Do You Have A Problem With Nick Saban “Oversigning” Defense? I don’t.
By
Chris Chandler
Do You Have A Problem With Nick Saban "Oversigning" Defense? I sure don't. If the NCAA is cool with the way things are done in Tuscaloosa and a huge number of colleges across America, then what is Kevin Scarbinsky crowing about? His argument in the Birmingham News article in link below http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/02/scarbinsky_alabamas_dont-tell.html simply sounds like he is grasping at straws to find something wrong with the way scholarships are awarded at the Capstone. Even the national media is starting the fire under the stake... http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/02/04/saban-oversigning/
With all the fuss, you would think that this is something that is new, however lots of colleges do this and have been doing it for years. Alabama is not a lone wolf.
Many people are blaming Coach Nick Saban for turning bad players out on the streets so that he can oversign the best talent. The truth is that Alabama creates opportunities for more players than it ever has forced out the door.
This really came to a boil recently when it was discovered that Les Miles had to force a player to quit that had been on campus for 2 months already. The player was OL Elliott Porter. Porter was a freshman offensive lineman from Waggaman, La., who signed with LSU last February. He qualified academically and started taking classes. After two months, he was told he had to go because there were only 25 spots on the roster.
Coach Saban explains the practices of grayshirting and oversigning like this...
There has been quite a bit written about oversigning, so to speak, but we have never gotten rid of a player because of his physical ability...
Any player that has left this program prematurely has created his own exit route. He's created his own conditions for leaving, if that makes sense. Whether they are academic in terms of not doing what he needed to do academically, whether it is some violation of team or school policy, some of those things we are not allowed to talk about...
First of all, we have never grayshirted a guy here who when he decided to come here didn't know the circumstances that we were going to take with him at The University of Alabama. The reason is sometimes academic, the reason is sometimes physical development and maturity, but never has a player not known [he might be grayshirted.] ... Now I don't think that is a bad thing. If we were not able to do that, those players would never have the opportunity to come here. So we are actually creating an opportunity for a guy to come here, not taking one away. That is why I think there is some disconnect out there and understanding about what grayshirting is all about.
I think as long as Alabama does the math and nobody is left in the cold, then it is cool. Even a medical scholarship for "borderline hurt" or forcing out already graduated ineffective seniors who really don't have to go the 5th year is fine with me. That is just life and the real goal in all this is to get a good college education & to win. Alabama is effectively allowing these players to do both.
Maybe I am a Bama homer with the crimson colored shades on... but I am cool with Bama's modus operandi under Nick Saban. So.... What do you think? Comment on my Facebook page!
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1 Comments
March 28th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Yes, we are die hard Alabama fans and wish that Nick Saban could recruit 7 year olds. For our grandson loves sports and can throw a ball. We’ve had people telling us & our daughter that to be a 7 year old that boy can throw a ball. He’s into Coach pitching, and could smack one when given the chance, throw & catch. He threw a football over his grandpa’s head and he had to throw through tress & bushes and my husband was by our den and our grandson Scooter was standing way over by our shed. And that little fellow is to a die Alabama fan. My husband has a Alabama room with nothing but Alabama stuff in it. The latest one that he added was his autograph picture of Nick. He was proud and had to go and get a frame. Thank you Nick for making my husband’s day, I just wish he could have his picture taken with you so he could add that to his room. He’s 64 now and has health problems. Do you think that could ever happen if we ever came back that way??? I just wish that you could get fingernail polish so the women could paint their fingernails. Either Big Al, Roll Tide, hat or whatever, for I know I’d get some, for we have our Alabama stuff on every time you play. And hope you do great and go National again. We love you and the Tide gang, for we don’t go any other way.
Betty Gauci
14710 County Road 93
Lillian AL 36549