabama coaching situation has been one of the sorriest two-week spectacles in the history of college football reportage. The amount of ink spilled--and technical equipment used--to document utterly false stories about Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban and (now) Rich Rodriguez is a profound waste of resources — and a profound insult to the intelligence of the masses, in both Tuscaloosa and Morgantown.
Nationally and in the state of Alabama, news outlets have made one erroneous report after another, filling broadcasts, column inches, cyberspace, and newsprint with rumors upon rumors but precious few facts. The lessons that need to be learned by military reporters and political correspondents are the same lessons that need to be learned by a great many Alabama journalists and college football insiders: get the story right, and forget about trying to get the story first. ---Matthew Zemek on Foxsports.com

Auburn, UAB: Nobody Cares

2006-12-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

I've always wondered what a NY Met fan feels like. He's always living in the shadow of Ruth and Mantle and about 1,000 other baseball greats, and don't forget the championships.

Living in Alabama, Auburn fans (and all three UAB fans) are living in the eternal shadow of the Alabama program. It doesn't matter how many games Tuberville wins or how many championships Auburn earns, they'll always be second-rate. Alabama is the name people care about.

If Auburn were important, then you'd hear real discussion about the academic fraud at Auburn, reported in the NY Times because no sports writer in the state has the balls to tell the truth. Truth is, if it were involving Alabama, the academic fraud would be front page material around the country just like the Tennessee allegations were about a decade ago.

Nobody, not even major SEC rivals really care about Auburn. But Alabama. Now that is a different story.

Visit Alabama message boards and you have idiot South Carolina fans or idiot fans of other SEC schools trying to start heated arguments. Why? Because the Alabama name means something schools like Auburn and South Carolina and UAB lack. The Alabama name still sparks concern. Despite our decade of discontent (brought on by our own hubris), other teams worry about a resurgence of Alabama football. Look at message boards for teams like Tennessee and in the last month you'll find more focus on the Alabama coaching search than their own bowl game.

Fans at these other schools want to point fingers and say the days of Bryant will never come again.

That prophecy is most likely true.

However, when Bryant arrived the same thing was said about how this school would never recapture the days of Wallace Wade and Frank Thomas. In fact, Bryant eclipsed the past.

Great football programs like Notre Dame, Alabama, USC, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Nebraska, Michigan and Ohio State find ways to resurface. Each of these schools have lived through periods of misfortune, discontent and frustration, but each of these schools have rebounded.

Alabama rebounded before and it will rebound again. That is why small-minded fans from other institutions come here mocking our present decade of misfortune. They know it won't last. They know the recipe for a return to glory is at hand. It worries them.

And what about Auburn and UAB? Nobody anywhere really cares about them.

Miami Dolphins up for sale?

2006-12-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

Talk is the Papa John's founder may buy stake in the pro football team.

Could this be involved in Nick Saban's decision making for next season?

What Alabama Needs

2006-12-14T08:18:00.000-08:00

Patience
The recruiting dead period is about to begin, and there really is no way to get a coach in place and recruiting before the bowl season starts. The wisest course of action is to hire a great coach sometime in early January. A great coach would stabilize recruiting and excite the fan base not only this year, but for years to come.

Characteristics of a great coach
A great coach could be someone like a Nick Saban (and we know Saban is still a major target.) A big name coach would generate confidence and encourage recruits who want to play for a proven winner.

But a great coach does not necessarily have to be the biggest name on the coaching leaderboard. A great coaching hire could be someone with a good record who possesses something just as important: The IT factor.

A good coaching hire would be someone who could come into the press conference and wow the audience. It would be the polar opposite of Mike Shula's walking-dead press conference. After Shula was named at the press conference, not one person I spoke with was confident; in fact people were worried--Shula's performance was that abysmal.

But a coach with a winning personality and who understands how to utilize the media would be a big step in the right direction. Recruiting today is about winning and it is about image. Our image would take a nice big boost with a media-savvy coach.

A big name?
"Even Bryant wasn't a rock-star name when he was hired," one person wrote me. I hate to correct that misconception, but when Bryant was hired he was one of the hotter names in coaching. It was Bryant who had won an SEC championship at Kentucky and then moved on to win an SWC crown at Texas A&M. Even then those were considered impressive feats by football experts.

Hiring a big name is a short-cut to credibility and success. A coach like a Saban could come into the program, raise expectations and immediately gain success. An unknown coach could come into the program and have success, but would it have an immediate impact? It depends on the hire. That is why patience is so important. Anyone can coach Alabama, but we want the right coach.

Whatever Alabama hires, big name, small name or unknown, one thing to keep in mind is every single Alabama coach over the last 45+years has won 10-games or more at least once during their tenure. So whoever comes to Alabama, at least once during their tenure, they will likely compete for the SEC and perhaps even the national title. As long as the coach is competent (unlike Bill Curry, Mike Dubose or Mike Shula) then Alabama's future is bright.
Take a deep breath and enjoy the holiday season.

And in the holiday spirit, I'm going to post a few great Alabama gift ideas:

The Missing Ring:How Bear Bryant and the 1966 Alabama Crimson Tide were Denied College Football's Most Elusive Prize

Tales from Alabama Prep Football by Ron Ingram and Rubin E. Grant

Game of My Life: Memorable Stories of Crmimson Tide Football

Crimson Classics: The 25 Greatest Plays In Alabama Football History

Coaching search has broad NFL focus

2006-12-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

Chuck Neinas and Alabama are calling a wide-number of NFL coaches from the marquee names to the lesser-knowns. One coach contacted by Alabama was Jim Haslett, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Haslett now a defensive coordinator with the Rams was formally a head coach with the New Orleans Saints. The Post-Dispatch said Haslett was not interested in the job. And it is hard to think Alabama was seriously interested in him; however, it is a serious indicator about the broad NFL focus of the present search.

With rumors persisting about college coaches, it is possible Alabama would settle for a coach from the college ranks. But most of the focus post-Rodriguez has centered on the NFL.

Coaching search: Another disaster looming?

2006-12-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

A report in the Birmingham News said: "Alabama does not want to change the economics of college football." It goes on to say Saban would be an exception.

ANALYSIS: If the Birmingham News report is accurate (and that is a big IF with that newspaper) then the statement about Alabama's payment options are a real concern. If the administration has given in to bureaucrats and plans to offer a below market salary then expect this coaching search to be a disaster. Rodriguez expressed to the media his dismay over Alabama's offer--an offer that did not meet the pay for Auburn's Tommy Tuberville. Unless the next coach is offered a wow-inducing salary, then this coaching search will quickly enter the realm of chaos.

This morning's Tuscaloosa News verified aspects of our report yesterday. Here are some highlights of the reports and a brief analysis.
"Sources said Mal Moore and Dr. Robert Witt have evaluated the hiring process and proceeded to determine their next move..."

"Alabama could wait on a collegiate or NFL coaching candidates to conclude their final games before offering the Alabama job.""Numerous potential candidates have been contacted by UA’s consulting firm, the Neinas Group, to gather background information."

"No timetable."

The Mobile Press-Register reports what other media outlets reported, the search could last until the end of the month or even into early January.

Analysis: There is broad consensus now the search will last a few weeks. As always this could change if some forces push Moore toward another college coach; however, the bowl season and with just a few weeks remaining in the NFL season, it would seem illogical to rush a hire out. The Christmas holiday also would seem to prevent much action. It has been said numerous times, the longer the search goes the more likely Saban could bolt from the NFL. We believe the search is focused on the NFL with no college coach presently high on the Alabama list. If this changes, then it could be the administration has wilted from internal pressures.

NFL focus of Alabama search; Saban, Gruden, Neuheisel hot topics

2006-12-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

The University of Alabama's list of coaching candidates was expanded over the weekend with a broader focus on NFL head coaches.

The feeling was that Nick Saban remained a very strong possibility for the University. Saban's interest was seemingly confirmed by at least two NFL reporters (including Peter King). Saban's Monday press conference included a non-denial denial.

Jon Gruden's name became scorching hot over the weekend and on Monday. Gruden is considered a top-notch coach and also, according to insiders, a growing possibility. Gruden said in his Monday press conference he was not worried about his future in Tampa Bay. "I don't worry about those things, I really don't," Gruden said.

The most interesting name to emerge as a serious contender over the weekend was that of Rick Neuheisel. Currently an NFL assistant, Neuheisel posted a career Division 1A collegiate record of 66-30 with a Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl appearance. There was some indication that Neuheisel has shown some interest in the job via back channels.

Other information from the weekend indicates Moore and Dr. Witt have not abandoned the desire to hire a head coach. People close to the University continue to insist the search can be salvaged and would not end in the unmitigated disaster that hiring an assistant coach would bring.

Likewise, despite the lingering name of Houston Nutt, the University is not interested in him.

Alabama reflects on coaching search, sets new outline to salvage the situation

2006-12-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

Dr. Robert Witt was provided a detailed status report on the coaching search by Athletic Director Mal Moore following the Rodriguez debacle. The report was the first opportunity to examine the reasons for the Rodriguez failure and to determine whether the Alabama coaching search could be salvaged.

Recommendations from the discussion are believed to have included further compartmentalization of the coaching search. This tightening of the information could prevent regular staff members of the athletic department from being given information customary for their positions (ie: information used in crafting deals, event planning, etc.) The leaks are considered a serious problem for this coaching search and are believed to have come from many athletic department employees. It has damaged contact with at least four coaches being courted by the University. In the Rodriguez case, the leaks created a strategic disadvantage for the University by allowing WVU boosters to create a counter-offer incentive package to keep the coach in Morgantown.

Other recommendations were to modify the University's financial packages and to start a new list of candidates.

On at least two occasions during the coaching search, it is believed Alabama presented an outline of compensation plans unsatisfactory for the prospective candidates. The first such time was early in the process with an unidentified agent and most recently with Rich Rodriguez. The Rodriguez deal was so unspectacular his dissatisfaction leaked to the media, something unprecedented. The next Alabama offer is expected to be sufficiently large enough to "get any coaches attention." There was some concern mentioned that while this is the intention of the administration, it was the intention last time, but somehow was subverted during the Rodriguez negotiations.