I'm more interested in how this would impact our IRA title streak. How long would our consecutive natty streak have been? A decade? Two? With Saban in charge, we aren't just talking about football dominance—we're talking about an entire athletic department transformation.
First off, let's talk about 2010. Cal barely edged out Washington by 0.263 seconds. That’s an eyelash in rowing terms. Saban's presence alone would have given our guys an extra quarter-second, if not more. You think a Saban-conditioned squad—mentally and physically—lets that margin stand? Not a chance. So that’s at least 7 national titles in rowing right there.
Then there’s 2008. Washington was the favorite. Leading with 200 meters to go.
And then what happened? They folded. Soft. Tyrone Willingham had already infected the entire athletic department with his country-club culture, and it showed. Meanwhile, Wisconsin—who barely mattered in rowing before—was getting their guys hardened under the new Bielema regime. Those Badger rowers had the “run through a brick wall” mentality that our guys lacked at the time. With Saban in the department, that softness never takes root. No way a Saban-era UW program loses a race because they didn't have that extra gear. So that's at least 9 natty-level crews right there.
And let’s not ignore how this affects everything else. If Saban comes in '98, the entire ethos of the program changes. The man doesn't just win; he demands institutional dominance. That means facilities, recruiting, administrative commitment. The weight room culture shifts overnight. The mindset of every athlete on campus shifts. Crew started its dynasty in 2008, a full decade after football had started spiraling. With Saban in the fold, that mindset starts a decade earlier. By 2000, the Huskies are a factory across multiple sports. That’s more titles, more athletes buying into a system of complete dominance. How much early would our IRA streak have started?
And the butterfly effect? Who even knows? Maybe the Huskies don’t just dominate rowing—they redefine it. Maybe the program becomes so untouchable that it forces the Ivy League to actually invest in modern training methods just to keep up. Cal athletics would have folded and shut down just like we did with Gloomy Gil to Whitman and Whitworth back in the 1910s. Maybe international rowers start choosing Washington over Oxford and Cambridge. One thing’s for sure: purple helmets never happen under Saban. That’s worth at least one additional title in my book.
So yeah, football wins three natties. But what’s the real legacy? An entire athletic department of winners. Rowing, water polo, hell—probably even the sailing team becomes a dynasty. Instead of just being another great crew program, Washington becomes the undisputed, unchallenged king of the water. But nah, we got Rick instead. Good times.
