Nick Saban, who led Alabama to six national titles in a 12-year span, is retiring as the football team’s head coach. Saban, 72, is the only coach to win seven national titles in the poll era of college football — with one title at L.S.U. to go with the six at Alabama. Wednesday, January 10, 2024 5:37 PM ET https://theathletic.com/5193220/2024/01/10/nick-saban-retiring-alabama/
I think he finally realized the NCAA transfer football portal that he originally took advantage of to get some great players... Everybody is doing the same now to equal the playing field. Thus, Alabama now has more close games and has not made it to the two recent championship games. On top of that, he started developing health problems although not major concerns but how much longer can he continue to coach before he has a major health problem? Regardless, a great football coach although I wonder why he never publicly spoke up to support his players when some of them complained about the state police protection wearing the confederate flag on their right shoulder with the coat of arms. My guess, he spoke to his players "privately" about the issue and they were then satisfied...quickly ending further discussions. The coat of arms was designed during the Jim Crow era to include the Confederate flag. Underneath the shield is the state’s motto: “We dare defend our rights,” written in Latin. The state coat of arms was designed in 1923 and officially adopted by the Alabama Legislature in 1939, according to the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The coat of arms consists of a shield with the Confederate battle flag and the flags of Great Britain, France, Spain and the United States - intended to serve as a symbol of nations that have held sovereignty over Alabama. Also, I think back in 2021...the state thought about making changes to the coat of arms that would include removing the confederate flag symbol to be replaced with a symbol representing Indigenous Americans that has been present in Alabama's history and before it became "Alabama"...a thousand year presence in the state although a small percentage today but still home to several Indigenous American tribes. wrbtrader