Dolphins Coach Saban Snubs President Bush

By Mark Hoerrner

A quiet Sunday dinner at Joe’s Stone Crab, arguably one of the finest seafood restaurants in Miami, possibly in all of Florida. Actor Andy Garcia, Univision television personality Don Francisco, NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino and others would be on hand to dine with President Bush as he came through town. Celebs, the Prez and all the free crab you can eat. Who could turn down such a tempting offer?

Miami Dolphins Head Coach Nick Saban, that’s who.

''That [would have been] a great experience, but it's a personal experience,'' Saban told the Miami Herald. ``My obligation is to these players right now. Once we commit to camp, I'm out of everything. This is what I'm doing, this is what I'm committed to, and I don't have to make exceptions for anything or anybody relative to what I'm asked to do outside of here.''

Also in attendance at the dinner were former Dolphin players Jim Kiick, Jim Mandich and Nick Buoniconti.

''When I got the call from the guy who said he worked at the White House, I thought it was one of my friends back in New Jersey [joking] around,'' Kiick said in the Herald.

Saban is focused, according to his players. He had game footage scheduled for the team and an out-of-town speaker coming in to rally the Dolphins around the subject of hydration and how it affects team performance.

Still, he wanted to be clear that his refusal of the Presidential invite was not meant as an insult.

''There's nobody in the world that has more respect for the President of the United States, what he does, what his responsibility is, what our support for what he does is, regardless of who is in that position,'' Saban said in the Herald. ``It was really a tough decision for us last night to stay here and work with our team and go to the meetings and do what we have to do in camp.''

The decision, however, has earned big points with Saban’s team.

''It doesn't surprise me,'' defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday told the Herald. ``Coach Saban is focused right now. I don't think any player or any assistant coach questions Coach Saban's commitment to this team. You see it every practice and after practice. He's all there, and he's trying to get everybody else to buy in.''

Saban has run in presidential circles before, though the last time it was former President Bill Clinton. Saban was invited to the White House when he was Head Coach of Louisiana State University’s Tigers football team. He also met President Clinton during his tenure at Michigan State University where the then-president napped on his couch.