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The Truth About Bama

Posted on 9/4/25 at 7:37 am
Posted by VooDude
Member since Aug 2017
2337 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 7:37 am
Alabama’s just not a good market. Never was, but when you have Saban at the helm and that level of NFL attention (minus the dodge chargers), Bama is a no brainer.

But Saban ain’t stupid and he left at the perfect time: it was never an NIL issue or he wouldn’t have left for the NFL, but Alabama’s ability to compete in it.










Oh, and for the “but Alabama has good talent”, just a discipline problem. Not as true these days, but still very competitive, but good luck next year getting that same level with new recruits and the exodus in the transfer portal incoming. Cat’s out of the bag for good.
Posted by atxfan
Member since Jul 2004
4070 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 7:39 am to
quote:

he left at the perfect time: it was never an NIL issue

Agree to disagree
Posted by rattlebucket
SELA
Member since Feb 2009
12603 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 7:46 am to
quote:

it was never an NIL issue


Mostly this. And with wide open playoffs. Mix that in with future changes and Saban lost too much control.
Posted by gar90
Member since Sep 2009
6483 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 7:47 am to
Posted by ClientNumber9
Member since Feb 2009
9964 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 7:52 am to
People are overreacting on this. Bama has 4 and 5 star athletes on both sides of the ball. This was the kick in the arse they needed to get going. They may be on a slow fade but it's not like they're going 8-4 this season.
Posted by Yeti_Chaser
Member since Nov 2017
11808 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 7:55 am to
tDecline
Posted by Zephyrius
Wharton, La.
Member since Dec 2004
9410 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 7:57 am to
quote:

People are overreacting on this. Bama has 4 and 5 star athletes on both sides of the ball. This was the kick in the arse they needed to get going. They may be on a slow fade but it's not like they're going 8-4 this season.

I think you are more correct than not. They'll be fighting for their playoff life come Nov. 8th. The LSU/ AL game is going to be epic.
This post was edited on 9/4/25 at 8:00 am
Posted by Pikes Peak Tiger
Colorado Springs
Member since Jun 2023
9504 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:00 am to
quote:

Alabama’s just not a good market


Is it worse than Baton Rouge?

Posted by coolpapaboze
Parts Unknown
Member since Dec 2006
20834 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:01 am to
I don’t think it was explicitly NIL as much as it was having to recruit the entire roster every year. (I know those two things are related)
Posted by Pikes Peak Tiger
Colorado Springs
Member since Jun 2023
9504 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:03 am to
quote:

People are overreacting on this. Bama has 4 and 5 star athletes on both sides of the ball. This was the kick in the arse they needed to get going.


While I love the Bama melt as much as anyone, I tend to agree.

When all is said and done, they will be 10-2 or 9-3 and the same media pundits trying to bury them right now will be arguing for them to be in the playoffs
Posted by The Ramp
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Jul 2004
12808 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:05 am to
quote:

10-2 or 9-3


I agree. They still have a LOT of talent on both sides of the ball
Posted by LSUfan4444
Member since Mar 2004
56656 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:10 am to
quote:

it was never an NIL issue


The NIL had an impact but not as much as the portal.

The same thing happened when the NCAA limited scholarship limits in 1973.

It's not a coincidence that schools like OU, Pitt, Georgia, Penn State, etc saw immediate success coming off the of the heels of just flat out dominance by Bama, USC, Texas, Nebraska, Notre Dame, etc.

Bear Bryant used to recruit kids that he knew would never start there just to prevent them from going to LSU, UGA or Auburn.

Rosters became more similar and it took a while for the SEC to pull away again. The portal has done the same and in time, they'll figure out another way.
Posted by Palomitz
Miami
Member since Oct 2009
2667 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:10 am to
quote:

But Saban ain’t stupid and he left at the perfect time: it was never an NIL issue or he wouldn’t have left for the NFL,


I think his retirement had to do with 2 factors, the NIL topic and from an interview last year, he mentioned that due to his age and schedule commitment as coach, waking up at 4 am almost every day, and getting 4 hours of sleep max daily was taking a toll on him. He then concluded by saying a heart attack just waiting to happen.
This post was edited on 9/4/25 at 8:12 am
Posted by jbraua
Oklahoma City, OK
Member since Oct 2007
7727 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:13 am to
quote:

Alabama’s just not a good market.


This is just completely untrue.

If Alabama is not a good market then neither is Louisiana. In reality, these two programs have always been "haves" in the in the cutthroat battle of the "haves" and "have nots" in college athletics.
Posted by Alt26
Member since Mar 2010
34163 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:15 am to
quote:

When all is said and done, they will be 10-2 or 9-3 and the same media pundits trying to bury them right now will be arguing for them to be in the playoffs


They play @ Georgia in 3 weeks, and also have home games vs. Tennessee, LSU, Oklahoma. They end the season at Auburn, who usually played them very tough there even in the heights of Saban's reign. 10-2 seems like a tough task. 9-3 is doable, but they "mystique" of Alabama is gone for most teams. They have now lost 3 of their last 4 games.

Acting like they will fall off the face of the earth is silly. But I'm not ready to say this was just a temporary blip either.
Posted by BigBrod81
Houma
Member since Sep 2010
22788 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:24 am to
quote:

People are overreacting on this. Bama has 4 and 5 star athletes on both sides of the ball.


This does not matter. Those recruiting services swing & miss on evaluations. We see it all the time even at LSU. There are weaknesses on that roster in certain position groups that coaching & talent elsewhere can't overcome. Again, we've seen that at LSU the past few seasons where the majority of the talent fell on the offensive side of the ball (2023 was the worst). The deficiencies on defense were just too great for the talent on offense to make up for.

Also, Saban's military style practices & attention to detail are gone. No one was better at getting his players ready schematically, mentally & physically week in & week out than Saban. Without that & along with those deficiencies on the roster, Bama is just another top 25 program who can be beaten by other teams with talent or good coaching.
This post was edited on 9/4/25 at 10:16 am
Posted by Hold That Tiger 10
Member since Oct 2013
24777 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:25 am to
quote:

Alabama’s just not a good market. Never was, but when you have Saban at the helm and that level of NFL attention (minus the dodge chargers), Bama is a no brainer


Do people really not realize that Bama was a national power before Saban? You dont need a good "market" to be a good college football team. This isnt the NBA.
Posted by mdomingue
Lafayette, LA
Member since Nov 2010
42878 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:32 am to
quote:


I don’t think it was explicitly NIL as much as it was having to recruit the entire roster every year. (I know those two things are related)


NIL creates some problems, but it is fairly simple to manage. The portal with unlimited transfer and immediate eligibility also creates some problems, but it is also fairly simple to manage.

The two combined are exponentially more difficult to manage.
Posted by LSUDonMCO
Orlando
Member since Dec 2003
8245 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:42 am to
The truth about Bama is when it became legal for all the other teams to pay players suddenly the playing field was leveled and Bama joined the pack. That and replacing the greatest coach of all times with a west coast soyboy.
Posted by TeamLSU
Member since Feb 2009
3654 posts
Posted on 9/4/25 at 8:43 am to
quote:

Do people really not realize that Bama was a national power before Saban? You dont need a good "market" to be a good college football team. This isnt the NBA.


Totally agree. Hell, you can look at Clemson. In college, it's not about the "market".
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