WILL SABAN FORCE PROTHRO OUT?

“Alabama’s Barbaro”

Lol

Ahhhm, the Golden Age of Alabama Offense.

It was the most wonderful seven quarters of my adult life.

Hopefully we’ll be back to a tolerable era of production without the jaw-droppingly horrible playcalling of XCMS.

I know Saban got in the game very late, but so far his recruiting has not produced squat (exept a QB to take the place of a better QB that decommited). It’s not quite as easy when you are not the only football school in a talent rich state.

Lemsday!

“Lemsday!” – classic, but not epic

I know Saban got in the game very late, but so far his recruiting has not produced squat (exept a QB to take the place of a better QB that decommited). It’s not quite as easy when you are not the only football school in a talent rich state.

Nick Saban’s honeymoon lasted…oh, about two weeks. Welcome to the China Club, Nick.

As of now, Marve has not decommitted. Will he, most assuredly, now that Saban got a commit from another.

While I despise both ‘Bama and UF, I was cruising Nico’s blog and came across this little gem. Thought this site could appreciate it if you hadn’t seen it yet.

The kid Saban snatched from Miami, Nick Fanuzzi, is a player. I live in San Antonio, and am familar with young Fanuzzi. Let’s just say he’s quite an athletic QB who will make the transition to the college game very well. His head’s on straight, and he’s got good skills that Applewhite can develop.

My bias: LSU fan, through and through.

The number of white kids named Tyrone born in Alabama has SKYROCKETED in the last 1-1/2 years.

Look, most Alabama people have come to realize that Prothro will most likely never play another down of football. It is my understanding that if the powers that be want to, his football scholarship would be replaced with a “non-counting” scholarship, freeing up one of the precious 85.

There is no way that he’d get “thrown to the curb”.

There are processes in place at every school that address this (non) issue.

Tyrone may not be on an athletic scholarship, but he will not be kicked to the curb.

Someone’s trying to stir up shit where there isn’t any.

Guess Nick’s got everyone a bit on edge.

Of course, if he were at Auburn, having spent so much time in the hospital, he’d already have a medical degree.

Dewar’s

PD’sL

+1, PD’sL.

Saban will be even busier once he starts working in time to go interview for the Cowboys job.

Real question is whether Saban is risk averse or not.

Look, most Alabama people have come to realize that Prothro will most likely never play another down of football. It is my understanding that if the powers that be want to, his football scholarship would be replaced with a "non-counting" scholarship, freeing up one of the precious 85.

There is no way that he’d get "thrown to the curb".

I don’t think the school would kick him to the curb either. They’d get him some other form of scholarship, but I do think there would be a massive PR fallout for Saban. After all, our fanbase can be a wee bit unreasonable at times.

They could do like Bear Bryant and put him on a track scholarship.

Nico,

We’re all on the same page here. I do agree that there is a large section of the fan base (a/k/a “pickup truck alumni”) who would view any change in his status negatively.

Unfortunately, facts is facts. Given that (a) we can only offer 15-17 scholarships this year and (b) barring a miracle only short of the Virgin birth he’s not going to play again – somebody’s going to have to delicately handle this situation.

The only fly in the ointment is this: Does Prothro think (realistically) that he’ll play again? If no, change him to the medical scholarship. If yes, oh s#$%, we then have the potential for a PR disaster.

I think Bama might have Prothro version 2.0 if they can sign former Michigan commit Marquis Maize.

You seem bitter, karl.

Saban needs to go call Tyrone

It’s quite simple, Logan: karl’s scurred shitless.

Has Saban denied his interest in the Dallas job, yet?

Yanking Prothro’s scholly would be a HUGE PR DISASTER…not only is he beloved but let’s remember he is responsible for something like $120,000 in scholarship money donated to the University because he won 4 Pontiac Game Changing Performances of the week and the Pontiac Game Changing Play of the Year (the catch on Youtube).

I’m sure the President and AD would warn Saban before he would do a dumb move like that.

Zeke Knight is another story…he had a few shining moments but never really developed and he’s dealing with an unknown medical condition that has kept him benched.

There is something called a "medical hardship scholarships: which schools can give to guys with career ending injuries that won’t count against the total allotment. Don’t know specifics but that’s what I heard.

Re #18: BamaTaxMan’s got it right.

NCAA Bylaw 15.5.1.3 allows schools to honor scholarships without counting them against the limit if if the player “apparently never again” will participate in intercollegiate athletics. There’s also a provision for what happens if the kid does come back and a procedure for getting a waiver in that case.

It looks like the determination of “apparently” unable to play is entirely up to the university and its medical staff. As BTM notes, the potential PR nightmare arises if Prothro and Saban have different ideas about whether he is coming back.

I think you guys are overstating the case tremendously. Regardless of the decision made, there will be no “huge PR disaster.”

Bama has raised the bar for what constitutes a “huge PR disaster” so high that unless Saban is filmed throwing Prothro’s gym bag and crutches out the door of the locker room, it will not phase us.

However, I’m sure ESPN would love to spend several hours disecting the issue should Prothro be removed from the team unvoluntarily.

Fortunately, I think Saban knows how to handle the press a little better than the last four coaches.

The only way this could become a PR disaster is if Saban says this at a press conference:
" Well, I guess I have to say it. I will not take Prothro’s athletic scholarship away from him".

And then proceeds to.., well, you know.

As stated before, Protho would become a medical hardship and remain on scholarship.

The issue here is, if Saban was to place Prothro on medical hardship without his consent, he would end any chance of Tyrone returning the Alabama football team. If he makes Prothro quit on his dream, one that Shula kept going all of last year, he may have some not very nice things to say in the media. That’s where a PR disaster could come from.

Will the same doctors determining Protho’s ability to play be those that that worked over Travis Carroll’s shoulder? If so, I don’t like his chances.

Auburn recently had two football recruits graduate thanks to a medical scholarship.
In addition to Prothro and Knight, its been rumored that Earl Alexander may have a medical condition that would prevent him from playing football. I hope not since he’d be a good WR for Bama.

It may not be a terrible PR situation for Bama, but with the way Shula repeatedly said that Prothro would be ready for the 2007 season, this would be a big contrast from the company line.
Prothro will be lucky to ever walk without a limp much less play football, so he should make the right decision and slide off the 85.

Well if someone is trying to stir something up, it would certainly be these guys. Bitter does not even begin to describe this commentary. God forbid these reporters have to remove themselves from their blanket of cheeseburger wrappers and actually work on a story.
Writing while Shula was the coach had to be easiest job in America, the supply of material never ran dry. Finding a way to translate Shula’s stuttering and stumbling answers into text was the most difficult part of the job.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070117/SPORTS/701170346/1037

If Prothro ever plays again, I will be amazed. It’s a shame, but hopefully he can stay in school and get a degree.

DevilGrad,

You seem to have the same command of the NCAA rules that I once had of the Internal Revenue Code. Or, in other words, that’s what I meant.

Interesting that some have brought up Shula’s “he’ll be ready for 2007” comments up. Wonder if he made them for Prothro’s benefit, or his own (not that it matters now).

The NCAA website has a searchable version of the manual. It’s similar to the Westlaw FEDTAX file but far more intelligible.

Unfortunately Prothro isn’t the first and won’t be the last player to suffer career ending injuries in this game. I hate it for such a class kid who gave his heart and his body to Alabama football. but this kid can barely walk after 2 years. He’s not going to play football again at Alabama. For Alabama to be competative in the SEC, some dead weight has got to go. Thats the deal. You can have “integrity” and “honor” in Conference USA. In the SEC. Its pretty much like a mini NFL.

As an aside, was Prothro ever considered to be a pro prospect? Either way, it’s really a damned shame what happened to him, but at least there’s one thing no one will ever be able to take away; that was one of the greatest catches ever in the history of the game of football.

I’m sure Saban will find a way to slither out of this one unscathed unless, as somebody already noted, he’s not busy denying that he has any interest in coaching Cowboys.

DevilGrad,

No se habla WESTLAW. Se habla RIA.

I genuinely feel sympathy for the plight of Prothro, but the irony of the whole situation is that the most exciting moment in Alabama football in the last 5 years came with them losing 21-10 to Southern Miss in the second quarter of a ballgame. Oh how far the mighty have fallen.

Hey Shula’s Gold Chain, how about coming up with your own username instead of ripping it off from a TI user?

Aubs are sad, sad people.

1. — you are not Shula’s Gold Chain.

Silly kids. Don’t you realize St. Nick will lay his hands on TP and the leg will be as good as new?

Re: #39

1997-2006

Arguably the worst ten-year stretch of Bama football.
Arguably the best ten-year stretch of Barner football.

For Bama: 1 SEC Championship
For the Barn: 1 SEC Championship

Say whatever makes you feel better.

I’ve never seen more retarded bullshit on this site.

Will Prothro be taken care of? You can bet your daughters virginity on it.

Saban having a hard time recruiting? Study up. He is already having tremendous success.

The days of our coaches diddling secretaries and putting in 5 hour days are over. Live with it.

the latin root word for saban is “Satain’a” meaning…“beelzebub”

I don’t understand Karl Hungus’ bitterness. Isn’t he a Nihlist? Or at the very least a well-compensated cable TV repairman?