Saban rants, raves, bans reporter from asking questions

I dunno about this, JJ. There is no sports entity in this country - and yes, I'll include the Leafs and Habs here - that can match the fan support, coverage, revenue generation and insanity of the top NCAA programs. Up here for the most part there is little interest in college sports. I doubt there is a junior coach anywhere in Canada who makes a tenth of what Saban hauls in.

 

What league? O, Q, Dub? Do tell!

 

That's overstating it a tad... Obviously, Saban isn't as important in NYC as he is in Atlanta or somewhere else down south, but I'm guessing Alabama games are televised fairly regularly in your market. I'm guessing there are a few people in the Northeast who care about college football.

 

Alabama football is huge....

 

In fairness, here's an update. We'll have to see how things play out. Stay tuned for Saban's press conference.

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2009/08/father_of_girl_involved_in_alt.html

 

Where'd you find that picture of Slappy?

 

I was speaking from my own personal perspective, where Alabama football doesn't rate so much as a 100-to-1 comparison with Canadian junior hockey. Is that okay with you?

 

I don't claim they're on the same level, generally speaking, it's just the best comparison I can make from a domestic standpoint. Junior hockey here is to the NHL what college football is to the NFL.

And what I said is still a fact - junior hockey rosters turn over just as quickly as do college football rosters, and yet the upper-echelon coaches, the ones with longevity and histories of success, the ones who legitimately have a claim of being bigger than the team itself - the Brian Kilreas and the Stan Butlers - don't come off like Saban does. That's what I'm saying.

 

Now that you explain it that way, sure.

rb

 

Now, if we can just get spnited to we can all sing kumbayah. 'Course, we'd probably have to sacrifice a small child or something, so you have to wonder if the song would be worth it.