Saban Black Out

by bammer on Sep 22, 2008 5:07 PM EDT

You think Georgia coach Mark Richt is the only one who can motivate his team? Not even close. Today, Alabama coach Nick Saban responded by, you guessed it, blacking out today's news conference. There he was, at the podium, sporting a black Alabama polo shirt.

What? I couldn't find a black Alabama shirt... I had to ask him. Motivation, right?

"Well, this is the only shirt I could find when I woke up this morning," Saban said, laughing, before growing serious. "Those kinds of things only means something if you let it. Like those old Notre Dame teams that wore green jerseys and that means you're not supposed to beat them. Or Joe Theismann talks to them Friday night, you're not supposed to win that game. If all that does mean something to you, I guess it's a problem. But they have good football players, that's what we're concerned about, not how they dress."

Not much straight news from this morning -- no injuries or anything else. But there were a lot of reflections on how good Georgia is, particularly the problems they present on offense.

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lol

Let the games begin!

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Sep 22, 2008 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

Just tell Nick to remember last time he was in Sanford Stadium....

45-16 I believe was the score.

by RocketDawg on Sep 22, 2008 5:57 PM EDT reply actions

ok

Yeah im sure thats what Saban is thinking about ****rolling my eyes****

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Sep 23, 2008 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Why do you think so little of your head coach?

On Saturday, Nick Saban will be bringing his No. 8-ranked Western Division contender to the Classic City for a showdown with a No. 3-ranked Georgia squad.

In 2004, Nick Saban brought his No. 13-ranked Western Division contender to the Classic City for a showdown with a No. 3-ranked Georgia squad. (Incidentally, U.S.C. and Oklahoma were ranked first and second, for whatever that’s worth.)

If you don’t think 45-16 is exactly what the Armani Bear is thinking about, you think too little of the man. You’re darned right he’s thinking about it . . . as a motivational tool and as a scenario to avoid.

Roll your eyes all you want, but I think enough of Nick Saban as a coach to believe that he knows exactly what he’s heading into on Saturday night and is doing everything he can to prepare to counteract it.

Why you lack the faith in Coach Saban to believe that of him is beyond me, but we here in the Peach State recognize that the guy is a darn good coach.

Go 'Dawgs!

by T Kyle King on Sep 24, 2008 7:38 AM EDT up reply actions

What?

Im not sure how my statement lead you to believe that i have no faith in my coach. Perhaps you just took what i said out of context. Let me clarify.

Saban is an ass. Better yet. He’s an egotistical ass. So why does that matter in this conversation? Because Saban’s ego will not let him ponder on his failures. I guarrante he let that loss go a long time ago. In fact, he probably already used that blowout as motivation for another game. Does he still think about it? Sure, but i doubt it keeps him up at night. I believe the loss to UGA last year in OT bothers him WAY more than a loss he suffered 4 years ago. And i am very sure none of the players on this Alabama team really give a damn about what happened to a LSWho team 4 years ago, if any remember it at all. So my rolling the eye’s comment has more to do with me knowing my coach much better and understanding that the only motivation he or this team needs is that #3 target that UGA has on their backs. I wonder. If Bama beats UGA on a last second score on Saturday, then celebrates with a “dog pile”, how will your fans in the so called "Classic City for whatever that means react? Probably not any better than ours did last year.

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Sep 24, 2008 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Understood; now dial it back a bit

“[T]he so called ‘Classic City[’ for whatever that means”?

The University of Georgia is located in Athens, Ga.

There’s another town of the same name in this place called Greece.

A long time ago, some guys in the Athens in Greece did some stuff. Look into it.

I get your point, but mind your manners. Apparently, Nick Saban isn’t the only egotistical ass in Alabama.

Go 'Dawgs!

by T Kyle King on Sep 24, 2008 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Dial what back?

Im sorry i went a little over board but I am fully aware of the the connection to Athens, Ga and Athens Greece. I also live in Lawrenceville, GA. So i am very familiar with UGA’s fan base in general. That said, i have heard many UGA fans talk about Georgia as if it were a step above other Universities in the SEC and that UGA fans are some how “Classier” than other fan bases. Let me explain my problem with this statement.

Now I have lived in 4 SEC States. Alabama (14 years), Tennessee (5 years), Florida (6 years) and now Georgia (3 years). That means i have had to deal with Alabama fans, Auburn fans, Tennesse fans, Vandy fans, Miami UF and FSU fans, not to forget Memphis, MTSU, FAMU, USF and UCF fans. That means i have a very extensive experience in dealing with all different types of fan basis from all around the South. I have also attended games at most of the schools and have know many graduates from all of them. From my experience the worst fans i have seen are Tennessee fans, followed by Barners, then Miami. I would say that UGA fans fall somewhere near the middle or bottom, when it comes to being bad fans. And probably Alabama would fall somewhere in the middle. So whats my point?

I have been around UGA fans enough to know they are just as “egotistical” annoying, and passionate about their school as any other. And to have to listen to UGA fans talk about how “classy” or go so far as to say “better” than any other school in the SEC is pretty silly. Of course some of the SEC schools have academic issues but certainly Georgia isn’t that far ahead of them.

Im sorry if my comments sounded as you said, egotistical. That was not my point or my goal. I have always had mad respect for UGA and any team that hates Auburn, UT and UF as much as we do is always me friend. I just have heard so much about the incident in the Alabama endzone last year, that i could puke.

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Sep 24, 2008 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions

BAMMER

What incident? The one and done? Every football fan knows how ya feel, we’ve all been there ourselves. I grew up in Lawrenceville, went to UGA, lived 4 years in Gainesville FL, and now live in Alabama. I try not to say anything, win or lose, to my UA or AU friends. They all probably are slightly annoyed at the exuberant Dawg in their midst, but it is good for everyone to learn to play with others. I struggle being in the Dawg minority here in Alabama! Especially in the years we play both UA and AU! In fan behavior, I always remember what my mama said, “People won’t remember what you wore to the party , but they will remember if you were kind to them.” Here’s hoping for kindness that comes our ways and for tougher skins for each of us!

by aladawgy on Sep 24, 2008 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Sure sure

So you know how it feels to live in enemy territory. So many times you want to speak up and talk smack but you know you are grossly out numbered.

The incedent i speak of is Bama fans throw crap at the “dog pile” in our end zone. In no way do i make excusses for the lack of sportsmanship showed by Alabama fans but i would agrue that if the tables were turned, a similiar act would happen.

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Sep 24, 2008 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I appreciate the clarification . . .

. . . and I apologize if I overreacted, but the “Classic City” thing rubbed me the wrong way.

I think we’re saying much the same thing with regard to Nick Saban, whose motivation probably is more personal when it comes to L.S.U.‘s 2004 loss to Georgia (much like Steve Spurrier’s extra motivation to get his South Carolina squad ready to beat Georgia may be traced back to Florida’s 1966 loss in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party). I think we both agree that Coach Saban will have his team ready to play and that he will use whatever motivational tools he feels will help.

Given the way Mark Richt runs his program, I believe we among the Georgia faithful are justified in taking pride in displaying class, and, given the improvement in the University of Georgia’s academic reputation over the last two decades (both overall and in athletics following the Jan Kemp lawsuit, which caused us to raise our requirements higher than the conference-wide norm; much of Auburn’s success in the 1980s may be traced to this development), I believe we also are justified in taking pride in University of Georgia academics. To the extent that we are calling attention to these positive developments not as points of pride for Georgia but as ways of insulting other programs and universities, however, we are out of line.

I don’t know what it’s like to live among rival fans—-I was born a Georgian, I will die a Georgian, and, in between, I will live in Georgia—-but I understand how it must be tough, given the passions of all fans in our region. My hope is that our innate sense of hospitality will win out, both in Athens on Saturday and at this weblog at all times.

Thanks, Bammer.

Go 'Dawgs!

by T Kyle King on Sep 24, 2008 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

let the games begin indeed!

why do i get a feeling that this will be an epic battle?

by cmyster94 on Sep 22, 2008 6:46 PM EDT reply actions

Dear Bammer,
No Dawg would be so foolish as to think other coaches had no ability to try to motivate their teams. Remember Georgia’s colors are Red and Black. Actually T Kyle King has stated that he tries to get fans of the opposing team to wear our team colors. Success to the ultimate here! Really, the black is just for the seniors and because it is the only night game, a game cool enough to wear the hot, black jerseys. Face it, if UGA had not worn these you would have all said that we wore black for Auburn and not you. Also,if you consider it odd for a team and its fans to wear one of its colors, perhaps you would consider it more fitting that we wear, say, lime green. That’s it! A Slime Out!

by aladawgy on Sep 23, 2008 10:35 AM EDT reply actions