| Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley | | | | University of Washington. He was twice |
| Nick Saban recently became the | | | | named National College Coach of the Year |
| University of Alabama football coach by | | | | (1984 and 1991), guided Washington to |
| signing the richest contract ever | | | | the National Championship in 1991, took |
| awarded to a college football coach. | | | | the Huskies to 6 Rose Bowls (winning 4), |
| His 8-year, $32 million deal with the | | | | won the Orange Bowl title in 1985, had a |
| Crimson Tide has a base salary of | | | | 10-5 bowl game record, and won 22 |
| $225,000 that will be supplemented by a | | | | straight games from 1990 to 1992. |
| personal services fee of $3.275 to | | | | James was inducted into the College |
| $3.975 million per year. College | | | | Football Hall of Fame in 1997; Saban |
| football supporters are awash with money | | | | will likely be inducted into the same |
| for winners who they believe can put | | | | Hall of Fame at some point in the |
| their team on top. | | | | future. |
| Saban's deal does not include a buyout | | | | Here is what Saban had to say about |
| clause if he leaves, but it does cap | | | | James: "Don James was my college coach |
| public appearances at 15 per year (for | | | | at Kent State. I guess he had as much of |
| alumni and booster clubs) that are | | | | an impact on me as anyone in terms of |
| unrelated to endorsements. | | | | organization, quality of work, (and) |
| The contract also has incentives that | | | | being the best you can be. He's the |
| could generate another $650,000 for | | | | person that got me (into) coaching." |
| on-field and academic success with his | | | | Saban was a graduate assistant and then |
| players. One biggie is $200,000 if he | | | | defensive assistant for the Kent State |
| reaches the BCS championship game and | | | | University football team. |
| escalates to $400,000 if Alabama wins. | | | | I have distant connections to Saban and |
| Saban also gets a country club | | | | James. |
| membership, two cars, a luxury box at | | | | I graduated from Michigan State in 1966 |
| Bryant-Denny Stadium and up to 25 hours | | | | and saw two great years of football |
| of yearly flight time for personal | | | | before graduating. I remember the 1966 |
| travel in a non-commercial plane. | | | | "Game of the Century" between then No. 2 |
| Ah, it is good to be Nick Saban in | | | | ranked Michigan State and No. 1 ranked |
| Alabama today. Now he must win and win | | | | Notre dame that ended in a 10-10 tie |
| big, something he has been able to do at | | | | when Norte Dame decided to settle for a |
| other college coaching positions. | | | | tie rather than go for the victory. |
| In his only year as head coach at Toledo | | | | There were 5 All Americans on MSU's 1966 |
| he took the Rockets from 6-5 to 9-2 and | | | | team: fullback Bob Apisa, halfback |
| the Mid-American Conference | | | | Clinton Jones, defensive end Charles |
| co-championship. | | | | "Bubba" Smith, wide receiver Gene |
| Saban then went to Michigan State and in | | | | Washington and rover (linebacker) George |
| five seasons turned the Spartans from a | | | | Webster. |
| mediocre, continual late-season failure | | | | I remember a game in 1965 when |
| into a 9-2 season that included wins | | | | All-American running back Jim Grabowski |
| over Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State | | | | from Illinois and George Webster were |
| and Penn State before he resigned in | | | | running full steam toward each other and |
| 1999. | | | | Webster flattened Grabowski. It was one |
| A season earlier, MSU knocked off then | | | | of the greatest tackles I ever |
| No. 1 ranked Ohio State 28-24 at Ohio | | | | witnessed. Grobowski went on the play |
| Stadium and routed highly-ranked Notre | | | | for the NFL Green Bay Packers and |
| Dame before folding later in the season. | | | | Chicago Bears. |
| If the Big 10 was not tough enough, | | | | Football at MSU then turned to crap |
| Saban's next stop was another five | | | | until Nick Saban arrived and took the |
| seasons with the LSU Tigers in the even | | | | Spartans back to prominence. It was one |
| tougher, nastier Southeastern | | | | long drought that lasted from 1967 to |
| Conference. | | | | 1999. |
| He chalked up a 10-3 mark and an SEC | | | | I relocated to Washington State in 1973 |
| championship in his second year and | | | | and followed the University of |
| topped things off with a 13-1 record in | | | | Washington Huskiesand Don Jamescloser |
| his fourth season (2003) that earned the | | | | than I did Michigan State during those |
| Tigers a second SEC championship with | | | | years. Here in Washington Don James is |
| Saban as well as the BCS national | | | | affectionately known as the "Dawgfather" |
| championship title after a 21-14 win | | | | and treated with as much respect as was |
| over the Oklahoma Sooners. | | | | Don Corleone in The Godfather movie. |
| After two average years trying to get | | | | You will not meet a better college |
| the Miami Dolphins of the NFL in gear, | | | | football coach or person than Don James, |
| he left to become Alabama's new hope. | | | | he is always about honesty, integrity |
| Saban was able to build a defense with | | | | and doing the right thing. |
| the Dolphins but never really got the | | | | My expectation is that Nick Saban will |
| offense going, suffering his first | | | | bring Alabama football back to its |
| losing record as a head coach. | | | | rightful place. I have been a Crimson |
| Saban's extended family has football | | | | Tide fan since the day "Joe Willie" |
| connections. His cousin Lou Saban was a | | | | Namath walked onto the Alabama campus. |
| two-time All-Big Ten player at Indiana | | | | I am also fired up for the football |
| University and later was head coach for | | | | season to start as Michigan State has a |
| the NFL Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos | | | | new head coach, a guy named Mark |
| and New England Patriots. | | | | Dantonio who is serious about defense |
| Saban played as a defensive back for Don | | | | and will instill the kind of discipline |
| James when James was head coach at Kent | | | | and winning attitude MSU needs. |
| State University. James also coached NFL | | | | The days of the country club atmosphere |
| great Jack Lambert and led the Golden | | | | are over at Michigan State. Players will |
| Flashes (it may be true) to their only | | | | either get with it or get gone. Dantonio |
| Mid-American Conference title in 1972. | | | | will not accept losing and neither will |
| Like Saban, James was a winner. James | | | | Saban. Look out SEC, here comes Nick |
| went on to coach 18 seasons at the | | | | Saban. |