Saban on Alabama’s future: This isn’t the end, this is the beginning

Saban on Alabama’s future: This isn’t the end, this is the beginning

By Chase Goodbread Sports Writer
Published: Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 11:15 p.m.
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20100117/NEWS/100119613/0/APE?p=3&tc=pg


TUSCALOOSA | Not even Florida or Texas could stand in the way of the University of Alabama’s 13th national crown.

And not even Mother Nature stood in the way of the party for it.

Looming rain clouds held their water over the UA campus just long enough to keep the Crimson Tide’s national championship celebration dry Saturday as an estimated 38,000 fans crowded the lower bowl on the home half of Bryant-Denny Stadium to show their appreciation for a 14-0 season.

“This group has been very responsible and accountable to doing a great job in what they’ve managed to do,” UA coach Nick Saban said in his address to the crowd. “And they’ve all committed to work and invest their time in the things it would take for them to be the best they can be in any situation, and collectively as a team. That makes them a team of champions.”

Perhaps the most raucous applause came when Saban made his only comment about the team’s future.“This isn’t the end,” he said. “This is the beginning.”

In an address that lasted just under four minutes, Saban also thanked administration and fans for support not only during an unbeaten year, but during more difficult times as well.

“It starts with our fans, the supporters and all the alumni who make the University of Alabama tradition what it is. I can’t thank you as fans enough for the great support that you’ve given this team all year long,” Saban said. “I knew, when I walked out that tunnel right over there, three springs ago, and there were 92,000 people in this stadium for a spring game, that your positive energy was going to allow us to exceed the highest expectations and goals that we all need to have.”

Saban and his players took the field around 2 p.m. to thunderous crowd noise and fireworks exploding over the Crimson Tide’s home turf. UA President Dr. Robert Witt, Director of Athletics Mal Moore and Saban each addressed the crowd, along with key players including Mark Ingram, Rolando McClain, Mike Johnson and Javier Arenas.

Highlights of the season, and the Heisman Trophy and Butkus Award-winning season of Mark Ingram and Rolando McClain, respectively, rolled on the stadium video boards.

“It’s been hectic. It’s been a lot of fun, though. You can’t ask for a better way to go out. That was a good time — a nice way to sum up things for this football team and a nice way to express our gratitude to our fans and our coaches,” said Johnson, whose father was in attendance for the celebration.

Arenas indicated high hopes for the program as Saban’s program begins anew for 2010.

“I think (the team is) going to be outstanding. As you’ve clearly seen, a lot of guys this year were young. You’ve got the Heisman Trophy winner coming back, more importantly coming back as a team leader, and more than likely a team captain,” Arenas said. “He has such an influence on his teammates. The quarterback is such an influence, you’ve got guys stepping up in major positions such as the position Rolando plays. It’s going to be a team full of leaders. ... They can do it again. As long as they maintain the character and hard work that we all played with this year, which they will, it’ll happen again.”

Arenas is one of three permanent team captains for the 2009 team, along with Johnson and McClain, an honor which is marked annually with captains getting their hands and cleats impressed in wet cement around Denny Chimes. Arenas said to be a permanent team captain on a national championship team will be a life-changing standard.

“For me, it’s a new standard for life,” Arenas said. “If you don’t want to get up one morning and you don’t really feel like working, you think to yourself, ‘I’m a captain for a national championship team at the University of Alabama.’ You can’t be a slacker. That puts you on such a high pedestal.”

As for the most enduring keepsake for the players, national championship rings, they have been sized but have not arrived, according to Johnson.

“I’m not on the team anymore, so I’m not in the loop as much as I used to be,” Johnson said with a laugh, “but when they do come, I’ll be here. We were already sized for our rings awhile ago, and I’m just excited. I can’t wait to get that thing on my finger.”