Auburn, learn about the enemy

[TigerOne 1,152]

several highlights, notice Coach Tuberville is the exact opposite in many ways, good ways:

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/birmingh...&thispage=1

"If there's one thing on which people who have encountered Nick Lou Saban Jr. agree, it's that there is nothing simple about the man who turned down an invitation to meet President George W. Bush because of football practice.

He is consumed by football, say people who know him. He's also consumed with making sure everything gets done his way. Descriptions of Saban include control freak and dictator. "

Herb Vincent, a senior associate athletics director at LSU while Saban worked there, said Saban does micro-manage, but believes any good chief executive officer would.

"He'll be a guy that will have a finger in every part of the football program and that's a good thing," he said. "Academically, he'll have the pulse of everything.

Lewandowski's prediction for Saban's performance at Alabama? "The folks at Auburn better strap their helmets on tight," he said

Saban isn't big on schmoozing alumni or speaking to groups, but understands the necessity of it, Lewandowski said

Control and focus are pivotal for Saban.

His assistant coaches can't speak with reporters. They can't go out for lunch; lunch is catered in the football offices. Dolphins staff members were instructed not to greet him in the hallway because he's focused on football and doesn't want to remember names. A secretary once passed him in a hall and commented that he had gotten a haircut. A few minutes later, an assistant coach visited her to tell her not to speak to Saban in the hallway.

Some people, however, are not impressed by Saban.

His demanding nature has alienated some coaches who have worked for him. He once famously sent a plane to pick up any of his Michigan State assistants who wished to join him after his abrupt hire at LSU, and the plane returned to Baton Rouge empty.

A Louisiana high school coach once remarked that coaches around him respect his coaching ability, but that he'd have a hard time finding enough pallbearers to carry his casket. "