3 in Four
Three players in four days. That's what life has been like for the poor Alabama Crimson Tide since Saturday. First it was Geno Smith with a DUI. Then it was Jonathan Taylor and his domestic issues, and then finally it was Tyren Jones and his drugs. I'm not going to pretend like this isn't a common thing. As I've said before during the off-season there isn't much that these kids are doing besides getting arrested, but I digress. Jonathan Taylor has had a pretty good amount of problems and was given a second chance by Nick Saban to fix things and play football like a respectable kid. He couldn't do that and Saban dismissed him after Taylor's domestic violence stuff which he has already been dismissed from another SEC school for previously.
People were all over Saban and basically demanding an apology from the coach for signing the rough player. Some said that he never should have taken Taylor in the first place, that he was trouble from the get-go. Saban, however, was totally unapologetic about signing the kid. He said that he wasn't "apologizing for the opportunity we gave him". And honestly I don't think he should. Why should he apologize for doing what almost every other college football coach has done at some point? You see a good player that gets removed from a school for being in trouble and you think you can "rehabilitate" him and get his talents in the process so you grab him up. You give him some rules and then he plays and all seems well. For the most part that's how these things work. A lot, and I mean a lot, of coaches take players that get kicked off other teams for issues and use them for their benefit while simultaneously helping the player get better. It doesn't always work that way. See Jonathan Taylor or Dorial Green-Beckham or Michael Dyer. However, there are times that it does work. See Cam Newton, objections are coming for that one but he never got in trouble with the law again and he played well he's Cam Newton so yeah, or Zach Mettenberger. These things can work. Players can be fixed and they can do good things.
So should Saban apologize for giving this kid a second chance? No. Because they deserve second chances to prove that they can change for the better. That's what is important. I actually admire Saban for getting rid of him instead of letting him slide multiple times after multiples issues. He did let him off and then when it became apparent that Taylor wasn't going to obey rules, then Saban had no choice. But he doesn't owe anyone an apology.
Geno Smith did get his second DUI. And he's still there while Tyren Jones, the running back that was found with the marijuana, is now gone. I'm not really sure what Saban's doing there. Smith is a good safety, but then again Jones was going to be a good running back. Admittedly, he's down a good ways on the incredible depth chart that is Alabama's running back position but still. Of course Jones was also suspended indefinitely for the last half of the season for breaking team rules and not being up to Alabama's standards, so I suppose there's that too. Saban is a good coach and he's proven over and over again that he knows how to handle his players. His players know what to expect from him, and they have strict standards that they have to adhere to. I admire the great coach for that.
So anyway... I was going to talk about the NCAA but how about I take that next time... so consider this part one of two. Tomorrow will be the NCAA post. I'll delve into why I hate them and why I'm ready for them to take their leave. But I'll also try to see it from their side. Just kidding, I'm biased remember? So until part two tomorrow... Promise it'll be tomorrow.
