The Athens, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce is having a benefit dinner in June and Alabama coach Nick Saban is scheduled to speak.  That’s angered some Tennessee fans who are making their feelings quite clear.  According to Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times-Free Press, one upset fan even went so far as to make a death wish.  

Chamber president Rob Preston told Weidmer the disturbing phone call came over Easter weekend.

“It was filled with cuss words. It said, ‘Whoever is responsible for this should be dead.’…

“We’re going to have extra security that night, both for Coach Saban and myself. We’ll be prepared.”

Preston says that’s not the only feedback he’s received.  Several people have emailed him to voice their displeasure.

(email 1) “If you do not cancel Saban AND apologize for being so financially irresponsible, we are taking the list of members and are going to actively boycott any and all businesses who are members or are related to the chamber in any way.”

(email 2) “You are an absolute joke and a disgrace to the state of Tennessee. Why do you think it is OK to bring in Nick Saban to speak? … Are you hoping he will get to do some recruiting and further damage the state of Tennessee’s football program? I wish you all the worst and hope your event is a complete failure — Rocky Top for Life.”

(email 3) “This is the ultimate disrespect to the University of Tennessee and all Vols fans, and it amounts to kicking us when we’re down. It’s the college sports equivalent of scheduling a Nazi to speak in Israel. I hope your power fails, your catering is illness-laden and that the backlash boycott sets Athens businesses back 25 years.”

Preston says the event has sold 1,376 tickets compared to 276 people who showed up last year to see former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer and players Al Wilson and Peerless Price from the 1998 national championship team. Ticket sales will be cut off at 1,500 because of facility size limits.

The money goes to help local businesses and organizations.  ”This will be, by far, the most money we’ve ever raised from one dinner.” (Hat tip - AL.com)

At first blush, the idea of handing a college scholarship offer over to a middle school player is absurd.  Year after year former 5-star high school players wash out of college football programs because they’ve failed to develop physically or mentally as college coaches had once projected and hoped.  Predicting the development path of a middle-schooler would obviously be even more difficult.

That hasn’t stopped coaches from chasing younger and younger prospects.

While at Tennessee, Lane Kiffin reportedly offered a scholarship to then-13-year-old Evan Berry, the brother of current NFL safety Eric Berry.  Upon landing at Southern Cal, Kiffin grabbed a commitment from then-13-year-old quarterback David Sills.  Now 16, Sills is wrapping up his sophomore year of high school and is still committed to the Trojans.

Ex-Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie took heat in 2008 for coaxing commitments out of then-15-year-olds Michael Avery (now at Sonoma State) and Vinny Zollo (now at Furman).  Myles Brand — the NCAA president at the time — said the recruitment of middle-schoolers is “nothing we want to be widespread.”

Last summer, LSU’s Les Miles offered a scholarship to a Baton Rouge eighth-grader-to-be named Dylan Moses.  Nick Saban did the same at Alabama’s Junior Day this past Saturday.  Saban and Alabama are on top of the football world at the moment so the Tide’s offer to Moses is getting much more ink than Miles’ offer.

Moses’ father Edward said of his 6-1, 215-pound son:

“For Dylan, excitement spilled over.  When he heard those words from Coach Saban, ‘We’re offering you,’ you could see him light up.  It was shocking because we were going in thinking we were just going to get a tour of what Alabama has to offer.

To hear, ‘You’re impressive, keep your grades up, we want you to come here, and we’re offering you a scholarship now,’ I can even put that into words.”

But is this kind of thing good for a young man who’s still three years away from driving?  That depends on the teen, his parents, and his upbringing.  There are countless stories of young players — not necessarily eight-graders, mind you — who failed to live up to expectations… or who allowed high expectations to go to their heads.

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Perhaps James Franklin should smile more when he’s joking.  Maybe he should pause after delivering a punchline and allow time for laughter.  If he had done so earlier this week, maybe everyone who saw the video of him referring to Alabama’s Nick Saban as “Nicky Satan” would have ha-ha’d and realized it was just a big ol’ joke.

Now, we didn’t think he was firing a particularly vicious shot at Bama’s coach, we just couldn’t figure out — still can’t — his purpose for saying he would outwork “Nicky Satan” while speaking at a Georgia high school’s banquet.  Why not just say he would outwork Nick Saban?

Whatever the reason, the comment made news on sports sites across the country.  And Franklin said yesterday that he dialed up Saban once the video clip of his comment started to spread.  He must’ve been worried that Bama’s coach wouldn’t get his grand jest either:

“Obviously, tremendous respect for Coach Saban.  I just got off the phone with him.  Tremendous respect for them.  I’ve got tremendous respect for what they’ve done.  Everybody is chasing them.  The guy has won three or four national championships.

I was really talking about the work ethic that he has a reputation for, and that we’re going to outwork them.  I made a joke.  And in today’s society with all the media and social media and people with tape recorders and things like that, that doesn’t come off that way.  I know people have tremendous pride in Alabama and their fans are fanatical, so I understand.  But it was a joke, and I didn’t mean to offend anybody.”

OK.  So Franklin pretty clearly has “tremendous respect” for Saban and Alabama’s program.  But to blame the media for this?  Hold on a second.

Franklin wasn’t captured surreptitiously by a cell phone camera or a Nixonian tape recorder hidden in the rostrum before him.  There was at least one television camera with at least one WMAZ-TV employee in the room shooting video of him.  If he didn’t think his comments could/would be broadcast then he’s still got one or two PR lessons to learn.  Like: TV cameras usually suggest that something will be televised.

As for Alabama’s fanatical followers, what does that have to do with Franklin’s joke?  Media outlets from well outside the Yellowhammer State ran with the story because it’s not often one coach calls another coach “Satan.”  In fact, if Saban had called Franklin by a name it would have gotten just as much if not more press.  So this really had nothing to do with Tide fans (though they are fanatical).

No, this comes down to a silly joke.  A joke that drew no laughs judging from the sound on the video.  And it was Franklin’s silly decision to make the silly joke.

Whether it’s calling another coach “Satan” or suggesting he chooses his assistant coaches based on their wives’ looks — another knee-slapper — Vandy’s coach needs to figure out what will and what won’t start folks talking.  Better yet, maybe he should just stick to football and leave the smarm to pros like Steve Spurrier.  Only good things have been said about his football program since he’s been in Nashville.  The same can’t be said for his jokes.

Since The Boston Globe first spread the rumor that Nick Saban might leave Alabama for the Cleveland Browns, we’ve pooh-poohed the idea.  And we’re not big on pooh-poohing things around here.  But since then everyone from Bama AD Mal Moore to Crimson Tide “insiders” to the coach himself have shot down the reports.

Now you can add another name to the list of folks who can’t see Saban leaving Tuscaloosa for another shot at the pro game — current Brown and former Alabama running back Trent Richardson:

“I can’t see him coming to the NFL.  I can see him staying at Alabama and retiring at Alabama.  That’s what I can see.  He just has so much put into it.  There’s so much there for him.  There’s no reason to leave…

The way he lives his lifestyle down there, the way he loves playing football.  He loves intensive football, where every game counts.  One game you might be out.  That’s the intensity he loves in every game.  Those players are just like robots down there.  They know what Coach Saban wants and they’re going to do what Coach Saban says.”

No more.  Oh, we might put something in headlines when this pops up again, but it’s the last time we’ll write about Saban-to-the-NFL unless Saban actually shocks everyone around him and does leave the college game for the pro game.

As we say each spring when the John-Calipari-to-the-NBA rumors start, if a coach has the primo job in your college sport, why leave it to return to a league where you previously washed out?

Last week at the Montgomery, Alabama Quarterback Club, ex-Auburn coach Pat Dye gave some praise to Gene Chizik.  In doing so he ticked off a bunch of Alabama fans who felt his compliment towards Chizik was a backhand to Nick Saban.  His remarks from a week ago:

“Don’t question the guy we got leading the (Auburn) program.  I wouldn’t swap him for 10 Sabans.

Saban is the best coach in the country — I’ll grant him that.  But he ain’t a better man than Gene Chizik.”

Well, first, being a better man doesn’t count for a thing if you’re not winning (and we all know it).  It should, but it doesn’t.  If being a good guy had anything to do with keeping one’s job, Mike Shula would still be coaching in Tuscaloosa.

Second, in a society where 90% of the people go through their day looking for something to be upset or to feel slighted about, you can see how some Tide fans took offense.  Yesterday, Dye apologized on the Paul Finebaum radio show:

“I said what I wanted to say wrong.  I really don’t know Coach Saban.  What I do know is I know he and Ms. Saban have done and are doing wonderful things in the community in Tuscaloosa.  I have no authority or reason to compare his character with Gene Chizik’s, and if it came out that way, I was wrong.  I didn’t mean for it to come out that way, and I apologize deeply.”

Much ado about nothing.  (Which I believe is what Shakespeare once wrote regarding the many slights — perceived or otherwise — that soooo tick folks off when it comes to the Iron Bowl rivalry.  Ol’ Bill knew not to take things too seriously.)

Alabama has found its quarterback for the class of 2013: Cooper Bateman from Cottonwood High School in Salt Lake City.

Bateman, whose offer list included Auburn, Florida, LSU and Washington, released this statement to announce his commitment:

“This has been a great time in my life, I have had the rare opportunity to be able to choose from many great schools that would allow me to get a college degree and continue to play the game that I love. This has been a very difficult decision only because I was able to meet and get to know so many wonderful coaches at so many great universities. I have chosen to attend the University of Alabama. I am honored that I will get to learn from Coach Saban and Coach Nussmeier and will get to represent Alabama, the state and the University. I want to thank my coaches at Cottonwood for all they have done for me and mostly to my parents who have made this all possible.”

Bateman, who is Alabama’s 12th commitment for the 2013 class, is ranked the nation’s No. 6 pocket passer and 61st overall prospect by ESPN RecruitingNation.

Running back Kenyan Drake was a Georgia native.  But that didn’t stop him from signing with Alabama this past February.  In The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today, Drake tells Michael Carvell that had Mark Richt not been on the hot seat during his recruitment, the star would have had a harder choice to make with regards to Tide versus Bulldogs.

But more interesting are his comments regarding the personalities of the two coaches leading the programs – Richt and Nick Saban.  Asked which non-Bama coach was the nicest, Drake said:


“Probably Coach Mark Richt.  He was a very genuine guy.  I’m not saying anybody else wasn’t genuine.  With Coach Richt, he was really down to earth and he really showed that he really cares not only about you being a potential student-athlete, but also as a person.  He comes across in a caring manner which makes you feel really right at home.  He’s a pretty good father figure.”


But when asked which coach was not the nicest, Drake tabbed the man he actually signed with.  Sort of:


“Well, I wouldn’t say not the nicest, but I would have to say Coach Saban.  But I’m not saying he was not the nicest.  He’s really straight-forward.  You know what I mean?  I’m not saying he’s mean but I’m not saying he’s ‘buddy buddy’ with you, either.  He’s very businesslike.  I’m not saying Coach Richt isn’t businesslike but they have two different personalities.  Coach Richt is really caring.  I’m not going to say Coach Saban isn’t.  He’s just real straight-forward, to the point and if it’s not like this, then there’s no other way.  With Coach Mark Richt, I feel like he’s more lenient.”


These, of course, are the opinions of one teenager who tried to handle the questions with as much grace and class as possible.  Clearly, he didn’t want to insult either man.

That said, it seems that Richt’s “nice guy” personna and Saban’s “all business” reputation are deserved… at least in the view of Drake.

Running back Justin Taylor from North Atlanta High School is still trying to decide where he will spend the fall of 2012.

The Alabama commit received a visit on Tuesday from coach Nick Saban, who recently told Taylor he no longer had a scholarship available for 2012. Instead, Saban has asked Taylor to wait to enroll in school next January.

Taylor is undecided, although he remains committed to Alabama. His options include attending a junior college this fall as a part-time student or enrolling in a prep school to play football this fall. But Taylor has qualified academically so attending a prep school isn’t necessary.

There’s a good chance Taylor accepts Saban’s offer to wait to join Alabama in 2013. If that happens, Saban better have a scholarship ready, according to Stanley Pritchett, Taylor’s coach and legal guardian.

“Coach Saban made it clear he is going to stand by his word,” Pritchett told the AJC. “As Justin’s guardian, I can only go by a man’s word. I’m going to hold Coach Saban to those words. There’s going to be a problem if he doesn’t stick by his word (and sign Taylor in 2013).”

I’ve made my thoughts clear on this situation. Hopefully things work out well for Taylor no matter what decision he makes for his future.

Juco transfer Duron Carter was expected to help pick up some of the slack left by Julio Jones’ departure from Tuscaloosa.  Instead the wide receiver is on the sideline awaiting eligibility clearance from the NCAA.

His father — ex-NFL great Cris Carter – sounds like he’s growing weary of the process (and of the rumors swirling about his son’s status):


“Someone made a mistake.  If I had know this was going to be a problem we could have taken care of it in July.  But someone made a mistake and Duron is having to pay for it.  It should be worked out soon enough.  Alabama has the best compliance department in the country, and Duron will be at practice as soon as possible. …

Coach (Nick) Saban and Alabama have tuck by Duron from the beginning.  We knew this was going to be a rocky process, and Coach Saban and Alabama haven’t wavered one bit.  We’re not wavering either.  Duron’s playing (at) Alabama.”


Carter told TideSports.com that his son’s timetable “just depends on when the grades come in and are added to the transcript.”

The younger Carter began his career at Ohio State before going the juco route last season.