Pete Thamel is reporting Caleb Downs beginning process to enter portal.

[tusks_n_raider]

I'll just echo what others have said.

I'm more than fine cheering for a well coached 8-4 to 9-3 team that plays their guts out for each other, the Coaches, and The U of A.

These paid mercenaries can just go ahead and dip.

Don't care

BYE

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

100%, Saban's timing was HORRIBLE

Yep!

He should have waited a couple more years...

 

[Bamabuzzard]

A stark reminder that Saban isn't Jesus 2.0 - he makes poor decisions just like everyone else.

He also makes decisions that is best for him and HIS family, so bad timing, could have waited longer for our benefit, etc., doesn't matter. He was done and he pulled the plug and my guess is he spent some (but not a lot of) time on the fallout his retirement would leave behind, but not at the expense of his personal best interest.

At the end of the day, his main priority is him and his family. It is what is and if we can make it through this initial wave of crap show, we'll be fine.

 

[Tidelines]

I just wish his retirement had of been done while the main portal window was open so we could of fought back some. It's all one way at the moment.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

He also makes decisions that is best for him and HIS family, so bad timing, could have waited longer for our benefit, etc., doesn't matter. He was done and he pulled the plug and my guess us he spent some (but not a lot of) time on the fallout his retirement would leave behind, but not at the expense of his personal best interest.

At the end of the day, his main priority is him and his family. It is what is and if we can make it through this initial wave of crap show, we'll be fine.

Yep............cant fault the man for his decision. As for the crap, the pain now is better than the pain later...............Bama will weather it, and I suspect pick up some players from the portal

 

[colbysullivan]

Yep!

He should have waited a couple more years...

That's not what I meant, and you know it

 

[bamamc1]

A stark reminder that Saban isn't Jesus 2.0 - he makes poor decisions just like everyone else.

This wasn’t handled properly at all by CNS. I love him and appreciate everything he’s accomplished during his career at UA. However, when you’re sitting there interviewing DC candidates one minute and on the phone with your wife the next minute and you just up and retire? Byrne given no heads up? It just doesn’t make sense.

 

[BamaMoon]

Downs is a great player. I get it.

But Downs and T-Rob a great team does not make.

Some of you are focusing on one player and one assistant coach.

CKD is building a team and staff and, BTW, he's going to probably accept some "mercenaries" from Washington too.

Time to look to the future.

 

[BamaMoon]

Frankly, Coach Saban screwed us by announcing when he did and not giving Byrne a head's up. If he'd waited even until today it would have been too late for players to transfer to other schools, allowing the new staff to keep them through spring practice and build relationships.

The man deserved to go out like he wanted to.

If he decided last Wednesday was the time, it was the time.

 

[81usaf92]

Y’all do realize that no matter when Saban announces that this 30 day portal opens right? Unless you are firing a coach then I don’t really see any true benefit from picking a specific date between ESD and NSD to retire. You are still going to deal with what we are as a program.

Had CNS retired after NSD it would be far worse than what it is now. Because 1) you are going to have to convince someone to come and really hit the ground running and 2) the spring will be a disaster made from hell.

 

[TideEngineer08]

Y’all do realize that no matter when Saban announces that this 30 day portal opens right? Unless you are firing a coach then I don’t really see any true benefit from picking a specific date between ESD and NSD to retire. You are still going to deal with what we are as a program.

Had CNS retired after NSD it would be far worse than what it is now. Because 1) you are going to have to convince someone to come and really hit the ground running and 2) the spring will be a disaster made from hell.

I was about to say, I hated CNS's timing, but the portal was going to bite us no matter what he did.

 

[TideEngineer08]

As for Downs... I hate it. I hate everything about it.

 

[81usaf92]

I was about to say, I hated CNS's timing, but the portal was going to bite us no matter what he did.

I rather bite us here than bite us between NSD and Spring training. To get a good a good coach you have to get him in a more advantageous point of the season. You don’t want to get him and say “ All our rivals can poach us for the next 20+ days, our recruits that we just signed are up in the air, you need to make 12 press engagements in the next 3 weeks, need to assemble a staff, and get your workout and spring schedules done in the next 2 weeks”.

 

[BamaSully]

I really wish y’all would get off coach Saban’s back on this one. He means what he says and he tells it like it is. He’s always preached being present in the moment and being where your feet are, and that’s all he did.

When the season was over he finally took time to evaluate himself and make what was likely an extremely agonizing decision, and just like any good man should do, he informed his boss just as soon as he knew for sure himself.

That’s how it should have been done and I assume that is exactly what happened and not one single soul on the earth should have any reason to be upset about it. Anything else that happens as a result of it is just inevitable short term collateral damage which will soon pass and should never have had any impact on the thought process of making such a tough decision.

Coach, thank you again for your many contributions to the sport which are too many to count.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

This wasn’t handled properly at all by CNS. I love him and appreciate everything he’s accomplished during his career at UA. However, when you’re sitting there interviewing DC candidates one minute and on the phone with your wife the next minute and you just up and retire? Byrne given no heads up? It just doesn’t make sense.

I'd give it some time before giving it that label. In my opinion, Saban has been fighting this decision since last season and the signs were right there in front of us. "He looks tired", "I want angry Saban back" , "He doesn't look into it" etc.

The program, in general, started to show obvious cracks and the most recent, most obvious example was against Michigan. The entire staff flat out got out coached relative to the talent on the rosters. Trust me, he could have done it at a worse time, it just feels like the worst to us. But in hindsight, the signs were literally looking us in the face.

Let's chill, give the guy time to do what he seems to be able to do to get a career coaching record that has currently has. RTR

 

[Jack Bourbon]

Can’t blame Saban for being honest with everyone.

 

[Con]

The man deserved to go out like he wanted to.

If he decided last Wednesday was the time, it was the time.

Exactly! The man put his heart and soul into our University. We would be highly critical of other coaches waiting around to screw over the players.

Edit: Now that I have read all of the other posts, I feel better. I thought everybody was going to attack Coach Saban about retiring too early.

 

[64bamafan]

I very rarely post anything. I read constantly. My thoughts have always been even before the Coach Saban years is that anyone not 100% wanting to be here then leave. I certainly hate it about Caleb Downs. But if he or anyone else aren’t completely bought in then they need to leave and we play those who are committed. Just my opinion.

 

[spidermayin]

We should treat this as a rebuilding year, but we're not in the same shape we were in 2007. Yes, losing Caleb Downs is a big bummer. Dude can play some defense. We're not going to replace him, but someone will step up and play their best. We're entering a new era of college football. Gone are the days where almost all of our players are from Alabama and everybody was playing for the University of Alabama. Most guys these days, are playing for "their" future, not Alabama's future. It's sad, but that's just the way it is. I have confidence CKD will get the guys that do stay playing together and playing really tough and motivated.

 

[RammerJammer15]

Frankly, Coach Saban screwed us by announcing when he did and not giving Byrne a head's up. If he'd waited even until today it would have been too late for players to transfer to other schools, allowing the new staff to keep them through spring practice and build relationships.

I’d rather Saban retire last week than stress himself out at the age of 72 trying to recruit players, keep players and coaches, deal with NIL, Portal, and tampering. Even coaches half his age are stressed out over it.