re: Jay Glazer says Daunte Culpepper and Zach Thomas tried to fight Coach Saban in Miami

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Both the saints and Dolphins got the same medical report on Brees. Payton chose to go after Brees full throttle, Saban didn't. It's absolutely comical that anyone thinks team doctors could stop Saban from signing who he wanted. The guy bent Wayne Huizinga over in getting every thing he wanted to agree to coach with the Dolphins; but team doctors could stop him from signing the QB he wanted?? Saban attempted to low ball Brees with the contract offer, thinking the uncertainty with New Orleans following Katrina gave them the upper hand (and Brees has acknowledged all things being equal he likely would have signed with Miami). Payton made it clear he was all in on Brees, and the rest is history. For me personally its been the quintessential mixed bag. As a lifelong Saints fan it was glorious; as an LSU fan, it was torture watching Saban become the hands down greatest coach in CFB history.

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Brees had significant interest on the table from the Saints. But he wanted to find out if Saban had the same faith in him that (Sean) Payton and Mickey Loomis had in New Orleans. So Brees picked up the phone and called Saban, who told him the Miami team doctors believed Brees had a 25 percent chance to come back and be the same quarterback, or better, that he'd been before the shoulder surgery.
According to the book, Brees said to Saban: "Coach, I know what your doctors believe about me. My question is, what do you believe?''
Wrote Brees: "Nick Saban paused. That was really all I needed to hear. His pause told me everything. 'Well, Drew,' he said, 'I would still love to have you, but I have to trust what our medical people are saying ...' He went on from there, like he was reading from a script. But I was starting to tune out. By then I had all the information I needed. I had made my decision.''
Brees told Saban thanks, and he'd be going to New Orleans, even though telling Saban that might kill his negotiating position with the Saints.
As Brees told me, "The impression I get from the Dolphins was I should feel lucky they were even looking at me. It just wasn't a welcoming feeling.''

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According to the book, Brees said to Saban: "Coach, I know what your doctors believe about me. My question is, what do you believe?''
Wrote Brees: "Nick Saban paused. That was really all I needed to hear. His pause told me everything. 'Well, Drew,' he said, 'I would still love to have you, but I have to trust what our medical people are saying

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I think Saban's excuse is somewhat bogus since I've never heard of a medical staff making the final call, plus his quote makes it seem like he's the one making the decision.

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