By Ron Johnson
With the playoffs just hours away, the effects of Black Monday have been felt all week long. From Arthur Smith’s dismissal to the shocking departure of Mike Vrabel, who coached his Titans to an upset elimination of the Jaguars, it does indeed appear that no one is safe from the ramifications of Black Monday…not even in College Football.
Saban Calls It a Career:
After turning college football upside down, the great Nick Saban has finally decided that all good things must come to an end. Just a week after losing in double overtime in The Rose Bowl to eventual National Champion Michigan, Nick Saban brought some somber news to an all-out historic day for the Maize and Blue. Saban announced that after 17 seasons molding the Crimson Tide into a national powerhouse once again, he would be retiring. While words cannot describe the impact that Saban’s hands had on the future of multiple programs, it is safe to say that had it not been for Saban, the SEC may have never become the dangerous threat to the landscape as it has been in recent memory. While there has been no word on who will replace him, there are candidates who believe they can and will add to the legacy of Alabama Football.
Cousin Pete Gets the Boot:
After 14 seasons and multiple Super Bowl appearances, one of those ending in a championship, Pete Carroll has been given his dismissal as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Despite the Hawks persevering through the season, even Carroll felt that it was time to take a step back and see what can happen for the team going forward. Now while Carroll has given up the reigns of the team as a coach, he will remain with the franchise as an advisor and help the team improve and return to its once dominant stay as NFC West Division Champs.
The Legacy is Over:
After 24 seasons, tons of records broken and holding the record for most Super Bowl wins by a coach as well as ranking second all-time in career victories, The Era of Hoodie has come to an end in Foxborough. Sometime today, we all are expecting the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft in particular, to announce that they and Bill Belichick are filing for a divorce. As legacies live, they end. Belichick had one of the most tumultuous starts to his coaching career when he was slated to join the New York Jets, only to pull the swerve of all swerves and join the Patriots. Alongside Tom Brady, the Patriots built a dynasty that has yet to be matched in any shape or form as the duo went on to win six Super Bowls, the most by a coach-quarterback duo ever. Once Brady left for sunnier pastures (i.e. Tampa Bay), Belichick had a hard time finding a suitable replacement for the future Hall of Famer. Belichick has one year remaining on his contract, but he is being given the option to leave the team without the Patriots seeking compensation. He looks to continue coaching, and if that is the case, expect him to be a top draw for teams that are looking to fill their own coaching vacancies such as Atlanta, Tennessee, Seattle and even Washington.