"Alabama is foolish to make Saban the highest paid coach in college football."
First, Saban has already been the highest paid coach in college football. He had a clause in his contract while at LSU that he would be paid at least $1 more than any other coach in the nation if he won a national title. He did, so he was. It would be foolish of us and insulting to him not to make him the highest paid coach.
Second, why shouldn't we? We've got the money, and we're tired of getting assistants for cheap that don't deliver. If we want to get back to winning consistenly, and we think Saban is the coach to do it, then we should do what it takes to get him.
Third, just because there are coaches that would work out at Alabama that we could get for cheaper, it doesn't mean we should. Suburbans are nice, but Escalades are the best, and that's what Alabama wants.
Finally, it's the smartest decision to be made at the moment. I've been against the courtship of Saban from the outset and I've said numerous times on this blog that I hope we are going after someone like Steve Kragthorpe and locking down a solid, if not sexy, hire instead of waiting until the end of the NFL season to take a shot at Saban. But here we are in January with no hire yet, and a chance at a proven winner. Saban might not be my first choice, but I'm not stupid enough to say "I don't want a guy that turned LSU into the power they are now and has a national championship ring here at Alabama." If he accepts the job, then I'll be the biggest Nick Saban fan out there, and if he doesn't, then best of luck next season with the Dolphins. Either way he's the best candidate out there and making him this offer is the smart thing.