I’m thinking there’ll be myriad people, including those who absolutely can’t stand the Alabama football program or its head coach, who’d beg to differ.
In May of this year, UA’s Board of Trustees approved an eight-year contract extension for Nick Saban that will pay him $11.125 million in 2017 alone. All told, the eight-year deal would pay the Crimson Tide coach a total of just north of $65 million, an average of just over $8.1 million annually -- and that total doesn’t include yearly performance bonuses, either.
Keeping in mind those numbers juxtaposed against the players Saban coaches not getting paid anywhere near market value, Saban was asked Wednesday by a national outlet, al.com reported, whether he was worth it. “Probably not,” the future Hall of Fame coach responded.
The free market system would respectfully agree to disagree.
If you need to be reminded, Saban has won five national championships, four of which have come during his 10-plus seasons in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide has won at least 10 games in each of the last nine seasons, and has qualified for the College Football Playoffs each of the three years of its existence. Oh, and they’re currently ranked No. 1 in the country one week into his 11th season.
Saban’s success on the field has had a financial impact on not only Tuscaloosa, but on the university itself. That market has deemed Saban worth what he’s being paid; the coach, who made sure to point out he made $8,000 his first year in the coaching profession during the course of his latest talk with the media, isn’t going to argue. Much.
“I don’t think it’s up to me to determine what the value is or what the market is for coaches, or what value I have created here for this institution and this place,” Saban said Wednesday. “I think those people made those decisions. We haven’t asked for anything. We’ve been treated extremely well here. We certainly appreciate it. I appreciate our administration. I appreciate our athletic administration for the way they’ve supported the program and helped us be successful, and I’ve been very thankful for what they’ve done for my family.”
In the end, somebody’s worth whatever somebody else is willing to pay them. It’s really not that hard of a concept -- especially when one of the somebodies involved is one of the greatest coaches in the history of college football.
