🏈 Saban's scheduled Tennessee appearance causes stir (Yahoo! Sports)

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Alabama coach Nick Saban's planned appearance at a benefit event Tuesday in Tennessee shows the Crimson Tide-Volunteers rivalry is alive and well, even if it's been one-sided lately.



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[BAMANEWSBOT]

Vols' fans protest Saban's speaking engagement

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A speaking engagement by an out-of-state football coach is causing quite a commotion in Tennessee. The seventh annual Athens Area Chamber of Commerce benefit dinner in Athens, Tenn., is expecting a near-sellout crowd for its event on Tuesday night.
The keynote speaker? Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
Saban’s scheduled appearance isn’t going over well with a number of residents in east Tennessee, as Athens sits just 60 miles south of Knoxville. Rob Preston, the Chamber of Commerce president, told the AP’s Steve Megargee that the group has received more than 100 complaints from Tennessee fans about Saban’s visit. The event’s security has been beefed up as a precaution.
Preston said most of the phone calls “happen at two o’clock in the morning or when we’re not here.” He said the organization did not receive anything close to the same level of backlash when it hosted South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier in its first annual event.

“We certainly did not do this to get people upset,” Preston said. “Some people say this is a combined effort to help Alabama’s recruiting. I know to you that sounds ridiculous — and it is very ridiculous — but (some) people think that’s what this is about.”
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Preston said the group is expecting close to 1,500 guests who paid $50 per person for the dinner. Some attendees reserved tickets from locations as far away as Florida and North Carolina.

 

[bamaraider]

Idiots.

 

[XXL TideFan]

It makes me happy, happy, happy to hear them bitchin'!

 

[TerryP]

It makes me happy, happy, happy to hear them bitchin'!

When I first heard about this there was a report about a UT meeting with Butch Jones at the same place. That event drew a little over 200 if I recall correctly. I know it was a small number of fans...

 

[TheChief]

I have my tickets for tonight's event. I will be there with bells on.

 

[TerryP]

I have my tickets for tonight's event. I will be there with bells on.

...leaving others to wonder if you're a Miss. State fan? :tongue-new:

 

[planomateo]

Do these pictures make anyone laugh just a little. Coach Nick Saban, talking in Tenn in an Orange and White tent

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Of the 1500 tickets sold for Saban's speaking engagement in Athens, Tenn., 900 were from out of state.</p>&mdash; Andrew Gribble (@Andrew_Gribble) <a href="https://twitter.com/Andrew_Gribble/status/344578016170606592">June 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[planomateo]

900 of 1500 - BDS North

 

[TerryP]

I wonder what that couple in the second picture thought.

"Let's pay money to go to an Alabama event but we'll be sure to wear Tennessee stuff! Yeah, that'll show 'em."

 

[TheChief]

There were a few people in orange in attendance. The organizers played "Yea Alabama" and "Sweet Home Alabama" though, and it was most definitely a pro-Alabama gathering. Saban is a fantastic speaker. I don't think people give him enough credit for that. He's got a good sense of humor as well. The event was well worth $50.

Also, they had a silent auction and a Bama helmet signed by Saban was approaching $1500 last I saw. I would bet it fetched close to $2000. A Payton Manning signed football next to it had reached $400.

 

[riz]

Were Junior and Lulu there?

 

[psychojoe]

This was a Chambe of Commerce event for a children's charity. Last year the same event featured Fulmer and their 98 NC team. It drew 400. CNS donated his speaker's fee to the charity.