Spoiled and Rotten (or how I was fooled by the Saban) | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Spoiled and Rotten (or how I was fooled by the Saban)

phinphanforever

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Ughhhhhh, a very ugly day in Dolphin land to be sure. How appropriate that today's debacle occured on Wednesday, the middle of the week, often referred to as hump day. We got humped all right.

I never thought that things could get worse after that dreadful campaign in 2004. Our franchise player decided to bail on us, Wanny had well overstayed his welcome, the team had no young talent, our attitude reeked more than Limburgher in a South Floridian summer, we were in cap hell and our QB situation was a disaster.

Before Saban rode into town, I was apprehensive about our future. A college coach coming in to save the day? When was the last time a college coach had success? Didn't this end up horribly for the Redskins with Spurrier? All of these concerns, however, vanished quickly after listening to a few Saban press conferences.

There was something about Saban that was very convincing and appealing. He seemed like a no nonsense kind of person. He was driven. He was intense. He had fire in his belly. He seemed as if he wouldn't settle for anything less than perfection. If that perfection took some time, so be it, as long as by the end of his stay, the team reached the summit.

When he divulged bit by bit how the team would accomplish its goals, I found myself nodding in approval. Build through the draft, embrace intensity and competitiveness, constant learning and development...on and on, I bought every word: I drank the proverbial kool-aid.

After the first season, my feelings of trust in Saban only deepened. 9-7 after a dismal 4-12. Young players brought into the fold. Some great FA signings such as Carter, Traylor and Holliday. A new culture in the locker room that propelled a six game win streak at the end of the season. All around, a very good season.

Season two was a different story but my beliefs in Saban as the right man were never diminished. I felt that the injury(delayed rehab) to Cpep was a bit unlucky and that the confusion in the defense was due to a complicated scheme but I was prepared to take short term pain in the interest of long term gain. I admired how Saban handled things after the season was all but lost. We headed into the bye week at 1-6 with a mighty, and undefeated, Chicago team licking their chops at the sight of a wounded and fragile opponent. Saban marched the troops into the Windy city and blew out the Bears chances at a perfect season.

We made a run, however unlikely and limited it was, at the playoffs despite the horrid start. I thought that given the circumsatnces, it was a respectable 6-10. There were some definite low points but I was proud that the Dolphins continued to play hard.

After the first few whispers of Saban as a candidate for the Alabama position, I scoffed. Nick Saban leave after 2 years? Are you kidding me? Have you ever watched one of his press conferences? This guy has Churchillian like character. Quitting is anathema to Saban. It would go against everything the guy is about.

The stories continued to flow, however. I still wasn't too concerned- it was like a mild rash that wouldn't go away. Then, on the Friday before Christmas, I thought Saint Nick gave us all an early present. He said those famous eight words -nine if you don't count the contraction but since Saban obviously doesn't believe in qualifiers why should I? - I’m not going to be the Alabama coach .

And that brings us to Humpday. The mother of all jobs ever pulled against Miami Dolfans. Say it ain't so Saban? It's a nasty trick, right Nick? Stand up to the mike and tell Dolphins Nation that you have been troubled by all the false reports in the media, how it has been a huge distraction to the team, and that you didn't appreciate the media's rumour mongering and feel that this shoddy yellow journalism doesn't deserve to be commented on, which is why you have waited so long to respond. What did we get from Saban? Silence.

Oh the horror, the horror. Those missives of impending doom that were spewed across countless internet blogs, fantasy sports sites and rumour factory rags all came to light. On a related note, I thought, and continue to think, that the reporting on this story was pathetic. There was very little fact presented in the media pieces and plenty of conjecture/opinion/editorialising. I felt that the media was chasng a story in pack like fashion despite the fact that there was little to no evidence of Saban's departure. I guess the lesson learned here, however, is that where there is smoke, there is fire. That, and the fact that Saban is one helluva' a good liar- Tell us Nick, were you crossing your fingers when you uttered those famous eight (nine if you want to be grammatically correct) words?


This one will be hard to swallow. It's a bigger crap cake than when Ricky decided to pitch a tent near the Ganges. I don't begrudge Alabama for going after Saban. Heck, we did the same thing to LSU. He's a great coach, despite what many on this site have said about him and our average record the last two years. I thought he was a great evaluator of talent, instilled a fiercely competitive attitude in our team, was a talented teacher, and was even entertaining to boot- how many NFL coaches do you know have regailed a crowd of reporters on Gestalt theory? I also thought he was a man of strong character and integrity. Then he pulled out the whole Pinnochio act.

I would have been disapointed had Saban left under any circumsatnces, but at least I could have been understanding. Had he not said anything about the Alabama job, or even said it was unlikely, I wouldn't be in the state I am right now. Saban, however, took a different path, and much to my chagrin, I actually have to admit that Lebatard got it right when he called Saban a Weasel. It's no fun being fooled. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. What started out as a promising tenure filled with hope and excitment has now suddenly gone south (technically North). Bad vibes all around. The team is left spoiled and rotten, indeed.
 
Nice writing my friend.I thought it's Don Shula's 77th Birthday today too.With Saban taking over for Mike Shula on this day.It's kinda' ironic,don't ya think?
 
Great write-up. And a lot of us drank the kool-aid, how could you not the way the man presented himself and his decisiveness. Coming off of Wanny and his "we have to get that cleaned up" diatribe every week, Nick was the antidote we all needed. He was like a cup of cold water after swallowing bad tasting medicine.

You hit the same thought I had through all this and used every time a family memebr said Saban was leaving. Leaving now would go against everything the man was about. Damn if he didn't fool us on that one.
 
The fans more than anyone else definitely got the **** end of the stick. He could have easily refutted the rumors by saying "I never comment on contract situations"or "every year I evaluate where I am in life" etc.

For him to say mutiple times saying that under no circumstances that he will not leave is complete BS.
 
I hear you man. We all bought this guy's snake oil. He seemed to have integrity and unwaivering dedication to the team, and demanded the same of the rest of the franchise. Yes, the man knew what he was doing, maybe a little too well. Saban knew he messed up by passing up on Brees, he saw how tough the division and conference were going to be and the weasel decided to take the money and run. Now he left us with an aging team while the bills and jets got younger and are showing more promise. :( He's a good coach, but he's an excellent liar. We were all had by a professional liar of great skill. The man has mastered deceit into an art form and he wasn't afraid to use in order to take more money. He was actually smirking when he was hugging all of the Alabama fans, how repulsive. What has happened to our once proud franchise?:boohoo:
 
Saban is a A-Hole, this is true. But has anyone.....

Has anyone considered the one common thread here with the last few coaches we had running the show ? It is called Mr. BlockBuster. We all know he has more money than God and that he talks a very sincere game. And I am not calling him a liar. However, he is NOT passionate about the game of Football let alone the Dolphins. To him, this is strictly a business (as with all of the other NFL owners), but it has appeared very clear to me that as long as the Dolphins are PROFITABLE, that is all Wayne truly cares about. Now could Wayne make more $$$ if the Fins won the Superbowl....well the answer is an obvious YES. But it is also obvious that he knows nothing about the NFL and WINNING! As an owner, you have to take responsibility by hiring the right people to run the organization successfully. And by definition of Success in the NFL is NOT ONLY turning a profit, but winning the Super Bowl as well, or at least getting close to winning it.

Again, Mr. BlockBuster is a nice guy who means well and knows how to make a buck, but he has done NOTHING FOR THE DOLPHINS but make them a borderline Embarrassing team. With all of the storied history of this team, there is NO excuse to have gone through as many head coaches, bad drafts, giving away of draft picks, and missing the playoffs for as many years as they have under Mr. BlockBuster's ownership.
 
I think you got it wrong about blaming Heyzzinga. He's a nice owner and even if he dosen't care that much maybe that's a good thing. Better then having an owner like the Falcons who's constantly at your back. He gave Saban everything he wanted. Saban didn't ask for anything more. Saban had a lot of money to spend. The only one to pin the blame on here is Saban. he said he wasn't leaving yet did. He shouda kept his mouth shut and said that he hasn't made that decision yet.

However I really think he should of stayed. He could of gone to the playoffs next year. You can't just take a team to a playoff and expect to win it all when you just start as a head coach. It takes time and each year the dolphins improved in some area. The weakest link has been the OFFENSE. However that is done and over with. I say we should get Jim Bates.

What Nick Saban has done though is gonna bite him in the ***. Traitor. He's a traitor! :fire: I looked up to him and he just betrayed every single Dolphin fan. If he don't want his family to be raised in Miami he shouldn't have come here in the first place. I did like the decisions he made about switching quarterbacks. It worked well but he wouldn't stay so that's done and over with. :shakeno:
 
I too am guilty of drinking the kool-aid. But for only one reason, that "kool-aid" was REAL. It was no smoke screen, no trick. Nick Saban had a plan, he had fire, he had charisma, he had passion. Key word being "HAD". This season he really seemed to be a broken man. I didn't see the same passion and charisma I witnessed in the first season. It must have been the losing streak, and the criticism of the Culpepper trade; it all really got to him. Which also suggests that Saban wasn't mentally tough as he claimed to be. How could he be broken so quickly? It's almost his job to be criticized, essentially that's all that ever happens to coaches. Saban didn't trick us, not until the last week or so. I truly believe everything he came in and preached and I think he was genuine. But obviously then he went and threw all of his credibility down the toilet. But in no way am I or Dolphin Nation guilty of getting the wool pulled over our eyes with Saban.
 
Good riddance. This past year alot of Saban's flaws manifested themselves on the offensive side of the ball as well as being able to judge quality NFL caliber personnell. I was going into year three with the mind that it was his make or break year. He hadnt proved that he was capable of being anything other than a good defensive coordinator. Take his sorry *** back to college. The NFL is too tough for a wimp like him
 
what a helluva great post. Thumbs up for saying everything that I'm thinking!
 
I feel exactly as you do.. I feel like the biggest fool in the world for believing the **** he was spewing!
 
just wanted to make correction on my post i meant weakest link is offense not defense doh. so mad can't even type straight =P.
 
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