Like Michael Jordan, there is a strong consensus

What's amazing though is the other guy that dominated that conversation previously also became a larger than life legend while coaching at Alabama.

Coach Bryant...Coach Saban... #WESPOILT

You forgot Frank Thomas, he was pretty damn good in his own right.

It's almost impossible to fully comprehend how good Saban and Alabama are right now. His ability to win championships when given the opportunity (like closing the big sale) is mind boggling. I will be shocked if he doesn't win enough over the next few years to convince even the most staunch Bryant supporter of his claim to the GOAT title among coaches.

The 60's somewhat and notably the 70's are still the standard by which most proclaim Bryant as the GOAT:

1970 same as Saban's 2007...forgetaboutit...

1971 Lost the NC to Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

1972 One punt block returned for a TD vs AUB from bowling for another NC game.

1973 UPI champs. 'nuff said.

1974 Lost the Orange Bowl to ND. Goodbye undefeated season.

1975 Lost the opener #5 Missouri; Goodbye NC

1976 Same as Saban's 2010 year. Too many FUBAR's.

1977 Lost at Neb 2nd game. Crushed theOSU in the bowl game and got leapfrogged by ND in the final poll.

1978 AP National Champions

1979 Err'body's National Champions.

10 seasons, 3 NC's, 2 throwaways and 5 OMG near misses for Bryant.

9 seasons, 4 NCs, 2 throwaways and 3 near misses in 08,13,14 for Saban.

It's a helluva fun debate to have but with the extra NC, Saban's got my vote for best 10 years unless he Chizik's next year and I will go ahead and bet the farm now that he doesn't.

quote:

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The best of all time got another Gatorade bath Monday night. It's special to us old guys that we have gotten to appreciate the best 2 coaches of all time, coaching for the same team.

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It's not about accolades specifically.

1. You can't be fair to Bryant by assuming he couldn't have done as well as Saban in today's system. Comparing the two is not apples to apples.

HOWEVER

2. At the rate Saban is going, he would absolutely accumulate greater accolades in a shorter time frame than Bryant. With that being said, and if the consensus is that today's system is more difficult, THEN that would be a fair statement to say Saban is better (IF win count, conference titles and national title count is the only measuring stick we use.)

Saban is a cyborg. He is a machine that's hell-bent on domination. It's the only thing that matters to him. I'm sure he has a vision to enjoy the fruits of his labor starting the moment he retires... but he won't. He's more focused than Bryant, I believe. I don't think he lets a single part of his life get in the way of football.

I think the Bryant "ness" was cooler and more charismatic. I think he COULD have been as good as Saban. I think he was every bit as talented. But if I'm forced to compare apples to oranges, then I would side that Saban is indeed the greatest of all time.