Sidelined

The day after the pro football season ends is known as Black Monday, because it’s the day many coaches are fired. This year, in college and professional football, Wednesday was a hell of a lot more eventful than Monday, as three football giants stepped down (or were removed) from their posts. The coach motel is the opposite of the roach motel. You check in, and no matter how good you are, you eventually check out. Nick Saban announced his retirement from Alabama. “Nick Saban was college football for nearly two decades. Either he was winning it or you had to go through him to win it. There were no shortcuts. He was going to be there.” He went out still near the top and as arguably the greatest college football coach ever. Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win a college national title and a Super Bowl, has chewed his last case of gum on the sidelines for the Seattle Seahawks. Pete Carroll Was Seahawks Football. Now the Team Has to Find What’s Next. And, after a horrendous year (and few pretty bad ones), Bill Belichick is leaving Patriots after 24 seasons and six titles. There is a lot of speculation about which team might try to hire Belichick now. After seeing him being remarkably verbose (and wearing a dated Navy football helmet) on College Gameday last month, I have a feeling the most curt interviewee in sports history will end up being a TV commentator. Who knows? Maybe he’ll get into the internet business. He’s already got the wardrobe. NYT: The End of the Bill Belichick Hoodie Era.

+ Here’s a photo of Saban and Belichick hugging on the sidelines when they both coached the Browns. It was probably the only time they both smiled during the same week. Well, maybe there were a few more in their documentary, Belichick and Saban, The Art of Coaching, available on Max and many other services.