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Finebaum: Nick Saban, Kirby Smart "can't stand each other"
Posted on 3/18/19 at 6:57 pm
Posted on 3/18/19 at 6:57 pm
Nick Saban and Kirby Smart currently lead the two best football programs in the SEC. Smart is a former protege of Saban’s at Alabama, but the relationship may not be very warm and fuzzy between the teacher and the student.
On Monday, ESPN radio host Paul Finebaum joined 680 The Fan in Atlanta and was asked about the great head-to-head matchups we’ve seen between the two coaches in the last two years. Despite the all-time classic battles Smart and Saban have already produced, the two apparently aren’t too chummy right now.
“Don’t believe when you hear Kirby and Saban talk about their affection and respect for each other,” Finebaum said. “They can’t stand each other right now.”
Finebaum explained that, despite the amount of success Smart achieved as a defensive coordinator at Alabama, Saban wasn’t always the best boss to work for. This isn’t a huge surprise, but it does raise some eyebrows given the reputation that Smart earned as a defensive coordinator under Saban.
“Remember, Kirby Smart spent all those years under Nick Saban,” Finebaum said. “He knows what it is like to be an assistant. Even though he was his top assistant, Saban does not treat his assistants well, in fact, he treats them shabbily. And I think Kirby left there and there was a lot of fingerpointing toward Kirby, as you guys have heard.”
Apparently, there was some blame heaped on Smart after Alabama’s national title win in 2016 after Deshaun Watson and Clemson put up 40 points on the Crimson Tide defense. On top of that, Finebaum asserts that Saban wasn’t happy when Smart used his inside information of Alabama’s recruiting priorities to get some of the best players in the country to Athens.
“Even though they won the championship (in 2016), Alabama gave up nearly 40 points to Clemson,” Finebaum said. “They pointed towards Kirby and what really created the friction that exists to this day is that Alabama officials and coaches blame Kirby Smart for ripping off the inner sanctum recruiting room — which is in Saban’s office. If you go to the secondary office where they keep all the prospects, what I mean by that, Kirby went to recruits and said, ‘Hey listen. We want you, you are No. 1 on our list but I know for a fact Alabama has you third or fourth or fifth.’ And that cost Alabama some key recruits and they have not forgiven Kirby Smart yet in Tuscaloosa.”
After years of Saban dominating the SEC with no coach on his level — at least within the conference — it looks like Smart is quickly working his way up there. After a couple of thrilling games between Alabama and Georgia and a little interpersonal conflict brewing, this is quickly becoming one of college football’s best modern rivalries.
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On Monday, ESPN radio host Paul Finebaum joined 680 The Fan in Atlanta and was asked about the great head-to-head matchups we’ve seen between the two coaches in the last two years. Despite the all-time classic battles Smart and Saban have already produced, the two apparently aren’t too chummy right now.
“Don’t believe when you hear Kirby and Saban talk about their affection and respect for each other,” Finebaum said. “They can’t stand each other right now.”
Finebaum explained that, despite the amount of success Smart achieved as a defensive coordinator at Alabama, Saban wasn’t always the best boss to work for. This isn’t a huge surprise, but it does raise some eyebrows given the reputation that Smart earned as a defensive coordinator under Saban.
“Remember, Kirby Smart spent all those years under Nick Saban,” Finebaum said. “He knows what it is like to be an assistant. Even though he was his top assistant, Saban does not treat his assistants well, in fact, he treats them shabbily. And I think Kirby left there and there was a lot of fingerpointing toward Kirby, as you guys have heard.”
Apparently, there was some blame heaped on Smart after Alabama’s national title win in 2016 after Deshaun Watson and Clemson put up 40 points on the Crimson Tide defense. On top of that, Finebaum asserts that Saban wasn’t happy when Smart used his inside information of Alabama’s recruiting priorities to get some of the best players in the country to Athens.
“Even though they won the championship (in 2016), Alabama gave up nearly 40 points to Clemson,” Finebaum said. “They pointed towards Kirby and what really created the friction that exists to this day is that Alabama officials and coaches blame Kirby Smart for ripping off the inner sanctum recruiting room — which is in Saban’s office. If you go to the secondary office where they keep all the prospects, what I mean by that, Kirby went to recruits and said, ‘Hey listen. We want you, you are No. 1 on our list but I know for a fact Alabama has you third or fourth or fifth.’ And that cost Alabama some key recruits and they have not forgiven Kirby Smart yet in Tuscaloosa.”
After years of Saban dominating the SEC with no coach on his level — at least within the conference — it looks like Smart is quickly working his way up there. After a couple of thrilling games between Alabama and Georgia and a little interpersonal conflict brewing, this is quickly becoming one of college football’s best modern rivalries.
LINK
Posted on 3/18/19 at 7:22 pm to FlexDawg
Saban is catching up with Saban and his coaching well ran dry towards the end of this season.
Hope it continues.
Hope it continues.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 9:22 pm to FlexDawg
I mean we are his first HC stop and his alma mater at that. Did Saban anticipate Kirby to go in and just settle for Richt’s guys, and not the individuals he had been recruiting for the prior 2-3 years? It’s a cut throat business and Saban knows that. I think Dumbo is reaching here.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 11:04 pm to RunLindsayRun
Meh... Whether it's reasonable or not, Bama fans have been throwing this out there since that recruiting class... I have a hard time feeling bad for them when he didn't have to lie to anyone to make his case... If they were plan B, C, D options and her let them know, then he was getting them out. I fully anticipate we may see something similar if/when a guy like Dell McGee leaves, though from most recruits comments, it doesn't seem like we are heavy on the overstatements... Most of them tout the degree of honesty/sincerity they get from our staff. I'm sure it's not all sunshine and rainbows, but it does seem that Kirby and the staff approach it a little differently.
Posted on 3/19/19 at 11:53 am to FlexDawg
Every team is quick to forgive THEIR coach, while not being so lenient with others. I have no doubt that Kirby used his recruiting knowledge against Saban the year he left. Shady, well maybe, but just ask LSU and Miami about Saban's honesty.
Posted on 3/19/19 at 11:55 am to SemperFiDawg
Off season clickbait.
Posted on 3/19/19 at 12:26 pm to Peter Buck
that whole recruiting board thing is/was so massively overblown. Idk if kirby did that or not, let's just assume he did exactly as bama fans claim.
-For starters, he came in in December '15 with NSD 2 months away. His main priority was likely hanging on to the guys we had (namely eason) and scrambling at the last minute to get whoever else he could in about 50 days. So even if he had all their big board secrets, what good would it really accomplish? Let's also point out that if you're on bama's big board, you're gonna be good, which means you're being recruited by everyone.
-In the following '17 class, we would have been a full year removed from the spying on teh big board situation so honestly what would it have even mattered by then?
-The 2018 class would be entirely irrelevant here
So basically, you have one class (where we finished 3rd and they finished 1st by a damn landslide) where this board thing may have even come into play at all. Much ado about nothing. Bama fans and saban dislike kirby for the same reason most people do, in that he's good and he's a direct threat to their success.
-For starters, he came in in December '15 with NSD 2 months away. His main priority was likely hanging on to the guys we had (namely eason) and scrambling at the last minute to get whoever else he could in about 50 days. So even if he had all their big board secrets, what good would it really accomplish? Let's also point out that if you're on bama's big board, you're gonna be good, which means you're being recruited by everyone.
-In the following '17 class, we would have been a full year removed from the spying on teh big board situation so honestly what would it have even mattered by then?
-The 2018 class would be entirely irrelevant here
So basically, you have one class (where we finished 3rd and they finished 1st by a damn landslide) where this board thing may have even come into play at all. Much ado about nothing. Bama fans and saban dislike kirby for the same reason most people do, in that he's good and he's a direct threat to their success.
Posted on 3/19/19 at 12:30 pm to Peter Buck
quote:
Off season clickbait.
CKS was asked about it today in his spring camp presser at lunch.
Said it was a non issue, that him and Saban get along ok. Said he doesn't talk to him every day but he doesn't talk to any other SEC coaches at all.
Has nothing but respect for him and he wouldn't be the coach he is without Sabans tuteledge. Claims they're closer as opponents than they were when he worked for him.
Posted on 3/19/19 at 12:46 pm to FlexDawg
Alabama fans, angered by Kirbys honesty, accuse him of being a liar
Posted on 3/19/19 at 3:44 pm to E.Hubble
If Alabama fans aren't complaining about "somebody done us wrong" they aren't happy. They act almost as entitled as Ohio St fans and I did not think any fan base could ever go that far.
Posted on 3/19/19 at 6:00 pm to FlexDawg
frick Saban. That’s all I wanted to say
Posted on 3/20/19 at 9:02 am to FlexDawg
Finebaum is the Jerry Springer of CFB and is about as reliable a source as one of my horses. Saban damn near cried when talking to reporters about Kirby leaving. They had a father/son type relationship. I wish Finebaum would turn to NASCAR where he’d be better suited.
Posted on 3/20/19 at 9:44 am to Cobb Dawg
quote:
Finebaum is the Jerry Springer of CFB and is about as reliable a source as one of my horses. Saban damn near cried when talking to reporters about Kirby leaving. They had a father/son type relationship. I wish Finebaum would turn to NASCAR where he’d be better suited.
Well said, Cobb.
Finebaum is an idiot.
Posted on 3/20/19 at 9:50 am to FlexDawg
People like Finebaum feed off of this. They desperately want there to be friction between Smart and Saban. It makes their dull, mundane existence more exciting. I suspect there's nothing personal between Saban and Smart when it comes to competition.
I also have no doubt Smart used every trick in the book when it comes to recruiting, and he learned much of it from Saban.
I also have no doubt Smart used every trick in the book when it comes to recruiting, and he learned much of it from Saban.
Posted on 3/20/19 at 11:53 am to HTDawg
Recruiting wise, he did not have to steal anything from bama, it was already in his head from the day to day analysis of potential recruits. His Bama knowledge has run its course and since 2017 we have done our own analysis.
What we have done is begin to diminish Bamas stockpiling along with UT. Player here, player there adds up.
Just wish we could have closed Trey Sanders.
I believe we are now equal to Bama roster wise.
What we have done is begin to diminish Bamas stockpiling along with UT. Player here, player there adds up.
Just wish we could have closed Trey Sanders.
I believe we are now equal to Bama roster wise.
Posted on 3/20/19 at 6:11 pm to lewis and herschel
The complaint that CKS took a picture of the recruiting board before leaving is laughable. I bet him and every other coach on that team could rattle off every target by heart.
Posted on 3/20/19 at 8:58 pm to SquatchDawg
Of course Smart knew which recruits were on top of the board.
The Bama folks contend that Kirby took a photo so that he would have proof that Saban is the low down dirty liar that they all know him to be.
The Bama folks contend that Kirby took a photo so that he would have proof that Saban is the low down dirty liar that they all know him to be.
Posted on 3/21/19 at 8:25 am to Whiznot
The picture according to them was to show a player where they were on Bamas board.
You show a kid who thinks he is the best LB, that he is number three on the LB chart and he will be pissed.
Either way, frick em
You show a kid who thinks he is the best LB, that he is number three on the LB chart and he will be pissed.
Either way, frick em
Posted on 3/21/19 at 8:32 am to lewis and herschel
Saban was just pissed that Pruitt's picture of UGA's board was out of date
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