Dear Coach Saban,
“Doing well by doing good” is an increasingly popular concept in business. You have a rare opportunity to pull this off by endorsing Doug Jones for Alabama Senate.
I greatly admire your courageous support for the Black Lives Matter movement by makeing a video with your players supporting BLM, and leading the team in a social justice march.
Now it’s time for an additional step: Supporting Doug Jones for Senate next Tuesday. I hope you consider these reasons:
1. The lessons of your own false positive COVID test.
After your negative test, you said:
I was fortunate it was a false positive. So I would encourage everybody out there to do everything they can to practice social distancing and wear a mask and manage their personal space so they don't have to ever hear the fact that you have this."
Who is more likely to support policies carrying out these rational policies. Doug Jones or Tommy Tuberville?
2. Continuing the support for your players you started with the video and the march
Your brave support for issues usually outside of the purview of a coach was inspiring. On the other hand, when asked about Black Lives Matter, Tommy Tuberville said, “This is not a black issue. This is not a white issue. This is an American issue.” In other words, “All Lives Matter.” As with COVID policy, which candidate is more likely to support legislation carrying out the goals of the march and the video, such as voting rights, support for education, expansion of healthcare, police reform? Doug Jones or Tommy Tuberville?
3. A great recruitment advantage over other coaches
Here’s the “doing well by doing good” part. Maybe this is cynical, but this is one of those instances. Marching with your players certainly helped your reputation among African-American recruits , Endorsing Doug Jones would extend and solidify it. Supporting a Civil Rights champion like Doug Jones — who finally prosecuted the Birmingham KKK church murderers — would likely raise substantially the chances African American recruits choose the Crimson Tide. Yes, it might cost some white recruits — but do you really want the ones who are hostile to the ddeply-felt views of most of your players?
You may lose a few Auburn fan votes, but chances are Tommy already has them.
So I hope you consider this coach.
Thanks,
Bethesda 1971.