Alabama
Nick Saban Built a Behemoth at Alabama. College Football Will Never Be the Same.
Nick Saban seemed at least mildly fed up with college football. He hinted at it often, in public, in his terse, grumpy uncle way, grousing about scheduling ineptitude (too many hot day games!), or the impending chaos of name, image, likeness and the transfer portal. When said chaos arrived, Saban would smirk ruefully, like a tired old lion.
Of course, no human being built a more successful, ruthless business out of college football than Nick Saban—elevating Alabama into the lucrative standard of the sport, transforming dozens of players into NFL stars, and turning himself and many of his coaches into wealthy men. But as the sport evolved—“We’re moving in the sort of semipro direction,” he said earlier this month—Saban didn’t appear thrilled to stick around much longer.
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