Why the $aban thing COULD happen and COULD work...

You regular posters know me, and know that I am not a fan of the WVMD - it started when he stupidly left to go to the NFL. I wished him well, but it's like that -- it wasn't a sense that we lost one of our own, but we lost a mercenary that was looking at one or more NFL jobs EVERY December that he was at LSU, including 2003, and finally found one to his liking.

Now, I cheered against Miami, because I don't like them, generally, and have never liked them (though I do have great respect for Don Shula and Dan Marino). I was a little disappointed (but not surprised) that the little quitter didn't at least give it the full three or four years (I see now, he was smart enough to realize that he'd be fired after the 2007 season and jumped to avoid that taint.) I was happy to see him lose, and will continue to enjoy it when he loses at Bama.

I offer the following ONLY as a rational discussion of HOW it COULD work:

Having said all of that, IF he were to return to LSU (and I'm not advocating it in any way, in fact I'm against it) the PR explosion would be huge, on a scale of Price/Franchione/Rickey Williams, etc.. However, he would never be a jump risk again. No one would seriously consider hiring him. The NFL has already proven out of his depth. If he were to consider other colleges, they couldn't possibly take him seriously. He could tell recruits, "How can I possibly go anywhere after all of that? Come to LSU and let's win games together." LSU is the ONLY place he can go to from Bama. And then, he might as well fire Sexton and hire Mrs. Saban to be his agent, because the Sexton techniques of shopping him for any job, anywhere to increase his salary, simply won't work anymore.

1. If he takes less money than he's making at Bama to come back

2. If he takes market rate for the job, with decent incentives ($2.25m to $2.5m guaranteed salary plus media, and the opportunity to make $1m in incentives)

3. If he accepts an outrageous, non-prorated buyout for the term (would be symbolic because he would have no market value anywhere else).

Then, it COULD work - if he wins.

The astronomical risk would at least be mutual, at that point (LSU wouldn't be bearing it alone, in other words). He would be casting his lot with LSU, permanently. Hell, in time I could be convinced, but not right now, and not any time soon.