Phin Phanatic
FanSided

Miami Dolphins memory lane; Nick Saban’s final words

By Brian Miller

AUBURN, AL - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide leads his team on the field prior to the game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
AUBURN, AL - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide leads his team on the field prior to the game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The Miami Dolphins had a head coach that they believed would take them to the Super Bowl. Revamp the team into a powerhouse in the AFC. Instead, Nick Saban took the money and ran to Alabama.

Profootballtalk.com today reminded everyone in Miami that 11 years ago Nick Saban made the biggest statement of his coaching career.

“I’m not going to be the Alabama coach,”

With only a couple of games left in that 2006 season it appeared that Saban had put an end to all the rumors of his returning to the college ranks. The Dolphins and their fan base held on to the belief that Saban was taking the team into a third season with a more manageable salary cap situation. That wasn’t the case.

Shortly after the season ended, Saban boarded a flight to Tuscaloosa and the notified then owner Wayne Huizenga that he was leaving for Alabama. Fans were in an uproar and Saban to this day remains one of the more hated figures in South Florida sports history.

Saban left Miami with no real future and all of the guaranteed contract that Huizenga had pushed on him. Unfortunately it was a mistake that Huizenga would make again down the road with Bill Parcells.

Saban left Miami with a coaching search that ended with the hiring of Cam “one and done” Cameron and a gimpy quarterback that would only play four games in his one season with the Dolphins. Of course adding the insulting slap to Miami’s fans, Saban chose the injured knee of Culpepper to the injured shoulder of Drew Bree’s.

Since leaving Miami Saban has enjoyed crazy success with the Crimson Tide leading them to four national titles and three more trips to the National Title game. Miami on the other hand has two playoff appearances in those 11 years.

The Saban experiment did nothing for Miami in the short or the long term. In his two drafts Saban netted Ronnie Brown and Channing Crowder as his top billed prospects that actually lasted more than a couple of years. His draft classes were busts otherwise.

Today the Dolphins continue to try to build a winning formula for the franchise but 11 years ago the Dolphins thought they had the right formula in place. While Saban has seen increased success in Alabama, the Dolphins have been through three head coaches, on their fourth, and two interim head coaches. They also sliced through four general managers.

Go Clemson!

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