SABAN DENIES 'BAMA RUMORS
Dolphins coach Nick Saban denied on Monday that he is a candidate for the vacancy at the University of Alabama.
"When I was in college, it was always about coming to the pros," Saban said Monday. "I had a good college job, so why would I have left that if I would be interested in another college job?"
Saban recently was linked to the job in the Birmingham News. Alabama fired Mike Shula on Monday after he followed a 10-2 season with a 6-6 mark.
We've heard scuttlebutt in league circles that Fins owner Wayne Huizenga was prepared to fire Saban on the spot if there were any truth to the rumors.
And although we don't believe that Saban ever had any interest in the job, we don't rule out for a nanosecond the possibility that his agent, Jimmy Sexton, was trying to finagle a raise and/or an extension for Saban in Miami by suggesting to a reporter or two on an off-the-record basis that Saban might be interested in the job.
Maybe that's why Huizenga reacted as strongly as he did, if rumors in this regard are accurate. The best way to nip stuff like this in the bud is to ask the coach point blank if there is any interest in leaving, with a subtle demeanor that suggests the wrong answer might result in a very unintended consequence.
Saban's name surfaced several weeks ago as a candidate for the Michigan State job, which he held before becoming the coach at LSU. It happened at a time when the Fins were 1-6 and there were rumors that Saban was very unhappy with his current gig. Since then, the Fins have won four in a row, and they are legitimate candidates for the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff field.-PFT
Dolphins coach Nick Saban denied on Monday that he is a candidate for the vacancy at the University of Alabama.
"When I was in college, it was always about coming to the pros," Saban said Monday. "I had a good college job, so why would I have left that if I would be interested in another college job?"
Saban recently was linked to the job in the Birmingham News. Alabama fired Mike Shula on Monday after he followed a 10-2 season with a 6-6 mark.
We've heard scuttlebutt in league circles that Fins owner Wayne Huizenga was prepared to fire Saban on the spot if there were any truth to the rumors.
And although we don't believe that Saban ever had any interest in the job, we don't rule out for a nanosecond the possibility that his agent, Jimmy Sexton, was trying to finagle a raise and/or an extension for Saban in Miami by suggesting to a reporter or two on an off-the-record basis that Saban might be interested in the job.
Maybe that's why Huizenga reacted as strongly as he did, if rumors in this regard are accurate. The best way to nip stuff like this in the bud is to ask the coach point blank if there is any interest in leaving, with a subtle demeanor that suggests the wrong answer might result in a very unintended consequence.
Saban's name surfaced several weeks ago as a candidate for the Michigan State job, which he held before becoming the coach at LSU. It happened at a time when the Fins were 1-6 and there were rumors that Saban was very unhappy with his current gig. Since then, the Fins have won four in a row, and they are legitimate candidates for the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff field.-PFT
