Nick Saban Retired

 

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Welcome to Retirement Nick, the fifth dimension is great!

 

What a career you had!  Filled with ups and downs, teachable moments, victories and losses, life lessons and in the end, you were at the place you needed to be. 

 

Such humble beginnings to the top of the College Football World, a place on Mount Rushmore of college football.  Many hated you; many respected you, many learned from you (your true legacy) but they all wanted to be you and wanted to be the Alabama program you restored to prominence. 

 

You were not perfect, and you never tried to be.  You had failures, but your ability to adapt, to learn, to change and to deliver your message about how to win at life were all the qualities that defined your success.    

 

You can now golf, you can fish, you can spend time with Miss Terry and your family now and I am sure you can make a bundle on the speaking circuit, but I have your next job waiting.  We need you at the Bad Drop at RTJ The Shoals. 

 

Imagine how good you would be for business, but we would have a rule, you are just Nick, no fanfare, no pictures no poses because you are just a guy at the bad drop.  Imagine the shock of someone pulling up getting out of their car to hear you say, “Good morning boys, who is driving and who is riding?”  He would begin to load the bags on the carts and then offer, “where are you guys from?” Which would stir further banter.      

 

The great part about the job is the chatter with the patrons as they arrive for their round, which would suit you perfectly.  You will find yourself in conversations about sports, vacations, people you know from where a patron is from up North, East or West, other golf courses, just great friendly banter. 

 

We even make a little tip money at times which is all part of the fun at the Bag Drop.  Sure, you will be washing carts, emptying some trash, driving the tractor to pick up the driving range practice balls but it never feels like work and will make you laugh at times at the tasks at hand based on what you have accomplished in your life.    

 

So come to The Shoals Nick, hell we just need you one month a year, April would be good.  We can work in some golf, and you can just be Nick, Red Shirt, Khaki Pans, Khaki Hat at the bag drop for a period of time.

 

 

Random

 

From @FUNBaseballFacts on Twitter.  I like to the at the stats of some of the ballplayers they post on twitter, this one is Bill Madlock, solid hitter – “He won the batting title four times (only Cobb, Gwynn, Wagner, Carew, Hornsby, Musial, Williams and Boggs won more).”  Bill Madlock Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

 

Bad Day at the National Championship Game https://x.com/TreyWallace_/status/1744606610696110532?s=20

 

Honestly as long as it is not Dabo, I will be good with whoever Bama hires, but I am in Camp Kiffin!  Most interesting case for a hire by Bama I have read yet.  Who should Alabama hire to replace Nick Saban? Start with Kalen DeBoer of Washington (yahoo.com)

 

 

Did not know this! – In 1964, Charlie Finley signed a pact with the Commonwealth of Kentucky to move the Kansas City A's to Louisville. Finley planned to call the team the Kentucky Colonels, allowing the team to keep “KC” on its hats and jerseys.

 

Bud Harrelson, scrappy Mets shortstop who once fought Pete Rose in the playoffs, dies at 79.  I guess the only reason I know who Bud is goes back to this fight. 

 

Starting to dribble in, pun intended, some CBB.  Only really watched Kentucky play at this point and that will be my pattern until the NCAA Tourney starts.  Seems like there is a lot of parody based on the results I am seeing this week.  Cal has the best team he has had in a while but not sure they have a run in them to the title, defense is lacking. 

 

Marks Stoops is the longest tenured coach in SEC at the same school.  That is amazing to me!  I guess the moment he went to the Aggies does not count. 

 

Bad Mofo Wallet in back pocket.  Ted missed some great years serving his country but my guess is he would have done the same over and over again! 

 

Now two more Bad Mofos: 

 

 

Those Games Were Great

 

Ruby, Ruby, where you been so long……  - Bon Scott

Happy New Year 

What a great year 2023 was for me and my bride.  First full year in retirement for me and it has even been/gone better than I dreamed.  We love our new community, getting more involved in the local scene, making new friends and hosting out of town visitors on a frequent basis.  Golf trip to Ireland was unreal and my wife and I had a great trip in October to Fairhope, AL after skipping a few years while moving.  

We are almost done with round two of projects for our home, excited to have those finished.  

Two of my weekly readings you should subscribe to via email. 

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Bama Vs Michigan

 

Read - What Nick Saban said after Michigan football beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl (yahoo.com)

To me it was a battle of two heavyweight champs, the Ali vs. Frazier bouts but this time college football. 

Alabama standing tall after ending Georgia’s 29 game winning streak and snatching the SEC Title back to Tuscaloosa for another year. 

Michigan, a program who is ‘there’ in recent years but has not been able to get over the hump.  A controversial coach and maybe a chip on their shoulders.    

Oh, that Auburn game.  It Loomed big in this one and that game was what scared me about this one for Bama.  Obviously, the Michigan coaching staff watched a lot of that tape, as they should have.  Auburn had a playbook on how to beat Bama and it damn near worked to perfection for them, it did for Michigan. 

In the who was the best prepared, Michigan won that battle in the first half even though they trailed at the end.  Their ability to confuse the Bama defense on the first drive was pivotal in this game and that finally transitioned to their last drive. 

Bama made great adjustments in 2^nd & 3^rd quarter and took advantage of a muffed punt in the 1^s but it was obvious they were struggling up front with the Michigan D Line.  Harbaugh said before the game this one is one you can truly say will be won in the trenches, and it was.    

Bama won the adjustments game after halftime, but Michigan made the adjustments needed on their final drive in regulation and in the OT, when it really counted.  The play calling and the confused Bama defense allowed the Wolverines to march right down the field and tie the game. 

Bama had a chance to close it out but by coming away with just a FG on their last scoring drive that set up the dramatic finish.  A well-coached game on both sides of the ball but obviously a game that the thing the fans don’t always see, the adjustments, were the key and well played by Harbaugh and his staff. 

Michigan is the real deal, but I think Washington has a shot in a high scoring game but……….  After watching top 5 match ups, in most cases, defense will prevail, and I think Michigan will hold the Talented Mr. Pennix to a good game and not a great one. 

Florida State

You know overall it is sad that CFB put themselves in a position where they had five conferences vying for four spots.  Each year the risk was there but in the last year of the Invitational, there were six deserving teams and it was “unfair” to any of those team to be left out. 

I do not think the FSU players who opted out are bad guys, don’t know any of them and honestly do not know any of their names off top of my head, but I do think they turned away from adversity and opportunity.  Character is built, it is undeniable, with the seeds of how one faces adversity and opportunity.  Often this is where true leaders are born and a person’s success is cemented, when in the face of adversity and opportunity.  I wish great success to them!    

The players on the field in the Orange Bowl for FSU played hard, played to the end but they were greatly overmatched by a team that did not walk away from adversity and opportunity, they seized upon them!  Georgia, like Bama last year, still had something to prove, wanted to prove it and they will need that experience in their future when those elements are faced, and they will be many times, again. 

As for did they get the four right?  No they did not!  No way to get it right, no matter what, two on the outside looking in is the tragedy!

College football is at a turning point, “things” need to be worked out to ensure that everyone shares in the success of the product with EDUCATION still being the focal point, the number one thing!  College football needs a commissioner, someone in charge!    

Random

The Texas and Washington game was also a great one!  Both teams played up to their expectations and from a fan perspective what a fun game to watch.  Obviously two very good coaches! 

 

This is true There won’t be an asterisk on this Michigan season, but there will be a stain (yahoo.com) 

66 Days to Pitchers and Catchers report to Spring Training 

At this point I am indifferent about professional golf.  I will use the AK quote at 2008 Ryder Cup when Sergio was trying to get a favorable drop on number 7, “Whatever you want to do man!” He then turned and walked away. 

The Bama fans jumping off the deep end, smh.  They should not be, and some are even calling for Tommy Rees to be fired = ridiculous.  Bama is still Bama, there every year and will be there for many more to come with new format.  Play on! 

After the Championship Game I will make my way to CBB.  Have watched the Wildcats play a few games so far, he has a good group of talent, but have not really paid any attention to any other. 

The world needs more people like this!  Founder of retirement thoroughbred farm in Kentucky announces he's handing over reins to successor (yahoo.com)

One of my favorite Carson Shows, they are both great!  Great Bob Gibson story in there!  Bob Uecker Tonight Show - 1971 (youtube.com)