Nick Saban is included in the 6-member Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame, announced Friday, which, for me and perhaps me only, elicits equal parts "Duh!" and "Huh?"
The obvious: The greatest college football coach of all-time got his start in the MAC, and even played two sports as a MAC athlete. What more is there to think about? It's the most obvious slam-dunk induction since halls of fame were invented by the Greeks in the 7th century BC (citation needed).
The curious: Saban was inducted as a coach and a football/baseball player. And when evaluating his time solely as a MAC athlete or coach, it doesn't seem hall of fame -- specifically, MAC Hall of Fame -- worthy. Look at this way: how many other players who never made an all-conference team reached their conference's hall of fame?
Saban was a successful MAC head coach, but just for one season before joining Bill Belichick's Cleveland Browns staff.
Of the 13 paragraphs devoted to Saban in the MAC's release, eight are about his exploits coaching non-MAC teams (primarily, and obviously, Alabama), and the final two are about his family and charity efforts.
If you happen to read this and think, It's perfectly reasonable for a college conference to honor an alum for his exploits in the real world -- the point of college is to launch people to bigger and better things. You're over-thinking it and I hate you.
To that I say, I agree! It's quite possible I'm being overly pedantic. Saban is probably the most accomplished MAC graduate since former Miami RedHawk Benjamin Harrison became our nation's 23rd President. It's perfectly reasonable for the MAC to put Saban in its Hall of Fame.
And it's also possible Saban just became the answer to a trivia question as the first player without an all-conference designation to make his conference hall of fame.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.