No Alabama Football fan should have been surprised when Wednesday became one those ‘rat poison’ days in Tuscaloosa. Though they are not always predictable, this week was ripe for one. On Saturday, the Alabama Crimson Tide looked like the best college football team in America. Though following Nick Saban’s assessment, if that statement is accurate, it applies only to the Tide’s first half against Miami.
After Saban hit the brakes in the game, the Tide was not sensational. Also at that point, the Canes had long lost the game. The back half of what was predictable is a next game, against an inferior opponent.
All of the above invariably leads to a ‘Rat Poison Warning’ for the Alabama Football complex. As usual, Nick Saban announced the warning. Cecil Hurt, who was present at the announcement said,
"Saban is wound up. He brought up “rat poison” off the bat, said Monday’s practice was not good and that they have basically played “one half of one game.”"
Saban does not just announce ‘Rat Poison Warnings’ – he lays down ultimatums. Again, from Cecil Hurt, Saban said,
"We’ve for some guys setting a good example. We also have some guys who need to pick it up. We’ve got some guys who’ve got it backwards. We’re trying to get it fixed."
Those of us having watched these scenarios play out before, know Nick Saban will not ‘try’ to get anything fixed. He will fix it. Just ask Jahleel Billingsley and dozens of former Crimson Tide players.
Someone in charge at Mercer should quickly check into the penalty of not showing up Saturday. Of course, they don’t have that option and will have to endure a painful experience.
Problems of complacency are not new to the Alabama Football program. Saban knows it is human nature to succumb to high praise and mistakingly believe lofty status is lasting. No coach in the history of college football has ever been more attuned to the tendency toward individual and collective complacency. Nor has any other coach ever been as good at combating it.
Thanks to BamaInsider for the full video of Wednesday’s media session.
Make no mistake, Nick Saban was not venting frustration. He was coaching his football team, away from the practice field or team meeting rooms.
Some national media will probably try to magnify Saban’s comments into another ‘rant’ story. When they focus on Nick’s intensity as an outburst, they miss the real story. Nick Saban believes and teaches a foundational principle that explains his program and its success.
Nick Saban is not the author, but he is a fervent practitioner of this paraphrased premise – how you do one thing is how you do everything.
No doubt the result of Wednesday is – message sent and message received. As Julio Jones said years ago, don’t make the mistake of thinking Nick Saban is kidding.