Saban’s homecoming inspires emotion from LSU faithful
BATON ROUGE — Like jilted lovers, LSU fans will be waiting Saturday night at Tiger Stadium for former coach Nick Saban’s arrival. He will have a new love in his arm wearing vivid red and adorned with the No. 1 ranking LSU had in January.
Saban’s now coaching Alabama (9-0), suddenly a blushing beauty again and No. 1 in the regular season for the first time since 1980. The Crimson Tide are 5-0 in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference and a win away from its first trip to Atlanta for the SEC title game this decade. LSU (6-2, 3-2 SEC) has fallen from the 2007 national title to No. 15.
“He’s a carpetbagger and a turncoat, and some other words I can’t say,” LSU fan Gary Perkins of Pineville, La., said of Saban. “I appreciate what he did and what he left us, but we don’t respect him. We appreciate having him, but we don’t respect him. He left us, and then he goes to our rival Alabama. We want to kick his butt.”
usatoday.com
11/5/08
Magnolia Tribune
