<p>I grant Joe Paterno an exception. He has earned his statue at Penn State with decades of loyalty, generosity, and strong character. I’ll bet he didn’t even want it.</p>
<p>At least it says he will join the statues of previous coaches who have won national titles which makes it seem more in line with the 'Bama sports culture. Otherwise I’d find it odd to be of a current coach.</p>
<p>Alabama football is the closest thing to a pro team in the state. Not defending the statue, but sadly, football rules in this state. And, have to agree w/previous post–let’s hope Auburn does not regain its mighty reign…as Alabama fans will be standing outside the stadium with petitions to fire Coach Saban. We witnessed it with Coach Bryant during his last season; very shocking!</p>
<p>To me, things will get odd if Nick Saban leaves UA and decides to coach another team. It’d be like the Brett Favre situation in Green Bay. As for the statue itself, I recall that it was supposed to be unveiled before our spring game in 2 weeks. Now it’s been delayed.</p>
<p>I just read the article but Alabama’s four previous national title-winning coaches – Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas, Paul W. “Bear” Bryant and Gene Stallings – are all commemorated with statues in the plaza area outside the stadium.</p>
<p>So I see no problem. We know the criteria- win a National Championship</p>
<p>Good thing Tennessee doesn’t put up statues of the football coaches! I think the Lane Kiffin one would have been smashed to pieces (as the REAL Lane should have been…).</p>
<p>I second the sentiment about Kiffin. What a punk.</p>
<p>As for Saban, I agree that he met the criterion for having a statue, winning a national championship, but consider:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>His history suggests not only that he could leave Alabama at any time, but that he could very well end up coaching one of its rivals. It should surprise no one if he skips out on a $4-million-a-year contract at Alabama to take a $6-million-a-year contract at Auburn. Won’t that be incredibly awkward? Did anyone think about this before commissioning the statue?</p></li>
<li><p>A man with integrity would have said, “Listen, I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m a man, not a god, and I’d prefer if you’d wait until later in my career, if not after I’m retired, to do this. Rather than deify me, let’s keep the focus on the kids.”</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The bottom line for me is the message it sends to the student body. “This guy has been here less time than most of you, but he wins football games, so he gets a statue. By the way, here’s your tuition bill.” To me it makes the university seem as if its priorities are misplaced. And from the reactions I read above, I think that may be true.</p>
<p>I doubt that Auburn has the money to even come close to Saban’s contract, much less top it to attract him to Auburn. Other schools–maybe. Yes it would be incredibly awkward, but this is Alabama and football rules!</p>
<p>Right now, to most Alabama fans, Nick Saban is god. But, keep in mind that many Alabama fans have never set foot in a classroom on campus. Go figure!</p>
<p>Yes, it would be nice if the school would focus on the graduation rates of those national championship players, among other athletes at Alabama. Check the records as compared to other schools across the country. I think the graduation rates speak for themselves.</p>
<p>As I said, football rules in the south, but especially in Alabama. And, those national championships come with a pretty price tag. Some Alabama fans would sell their children for a national championship!</p>
<p>Well, then, Alabama shouldn’t complain when they try to raise their academic profile in the rest of the country (by offering significant scholarships and the like) and they have a hard time finding takers. Because I agree with Lergnom – it says a lot about values. And what they pay coaches says a lot about values, too.</p>
<p>I agree with your sentiment, but it’s just best to the divorce the two concepts of the University of Alabama and the Alabama football program in your mind because, for all practical purposes, they are.</p>
<p>When I was in college I briefly dated a transfer student who had left Alabama precisely because of the football culture. He was on a fb scholarship but found the isolation of the players and the lack of concern for their intellectual development not to his liking.</p>
<p>Pizza Girl, Norte Dame, and the other Bama haters, </p>
<p>FYI, UA has no trouble at all attracting top notch scholars, despite your assertion otherwise. UA is ranked 10th among public schools for enrolling Nat. Merit Scholars. UA has grown rapidly every year since 2002, yet continues to increase its avg. ACT and SAT scores, and accept a lower percentage of its applicants each year. </p>
<p>No one is crying for Bama. But putting up a statue of a football coach shows that priorities are screwed up. Remember, this isn’t an old retired coach who ran the program for 30 years, a la Bear. This is a vagabond who happens to have won a national title.</p>
<p>I don’t think I will go to UA (even if they give me free tuition). It is just not academically rigorous enough. The only SEC school I will go to is Vandy. However, if I want to party and watch lots of college football I might consider it.</p>
<p>This strikes me as kind of crass. A statue of the current coach? What does this say about the University of Alabama?</p>
<p>Oh please… Bama has a statue of EVERY coach that has won a national championship. It’s a tradition. Please find out the facts before over-reacting.</p>
<p>It is not a commentary about the school in the least.</p>