the most powerful coach in sports is ...

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Memo to SECFan42...it's ok to have a take on something...really, it is.

[PSUFAN]

I have to respect Saban's story of personal success, it's pretty impressive. I wonder if Alabama - or any school or organization - will feel 100% certain of his commitment, because he has really jumped around a lot.

Trying to look at things dispassionately, I have to tell you - I'm more impressed by Urban Meyer's accomplishments as a CFB HC than I am Saban's.

[Shoalzie]

I don't know if he's the most powerful but he's coached several notable programs and teams. To have Michigan State, LSU, the Miami Dolphins and Alabama on your resume...not many coaches can match that. Granted MSU and the Dolphins aren't very good now but those are still two pretty big names in the football world.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

The most powerful coach in CFB isn't a guy who bombed out of the NFL. It's a guy who has the option of coaching at either level. You know...like Saban circa 2004? That being said, Saban probably needs power because he has burned bridges everywhere he has been.

This article should've been written a couplefew years ago, not after a 7-6 season which included a loss to La-Monore. I know, I know; it's just one season...but another one of those type of losses, and he'll be in real trouble.

Nah, Saban doesn't have a ton of power, and certainly not outside of Alabama. He does however have quite a bit of money in the bank.

[Cicero]

He has two 10 win seasons in over 15 years. He's one of the most overrated coach's. Don't get me wrong, he's a good coach but not this genius that so many people like to make him out to be.

[Danimal]

I have to respect Saban's story of personal success, it's pretty impressive. I wonder if Alabama - or any school or organization - will feel 100% certain of his commitment, because he has really jumped around a lot.

Trying to look at things dispassionately, I have to tell you - I'm more impressed by Urban Meyer's accomplishments as a CFB HC than I am Saban's.

If he loses 2 in a row to Auburn, he'll be on the extreme hot seat next year. That's all the elephants care about. Trust me on that. :D

Auburn will be salty this year, IMO they'll take the SEC-West. So maybe Saban will be on the hotseat.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

He has two 10 win seasons in over 15 years. He's one of the most overrated coach's. Don't get me wrong, he's a good coach but not this genius that so many people like to make him out to be.

He's a great recruiter. I'm not convinced he's a great head coach. He took some real talented Michigan State teams and drove 'em into the ground.

Plus this guy is ALWAYS looking for the next big thing. You never know where he stands. I feel sorry for Bama fans who feel he's the savior.

[RumpleForeskin]

Gotta agree with Mgo here.

Saban is not the most powerful coach. I'd have to hand that honor to Weis because we know he can coach and game plan at both levels. That means he can do whatever the hell he wants with his career.

Saban is a little faggot just like Petrino. I know, I know....this is a business, but those guys are spineless, gutless pussies who should be trainfucked by a bunch of John Amaechis.

Most powerful coaches on my list:

1) Weis
2) Meyer
3) Carroll
4) Stoops
5) Tressel

[Degenerate]

Saban is not the most powerful coach. I'd have to hand that honor to Weis because we know he can coach and game plan at both levels. That means he can do whatever the hell he wants with his career.

I was going to take issue with this until I thought about how hard it is to take a program with the lofty stature of Notre Dame and gameplan them to being the 119th ranked I-A team in total offense for nearly the entire 2007 season.

That ain't easy.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Pete Carroll is the most powerful, and it ain't even close.

[RumpleForeskin]

I was going to take issue with this until I thought about how hard it is to take a program with the lofty stature of Notre Dame and gameplan them to being the 119th ranked I-A team in total offense for nearly the entire 2007 season.

Doesn't mean he isn't powerful and has few options. The guy has a couple of SB rings as an OC and did have success his first couple of seasons with Quinn at the helm.

Now, if they have another losing record, then he loses some of that power, but dude can pretty much do what he wants right now.

[Terry in Crapchester]

Saban is not the most powerful coach. I'd have to hand that honor to Weis because we know he can coach and game plan at both levels. That means he can do whatever the hell he wants with his career.

Weis is on a bit of a hot seat right now. He pretty much used up his entire allotment of patience from ND's fanbase last season, and if he doesn't show considerable improvement against a much easier schedule this year, the pressure will build to buy him out.

Most powerful coaches on my list:

1) Weis
2) Meyer
3) Carroll
4) Stoops
5) Tressel

Les Miles has beaten most if not all of them. :P

Miles has beaten them all except Carroll, IIRC.

I had to look it up when it came to Stoops, but he did beat Stoops in '01 and '02 while coaching Okie State.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Jsc,

I think most of us would know if Miles played Carroll and USC while at LSU. He hasn't. That's not exactly a game that would slip under the radar.

He hasn't played USC while at Oklahoma State either.
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/OklahomaState.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(2001-2004)

He did, however, play a home-and-home with UCLA and split.

[campinfool]

Les Miles is Mack Brown's bitch.

[King Crimson]

Jsc,

I think most of us would know if Miles played Carroll and USC while at LSU. He hasn't. That's not exactly a game that would slip under the radar.

i agree. all the coach/game histories in the above top 5 including Mack Brown i could do in my head. what does that say about meatgrinder or LSU* fan when he doesn't even know his own "wouldn't trade him for anyone" chimpanzee's overall record?

*how many BCS games can we play in the Superdome?

[M Club]

[quote="MgoBlue-LightSpecial]He took some real talented Michigan State teams and drove 'em into the ground.
[/quote]

i thought saban was operating msu under sanctions, so he actually had less-than-talented teams to coach. he should have taken them to a bcs game but was hoed out in favor of michigan.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

If the sanctions greatly affected the talent brought to the team under Saban, nobody really noticed. Those were some of MSU's better recruiting classes.

[Mr T]

Nick Saban

he isnt even the most powerful man in t-town.

the boosters run everything down is tuscaloosa....that is why they suck and will continue to suck

[M Club]

If the sanctions greatly affected the talent brought to the team under Saban, nobody really noticed. Those were some of MSU's better recruiting classes.

top-flight talent, sure, but enough to warrant actual depth, not so much. saban did a great job at msu. perles is a fat slob who left quite a mess.

[Sky]

I was going to take issue with this until I thought about how hard it is to take a program with the lofty stature of Notre Dame and gameplan them to being the 119th ranked I-A team in total offense for nearly the entire 2007 season.

Doesn't mean he isn't powerful and has few options. The guy has a couple of SB rings as an OC and did have success his first couple of seasons with Quinn at the helm.

Now, if they have another losing record, then he loses some of that power, but dude can pretty much do what he wants right now.

Really?


Really?

Did you say this and then actually spend time defending it after someone called you on it?

Wins games he should have won with Ty's recruits his first two years. Absolutely nothing else. Sucks huge dick last year. 119th......did you really try and debate that with nonsense.

Oh, an OC. Who is the Giants OC? The Colts? Oh yeah, no one fucking knows because no one cares. And didn't the Patriots have the best offense last year? Like w/o Weiss?

And what does "he can do pretty much whatever he wants" mean? Like he can eat a big mac, or two big macs, or two big macs, fries, soda, shake, apple pie, and a small child? Is that what you mean?

Go back to CDS.

[Terry in Crapchester]

Wins games he should have won with Ty's recruits his first two years.

In fairness on this point, look at some of the breakout stars from that team. A few in particular stand out:

1. Stovall. Anybody could see that he was blessed with an abundance of talent, even before Weis got there. But during his first three seasons, he was the classic underachiever. Weis lit a fire under him, he came back leaner and meaner for his senior year, and had a breakout season.

2. Quinn. Another guy where you could see the talent even before Weis got there. But he was an average college QB, at best, for the first half of his college career. He really blossomed under Weis' tutelage.

3. Samardzija. Who? He was buried so far down on Willingham's depth chart that you probably couldn't have found him. Yes, he got a break when McKnight got hurt early in '05, but (a) he was in position to benefit from that break only because he had worked his way into the rotation under Weis; and (b) he made the most of his break. Btw, I've read on ND Nation that he seriously considered not playing football at all his junior year until Weis talked him into coming back to the team. I can't vouch for that with 100% certainty, but a lot of people who post there have amazing connections to the football program.

Yeah, Willingham might have recruited those guys, but that doesn't mean he knew what to do with them once he got them on campus.