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Bear Bryant vs Nick Saban - who is the GOAT???

Posted on 9/22/23 at 8:47 pm
Posted by dcbl
Good guys wear white hats.
Member since Sep 2013
29678 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 8:47 pm
So, the Bear deserves more credit for wins, as he got his in an era of less games per year, and certainly less “cupcake” type games

But Saban deserves more credit for his championships, as Bear got many of his in the “shared championship” era

Bear has 15 conference championships to Saban’s 11 and leads by just over 40 wins

If Saban sticks around 4 more years, passes the win total and gets another SEC Championship, he is tops hands down - if not, then there is the debate…

Bear Bryant

Overall - 323–85–17
Bowls - 20–12–2

Championships

6 National (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979)
14 SEC (1950, 1961, 1964–1966, 1971–1975, 1977–1979, 1981)
1 SWC (1956)

Nick Saban

Overall (through 2022) - 282–70–1
Bowls - 28-15

Championships

7 National (2003, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020)
10 SEC (2001, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2014–2016, 2018, 2020, 2021)
1 MAC (1990)
Posted by BigBro
Member since Jul 2021
8084 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 8:58 pm to
both are completely ridiculous

1a and 1b

picking one is disrespectful to the other
Posted by THE GOAT 4EVER
Member since Sep 2023
203 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:01 pm to
If it was based off of this season alone, Saban wouldn’t even be in this conversation. That house in Florida is the only thing on his mind
This post was edited on 9/22/23 at 9:09 pm
Posted by HarryBalzack
Member since Oct 2012
15226 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:14 pm to
quote:

If it was based off of this season alone,
The Bear had 1969.
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
65076 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:14 pm to
quote:

The Bear had 1969.



And 1970. In those two seasons Alabama went a combined 12-10-1.

Indeed. While at Alabama, Bryant had multiple seasons with four or more losses (1958, 1969, 1970, and 1982). Saban has only had one thus far (2007).
This post was edited on 9/22/23 at 9:16 pm
Posted by Gunga Din
Oklahoma
Member since Jul 2020
1424 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:24 pm to
What Saban has done from a competitive football standpoint outshines Bryant. Its a lot harder to win championships now than it was then.

From a social circumstances standpoint, what Bryant did was pretty unbelievable. In one of the worst two states in the country regarding racial issues, Bryant was able to recruit Black players and win basically as soon as he was allowed to. Bear had three mediocre teams at the end of the segregated era (late '60s)... after dominating the mid '60s. The integrated team of 1971 was really good and they were off to the races again.

That's not what happened with a lot of other southern programs. It took them a while to catch up. Not Bear and Bama.

Posted by TomRollTideRitter
Member since Aug 2016
12618 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:46 pm to
quote:

Its a lot harder to win championships now than it was then.


People baselessly say this all the time. What evidence shows it’s harder to win championships now? The playoff era has had less parity than any other CFB era.

Yes there are scholarship limits now. National recruiting and scouting is also infinitely easier now than it was in Bryant’s era.

If the talent was so skewed during Bryant’s era, why did the NFL draft not reflect that?
Posted by Triple13
Ferriday
Member since Aug 2023
504 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:53 pm to
The Bear.
Posted by captdalton
Member since Feb 2021
8062 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:53 pm to
quote:

If it was based off of this season alone


It is not. That is not how greatest of all time debates work.
Posted by EthanHunt007
Member since Aug 2023
1171 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:59 pm to
Boomers will cry Bryant but it isn't even close. Saban has done more in an era where it's much more difficult to win.
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
65076 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 9:59 pm to
quote:

Its a lot harder to win championships now than it was then.


I would argue that it's easier. Mulligans are a lot more frequent now than ever before. Bryant didn't have the luxury. Had we been awarding national champions in the present day as we were back in the 60s and 70s, Saban would have likely missed out on national championships in 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2017.
Posted by ChexMix
Taste the Deliciousness
Member since Apr 2014
24952 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:02 pm to
Both stacked the deck to favor their team. The bear would schedule 1 more SEC game than every other team in the SEC, which gave them an advantage. There wasnt a scholarship limit, so the Bear would recruit everyone and sit their arse on the bench just to keep talent away from other schools.

Saban just paid for his players with NIL money before there was NIL. He was slapped on probation multiple times and even had wins stripped away from him. Saban had the rules changed to favor him, stopping the HUNH with clock rules, limiting the number of coaches that could recruit a kid at one time, ect. NCAA gave bama a pass for their cheating ways and allowed them to ascend. And that is overlooking the refs purposefully swinging games in their favor against every team in the league

This post was edited on 9/22/23 at 10:33 pm
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
65076 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:05 pm to
This is the mentality of a loser.

"My team isn't winning at the same level as my rival, so there must be some kind of cheating or unfair advantage going on."

No, dude. Life's not fair and your program just isn't as good as ours.
Posted by Tuscaloosa
11x Award Winning SECRant user
Member since Dec 2011
46609 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:06 pm to
Saban, by a wide margin, IMO.

To do what he’s done in an ever changing CFB landscape, with scholarship limitations, would be unfathomable if we hadn’t witnessed it.
Posted by captdalton
Member since Feb 2021
8062 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:08 pm to
quote:

Saban just paid for his players with NIL money before there was NIL. He was slapped on probation multiple times and even had wins stripped away from him.


Can you please provide your sources on this.
Posted by Landmass
Member since Jun 2013
18113 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:08 pm to
Saban is a better coach. Bryant just paid players to come to Tuscaloosa. He's a big reason for the scholarship limit. Bryant was a good coach but Saban is better.
Posted by MrAUTigers
Florida
Member since Sep 2013
28286 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:09 pm to
quote:

If it was based off of this season alone, Saban wouldn’t even be in this conversation.



somebody doesn't remember bears last season. He lost his last three regular season games. Southern Miss was one of those losses. The officials weren't going to let him go out a loser in the bowl game and bama squeaked by Illinois.
This post was edited on 9/22/23 at 10:10 pm
Posted by Rebbedup
Member since Jun 2021
2846 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:09 pm to
To say it isn’t close is ridiculous. Everyone acts as if the rule changes hurt Bama. Limited scholarship players helped Saban corner the 5 and 4 star market. Remember that Bear’s opponents played by the same rules. Not to mention Bear could drink Saban under the table and chase more tail while still whipping opponents. I just don’t think younger people understand how stone cold Bryant really was.
Posted by ChexMix
Taste the Deliciousness
Member since Apr 2014
24952 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:10 pm to
quote:

This is the mentality of a loser.

sorry you cant handle the truth. Nothing I said was inaccurate. Take the panties out of your puss
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
65076 posts
Posted on 9/22/23 at 10:11 pm to
quote:

The officials weren't going to let him go out a loser in the bowl game and bama squeaked by Illinois.


Illinois also turned the ball over like 10 times via seven interceptions and three fumbles.
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