Following a rash of bad calls, public criticism by both fans and coaches, and conspiracy theorists everywhere uniting, the Alabama head coach has chosen to take a decidedly different tack. He's standing by his striped men.
"I've been in other leagues and in bowl games," Saban said, "and our officials do a marvelous job here. Are they perfect? No. Do they make everything perfect? Probably not. None of us do. But the spirit of making corrections should be done through the proper channels in the SEC office."
And Coach Woodcock was just getting started on the "proper channels" portion of the program. The coach criticized -- but not by name -- fellow coaches who have taken their officiating grievances to the public.
"I think our league does a phenomenal job in every way," Saban said, "and I don't think there's a place to criticize publicly other parts of our conference and other groups in our league, whether it's other schools or officiating or anything else. To me, we should all be trying to enhance our league to make it better.
"It's the best thing for the league, and we are good because we have a lot of coaches who have done that and done it extremely well and showed a tremendous amount of professionalism in everything that they do, not only running their program, but enhancing our league."
Translation: "Hey, zebras, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know"
Maybe Saban will be granted total gridiron consciousness or something. So he's got that going for him, which is nice.
Nick Saban = Idiot
John Taylor!!! The coach does a classy thing and you go all sarcastic and conspiratorial on him! You can't poke at Mullens and other coaches for airing their dirty laundry in public then poke at Saban for telling them not to air their dirty laundry in public. Well, it's your blog, so I guess you can. In fact, it's a good way to stir the pot--but sooo not nice!
Saban's only saying what I've been posting (great minds :-) that when SEC coaches whine about the SEC officiating it undermines the SEC--which is a darn good conference.
Bad calls happen. If they're deliberate, then I doubt it's unique to the SEC. Some independent body needs to investigate the NCAA/BCS and I'd be all for that. If bad calls are the result of incompetence, it makes no sense to suspend a crew only to bring them back during the most crucial time of the season where they'll be deciding the outcomes of really important games. And doing so only lent credence to every SEC coach who wants to whine over a loss. The Mullens call could have gone either way and wouldn't have affected the final score. So what did Mullens gain here?
Saban's right. People need to grow up, shut up, and handle their business through proper channels instead of trying to replay games in the press.
Saban's kissing ass hoping he will get some good calls. Coach me thinks the officals must see some green stuff.
And a great big welcome to the Auburn and Tennessee fans! Roll Tide!!!!
Of course someone who gets the benefit of the bad calls is going to defend them.
And of course bad sports who can't take losing are going to whine about bad calls.
Funny, everyone says the refs favor Florida but I don't recall Nick Saban whining about bad calls after losing last year's SEC championship.
OK, I'm going to say it to hopefully put all of this "They always get the calls" BS to rest (right):
PLEASE read the rule on onside kicks; read how and under what circumstances a member of the kicking team can block a member of the receiving team; read vewy, vewy cawefully how a)the ball HAS to travel ten yards or b) the ball HAS to be touched by a member of the receiving team before any member of the kicking team can block any member of the receiving team (READ THE RULE! DOESN'T MATTER WHAT GARY AND VERN SAID, THEY WERE WRONG!)
Then, come back on here, and be sincere and say that Bama always gets the calls.
Oh, puhleese. What were the bad calls that you are referring to? I keep asking and all I get are either a) that UT had eight penalties to 'Bama's one or b) The Terrence Cody removing-of-the-helmet no call that would have made no difference to the outcome, anyway, since UT would not have gotten a new kick. Even I am guilty of screaming during the games that the refs are biased when a call goes against my team, but now that we're four days removed, maybe it's time to let it go unless you have something definitive to show that one side was benefitting from bad calls over the other team.
Kiffin and Spurrier lack class and sportsmanship. Perhaps if they coached discipline at the line of scrimage, tackles above the waste and clock management Monday thru Friday they could talk about winning at the post game press conference. Instead they make excuses and imagine conspiracy theroies that the refs some how favor the Gators or Bama. Your team can't beat 'em so obviously we cheated or had help....Really !?!?
Cgmac - Saban = Idiot, let's think about that.
Highest paid coach in NCAA (until UF got jealous), number ONE recruiting class two years in a row, and in the hunt for a national title two years in a row in his third year at the helm....let me guess...you are a Kiffin fan?
@twofbyc ...
And speaking of Gary and Vern: Poor Vern was so confused he was calling us Auburn at one point during the Tennesse game, which pretty much sums that up. As for Gary, he is obsessed with all things Heisman. He keeps wondering how much it bothers Bama not to have a Heisman winner. Let's see ... 12 championships ... hmm ... Not much, Gar.
So, Gary, as a former pro QB (if we can count the Lions), do you think Marino would rather have all those passing stats or a Super Bowl ring? (If you're not sure, ask him.)