re: If you're a 10+ year Bama fan...

quote:

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The inside workings of the Bama athletic department knew Coach Saban was coming, but first they had to rid themselves of Coach Rodriguez.

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Not sure how "inside" you're talking about, but I knew a guy at the time that worked in that athletic office for the football team. He told me all along Saban was who Mal wanted, but there were some powers that didn't think he could get Saban, and that's when Rich Rodriguez entered the picture. In essence they scared Mal into offering Rich Rod the job. It's possible the ones that wanted Saban sabotaged the Rodriguez deal. I do know for a fact that Rodriguez's agent or attorney was in the athletic offices the day after it was leaked he had agreed to the deal.

There's also the theory that those that wanted RichRod only wanted him so they could retain some of the access they had to the football program, something they feared Saban would limit if he was to be hired.