DownTheField
VN Big Wig
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You knew some type of reward was coming for Alabama coach Nick Saban.
Otherwise, SEC commissioner Mike Slive might as well have gathered up all those memos he sent out last week about publicly praising officials and tossed them into the trash.
Slive decided on a reward, and not a coronation, for Saban. And that's the right call. What Saban said earlier this week on the SEC coaches teleconference wasn't exactly regal. He just pointed out that an official missed a call and then noted that it didn't determine the outcome of the game.
But it's the principle of the whole thing that's so important here.
To say anything in defense of the officiating at that point after the SEC had made such a production about bringing down the hammer on coaches who criticize officials was going to put Slive in a position where he had to act glowingly with approval-- especially with it being Alabama. If you haven't noticed, the conspiracy theories about Alabama and Florida playing by a different set of rules are ringing more and more true these days.
Maybe Saban was testing Slive, wanting to make sure their agreement was unflinching.
Maybe a guy making $4 million a year could give a you know what about a $30,000 bonus, but there's an agreement and a principle involved.
And then maybe Saban simply wasn't thinking he was testing Slive's fidelity when he criticized those who would dare to criticize.
I'll let everybody make up their own minds.
But I do know this: I can't imagine too many more coaches in this league answering anything remotely involving the officials the rest of this season- the mighty Nick has spoken.
Then again, it is the SEC.
Nothing ever surprises you completely.
I take that back. I would be surprised to see Saban, Meyer and Slive cancel their vacation together this summer.
Otherwise, SEC commissioner Mike Slive might as well have gathered up all those memos he sent out last week about publicly praising officials and tossed them into the trash.
Slive decided on a reward, and not a coronation, for Saban. And that's the right call. What Saban said earlier this week on the SEC coaches teleconference wasn't exactly regal. He just pointed out that an official missed a call and then noted that it didn't determine the outcome of the game.
But it's the principle of the whole thing that's so important here.
To say anything in defense of the officiating at that point after the SEC had made such a production about bringing down the hammer on coaches who criticize officials was going to put Slive in a position where he had to act glowingly with approval-- especially with it being Alabama. If you haven't noticed, the conspiracy theories about Alabama and Florida playing by a different set of rules are ringing more and more true these days.
Maybe Saban was testing Slive, wanting to make sure their agreement was unflinching.
Maybe a guy making $4 million a year could give a you know what about a $30,000 bonus, but there's an agreement and a principle involved.
And then maybe Saban simply wasn't thinking he was testing Slive's fidelity when he criticized those who would dare to criticize.
I'll let everybody make up their own minds.
But I do know this: I can't imagine too many more coaches in this league answering anything remotely involving the officials the rest of this season- the mighty Nick has spoken.
Then again, it is the SEC.
Nothing ever surprises you completely.
I take that back. I would be surprised to see Saban, Meyer and Slive cancel their vacation together this summer.
