http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/33735804.html
Neither Les Miles nor Nick Saban has taken a snap as a college football player in more than 30 years.
Whether either man has been in a brawl separate from the football field is information neither will ever share with the public.
Listen to the chatter this week (or for months for that matter) and you’d think that the two coaches will square off head-to-head this week.
There is rampant speculation from the two men loathing each other from afar to the notion each takes every chance he can to disparage the other in private, whether it be on the recruiting trail or in a gaggle of coaching cohorts.
Where is reality? The two don’t know each other that well, probably never will and somehow will figure out a way to live full and productive coaching and personal existences without needing the other.
Remember now, at the core here we’re talking about a Michigan man and a coach whose roots can be traced back to Woody Hayes. Not exactly the perfect scenario for a Christmas card exchange.
Make no mistake: This is will be a difficult week for both Miles and Saban. At the same time it’s also the reason both chose to take the difficult and invigorating job paths they did.
Difficult for Miles because there will be so much attention on Saban this week and Alabama’s players could rally around that.
Difficult for Saban because Miles has matched and in some ways exceeded what he accomplished with the Tigers. A year ago LSU’s players certainly did rally around Miles and presented him with a game ball after a gritty 41-34 triumph in Tuscaloosa.
Although Miles and Saban operate with much different methods, the bottom line is that each has managed to reach the pinnacle of his profession in a place where a fan base demands excellence and eschews patience for anything closely resembling a rebuilding year.
Like it or not, to consistently stay at the top of the Southeastern Conference, Miles and Saban are going to have go through each other every year — at least until Michigan calls again or Penn State dials up mega-agent Jimmy Sexton and inquires what Saban’s price tag would be after Joe Paterno rides off into the sunset.
The Advocate
11/3/08
