Saban and Urban

Those are two haunting names for Michigan State football fans. When Nick Saban won the national title with LSU in 2004, MSU fans revisited the pain of losing him four years earlier -- for what turned out to be petty financial issues. And when Urban Meyer won it two days ago, they must have been wondering how he didn't get an interview when the MSU job was open in 2002.

In retrospect, then-MSU President Peter McPherson probably should have made Saban happy and kept him around. He certainly shouldn't have hired Bobby Williams to replace him. McPherson has taken quite a beating in the past year or so for all his flubs, including Saban, but you have to understand he had already seen Saban flirt with the Colts and the Giants. He had every right to question Saban's long-term intentions. Right?

I mean, at this point, how can anyone perceive Saban as anything but a mercenary? (Not to mention a person with an apparent distaste for most human beings, but that's a blog for another time).

As for Meyer, it would be easy to assume that he simply slipped under MSU's radar, went to Utah from Bowling Green and emerged as a top-notch coach. Not true. Meyer had a big season with BG in 2002 and it placed him on a lot of lists, as is the norm with on-the-rise MAC coaches. When Bobby Williams was canned, Meyer was immediately the source of media speculation regarding MSU. And I've heard often since then that he was interested at the time. It's not much of a stretch -- if he went to Utah, you think he wouldn't have gone to MSU?

But the interest wasn't mutual. MSU went with John L. Smith. Hindsight can be pretty unforgiving, can't it?

Comments

[Fear of a Green Planet]

Nice article. I remember all the Meyer speculation, but in the JLS search one of the big issues was finding someone who will be around a while. Again, in hindsight it didn't work out, but JLS at the time seemed a much safer bet than Meyer. Even then he had 'climber' written all over him and that, in hindsight, has proved true. He would have been on a plane out of East Lansing the first time someone waved a ticket at him. Still, tough to believe we would have been as bad these last four years if he'd been the hire.

[GreenMiles]

Like you said, hindsight is 20/20. I think even if MacPherson had kept Saban at the time, it would only have been a matter of time before he left anyway. And in retrospect it would have been nice to see what Urban Meyer might have done in East Lansing.

I just hope that five years from now we aren't wondering what might have been if Brian Kelly had been hired.

[Dennis'02]

Joe, I am surprised at you for misspelling our former coach's name. It's $aban, not whatever the heck you have up there. Sheez... Also, I think that mercenary is about the most polite term I have ever heard for behavior such as his. Nevertheless, you are absolutely right about him.

If people are hellbent on lamenting past decisions, so be it. But history has shown it time and again to be a fool's errand.

[jim b]

I would welcome Nick Saban back in a minute...he was the best coach MSU had in the last ten years...We drove Nick out of town with our petty cheap McPherson administration..so he wasn't Mr Charm, but when he put a team on the field it was a "team" with defense and poise. We drove Nick out of town and our Championship went to LSU.
Why is it NOT ok for Saban to do the very thing we admire in pro athletes...get a multi million dollar contract. Schools like LSU, Bama, and oh yes MSU make millions off the football team. Saban should make the best deal he can for himself, the best money and benefits just as you and I would do! Good Luck Nick..and Urban too -get lots of greeen and another championship too.

[Chris]

Nick Saban has happy feet just like his father, Lou. Nick will not find happiness in a job before he retires. It is a family trait!