Is Saban the one who ruined college football?

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Before you guys pounce, he's the greatest. But the whole lack of parity started when he went to Alabama. Recruiting is the main reason: #1 almost every year.

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Is there lack of parity?

The last 4 seasons have had 4 different national champs (Clemson, LSU, Alabama, Georgia).

Since 2008 there have been 8 different schools win national titles.

Alabama (6) (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2021)
Clemson (2) (2016, 2018)
Florida (1) (2008)
LSU (1) (2019)
Georgia (1) (2021)
Florida State (1) (2013)
Ohio State (1) (2014)
Auburn (1) (2010)

There have been a bunch of schools that have won and competed for national titles (throw in Oregon, Notre Dame, Oklahoma who have all been close multiple times in that window). Alabama won about half of them and then the other half have been split by basically a new team every year.

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Is Saban the one who ruined college football?

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No. CFB isn't ruined.

But it does have a different feel than it did even 10-12 years ago, but it has nothing to do with Saban.

It has more to do with the TV deals, ticket and concession prices, fancy at-home TVs, players opting out late in the season/during bowl games, and all the other things that have been talked about before.

The atmosphere of watching games in-person or at home just don't feel the same as they used to. For me personally, I don't know if that's because I got older, because I moved out of the area, or because of the reasons I mentioned above. I'm afraid I can't articulate it very well.

IMO you're asking two different questions.

1. Does the dominance of one team make college football less entertaining?

2. Has the sport of college football been "ruined" compared to what it used to be?

In regards to the first, as an Alabama fan, no, of course not.

As for the second, for fans of other programs, I would offer—How many times has Nick Saban asked if this is what we want college football to be?

For both, you can't blame someone for adapting and excelling withing the framework that everyone else agrees upon.

One could counter that college football has been ruined because no one else has stepped up to adequately compete. This has led to a never-ending parade of changes and concessions that have ultimately failed to adjust this lack of parity, and instead has brought the sport dangerously close to becoming a product that none of us like.

Phillip Fulmer is the one who ruined college football. Hear me out.

Fulmer (and other SEC coaches, who wouldn't reveal themselves) turned in Alabama's football program.

Fulmer calls the NCAA on Bama in 2000...that combined with DuBose horrible performance (preseason #3, finishing the season with 3 wins) started the ball rolling. Because of that mess, they picked up a coach they thought would help them stay out of trouble (Coach Fran), who saw the 5hit-show they were going to be after sanctions hit...so he bolted for aTm, and they wound up with Shula. Shula sucks and is also hit with vacated games...that is what made Bama desperate enough to dig deep in their pockets and get Saban.

If Bama doesn't get called out by the NCAA...does that road lead to Saban and the success they've enjoyed over the last 17 years?

There is parity in college football. The outlier is Alabama. The people changing the rules and moving the goalposts ruined college football to try to overcome Saban instead of just getting better like grown men should. To be the man, you have to beat the man. That's the way it is, and anything other than that is sissy. Sissies ruined college football if anyone did.

Saban ruined what the expectations of head coaches should be in the FBS Power 5 level.

Greatest in what?

Nuff said.

You mean by blatantly cheating while his butt buddy, Mark Emmert, ran cover for him?

Yes.

His incessant whining for rule changes that benefit him?

Yes.

NIL? So other schools could do above board what that filthy bunch in Alabama has been doing for years?

Yes.

All the bullshite political correctness, targeting, 2 hours of commercials every game.

No.

Different sports can go through a phase like this. Think about the NBA all last decade. Lebron went to 8 straight finals. The Cavs played Golden State 4 years in a row. The years that Durant played for the warriors the west regular season almost felt pointless.

Also Brady and how awful the AFC East was. With 1/2 seeds getting byes, the Patriots were practically given the AFC title game for a decade.

UConn women's basketball as well.

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Before you guys pounce, he's the greatest. But the whole lack of parity started when he went to Alabama. Recruiting is the main reason: #1 almost every year.

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The last major old school coach left at this level. He is making other programs work harder to try to catch him. This is good for football.

When he’s done football becomes much softer.