Who has more power in Alabama than God, the governor and the ghost of Bear Bryant?
That would appear to be the Crimson Tide’s football czar, Nick Saban. Forbes has declared him the most powerful coach in sports in the financial magazine’s new issue.
No other coach boasts Saban’s “combination of money, control and influence,” Forbes says. The article also credits Saban, 56, with having a positive influence on Bama’s capital campaign and on the quality of its collegiate applicants.
That’s nice, because Saban’s eight-year, $32-million contract is bigger than all but a handful of NFL coaching salaries. Forbes says his perks include 25 hours of private use of a university airplane, two cars and a country club membership.
Plus, he can leave the school at any time without financial penalty (a rarity) and has total control over the football program: recruiting, coaching, business administration and public relations. We wonder how Dolphins fans feel about Saban’s two forgettable seasons in Miami, where he denied any interest in the Alabama job. Hey, wasn’t he called “Nick Satan” for that little public miss-direction play?
