re: Finebaum question....

There was certainly friction between Saban and the LSU admin and media. The guy's an a-hole, he's supposed to be an employee and he's tough to deal with. Meanwhile Bama has loads of experience dealing with a gruff and rough around the edges dictator. That's our cup of tea.

Like I said....the unspeakables

He should see a doctor

Without President George Denny, making us the first Southern school on the radio and taking out ads in New York newspapers, there's no Wallace Wade

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LSU's administration and politicians create a "glass ceiling" for the coaches there and prevent coaches from being able to reach for the stars; Bama, on the other hand, is a "blueblood" program and gives the coach a blank check to further build the program.

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I think this is a huge reason. LSU fans are better able to judge the pitfalls associated with their admin and politicians. Alabama has been willing to pay whatever sum to have the best of everything. Saban led the way in jacking up assistants' salaries. Throw a humongous pile of money to keep a S&C coach from jumping to Georgia? No problem. The obscene hydrotherapy pool? No problem. Anti gravity treadmills that run as high as $75K? Yes sir, Coach Saban, how many would you like? It started when Saban first arrived and some of the snakes from the old days were shown the door. Saban has absolute control and gets anything and everything he needs...regardless of the cost.

Can LSU say that? That higher profit margin that some LSU fans were bragging about in another thread...is the reality that a high profit margin keeps you from achieving the next level success you crave? We like for Alabama to lead the way in lots of things, but the profit margin of the athletic department is definitely not one of them.

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With all the talk of the LSU coaching search and "top 5" job and whatnot, it reminds me of something Finebaum said within a few days of Saban being hired at Bama.

His direct comment was " if he can win a title at LSU then he can win three at Bama". It's painful to admit that his point was proven, however...

What would lead a man to say such a thing? What is it about Bama, or what does he know, that we don't? IMO Bamas facilities aren't any better than LSU's, it's a push. Louisiana turns out more in state talent than Bama does. Maybe it's home bias talking, but if I were a college kid I'd prefer to live in Baton Rouge than Tuscaloosa. An in educational institution, I see no edge either way.

So what is it about Bama that would lead someone in his position to make such a bold claim? Bama was a shite show when Saban was hired. What is a rational basis for Finebaums comment?

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This is the exact same thing I said walking out of the GA Dome after LSU beat UT in 2001. My god how any championships would Bama win with him.

First of all, not trolling but Bama amd LSU are not the same programs in football. LSU is more of an Auburn or Georgia. Why? its hard to say but look over history. Second, about the facilities. have you ever really looked at bama's football facilities/ really looked? I have seen both. LSU has food football facilities but they aren't close to Bama's LSU has practice fields that are glorified high school practice fields. Bama has practice fields that would beat out most teams stadiums.

Boosters. Every school has them yea. People joke al the time about Alabama and how poor, etc. well, bama's boosters are some, if not the most powerful in college football. These are some of the most prestigious men in America in their fields and in the business community.Example? ok. One of my tailgating buddies father opened an oil refining business in Eurasia right after the curtain came down. He has literally made gazillions. he doesn't know how much money he has. he could buy every school in the SEC 25 times over and not even open his checkbook.

Talent. We always hear about the state of LA and the talent. yes, it is true. The have talen....at skill positions. The state of Alabama actually produces more interior lineman talent than anybody in the country. Right now LSu has 48 active players on rosters. 11 of them are either OL or DL. Alabama has 56 players on NFL rosters, 22 of them are interior lineman. 13...13 of them alone are offensive linemen. That is more than any school in the country and more than any school has ever had in the history in the Pro football at one time.

Support. Bama was in a flux 10-15 years ago. Every single game was still sold out with people waiting. We had 90K show for a spring game. You laughed when you should have said oh shite. It's the same as asking why LSU hasnt been the same as Kentucky in basketball. there are many variables that different.

Yes, Bama was a shiteshow when Saban got here. you know why? everyone seems to avoid the real reason why bama was not great. P-R-O-B-A-T-I_O-N. You can argue whether it was warranted or not but you cant argue that it was the worst penalties handed down for a school outside of SMU. We were investigated, very publicly for 2 years before an announcement was made then we had the penalties. Shula was the coach because thats the only coach that would take a career killing situation. Had we not been on probation Shula isnt the coach, hell, neither is Fran, Butch Davis is. Butch openly said in 2001 the ONLY reason he didnt take it was because he didnt want to have to rebuild another Miami situation. If we arent being investigated and on probation from 2000 to 2008 when we finally had 85 good players again with experience you dont win 5 in a row. Auburn doesnt win 6. Sorry, it just wouldnt have happened. A lot of mellenials here dont remember the sanctions. Those would have killed off most programs for decades to come.

Finebaums point, although not what you want to hear is the truth. these programs are not the same. We looked at Saban winning a national title at LSU as nothing short of miraculous and knew he could do three times that with the resources at Bama. LSU has good facilities, not elite facilities. LSU has great players....at skill positions but are woefully lacking men in the trenches.
LSU has financial support. Not on par with Bama tho.
LSU has some history but LSU's player dont walk into a weight room and see hundreds of All-Americans on the wall, a stupid amount of SEC titles and national titles. Those things that make you live up to a standard. the Bama standard, which is being the ultimate program in college football. This didnt start with Saban. this started with a team in 1925 that went to the rose Bowl and beat an unbeatable washington team. That continued through Thomas, Wade, Red Drew, Bryant, Stallings, etc.

Spurrier also said LSU and Georgia are the top two jobs in the SEC.

I am an LSU alum living in Alabama. When I first got here, a colleague asked me "what do you think of Auburn?" I thought he was talking about the school and I said "they have a fine equine veterinary program" (and they do).

That isn't what he meant. Alabama folks are all in for college football. When I lived in La, there was other stuff. There was the Saints, they have pro basketball team. There is a lot to do in New Orleans. When I lived in Dallas, it was Cowboys, Mav, Rangers, and then college football.

Here? Roll Tide all the time. There is no comparison in the intensity of interest in college football in Alabama vs. every place else I have lived.

I think this has something to do with it.

I went to Bama for undergrad and LSU for grad school. I don't really think Saban wouldn't have won a couple more titles had he stayed at LSU. Odds are he would be in the hunt anywhere with decent resources.

To answer your question about why someone like PF would make that statement is as others have already stated, our entire state is college football 24/7 365. I started watching pro football while at LSU because it was a constant topic of conversation. I had to keep up with news on the NBA team because occasionally it would come up. There are no distractions in Alabama and the support is rabid whether the team is on top or on bottom. If I remember correctly we still had a 4 or 5 year wait for season tickets during the Shula years after we built the first expansion. The obsession at Bama is almost at an unhealthy level.

Also, Touchdown Tony makes a lot of good points.

The great Steve Spurrier said it best " I never could get any kids out of Alabama, (even when Florida was hands down class of SEC and beating the rest of league by 30 pts), later on I found out because their scholarship was worth more than the ones we were giving away. Lol