Yes, I cover it. I did about 15 interviews for it. Interesting one year and, to Saban detractors, the first of his many departures that left behind some ill-will. Read more

He loved LSU and almost immediately regretted leaving. Sexton even called a trustee there (while Saban was at the ‘Fins) and asked about the possibility of Saban getting his job back. Read more

Bear Bryant could have. I think if the murder was committed somewhere in the vicinity of Toomer’s Oaks, he’d have a hard time getting away with it. Read more

What’s your 40 time? Read more

Part of it is just Saban being Saban. I’d bet he hasn’t even read it yet. The leaks were enough for him. He doesn’t want to hear what the folks from Texas had to say about that flirtation. He doesn’t want the inside the locker room stuff revealed. He surely didn’t want the little Hillary Clinton anecdote aired. Read more

I do. And I think he will do a bit of TV. He’s actually been pretty good on TV during football games from what I’ve seen. Read more

I was in Alabama when he issued his statement. I remained there, on book tour, for 6 more days. I made it home with all limbs intact. The reaction from Bama fans who have actually read the book has been very good. I’m sure that there are many who won’t read it, though, because Saban basically told them not to. Read more

I think he could be successful in the pros, given the right circumstances (like a better-than-average QB). But college is clearly his game. His biggest strength as a coach is recruiting. That doesn’t come into play much in the NFL. He told me once: “You couldn’t outwork anybody in the NFL. In the NFL you get one… Read more

Yes. Read more

He must loathe those “bull-running” fans. I think he does not like the expectations that Bama fans have loaded on him now. Read more

Pretty far, but I’m no J.K. Scott. Read more

No. He doesn’t like things he cannot control. I wrote a cover story on him for Forbes in 2008, which, in retrospect, was rather fawning. I heard from many people at Alabama that he hated the story. When I visited him two years later, I couldn’t help but notice that he had a blown up poster of the Forbes cover outside… Read more

No, he doesn’t seem to. He called a friend the night of his first national title and asked, “Why aren’t I happy?” He is happiest when he’s deeply involved in the minutiae of running a football program. That’s why The Process fits him so well. Read more

He’s actually fairly complicated. He’s an okay guy in smaller settings. More than a few of his players have said they’ve seen him weep, especially when talking about his father. His best golf buddy told me that he is the dude in your foursome who is the most courteous, picking up the sand wedge you left by the green,… Read more

No. Read more

What’s his 40 time? Read more

At times, yes, especially in public settings. He is very shy and introverted. In smaller settings—like, say, in the living room of a recruit or with just a handful of journalists—he can actually be quite charismatic. Read more

He motivates them well when they’re playing in the national title game. He hasn’t done such a great job when they aren’t. The loss last year in the semis was an exception to that rule, but I’d contend that they possibly overachieved last year, given the mediocre QB play and terrible secondary. Read more

I think if he’d convinced the Dolphins medical staff to pass Drew Brees, we might not be having this conversation. That said, his two drafts at the Dolphins weren’t exactly stellar. Read more

His. Kiffin went after him when he got to Tennessee, jabbing at him in the media. But, after Kiffin’s downfall, he reached out to Saban. He even snuck into Tuscaloosa for 48 hours after the Raiders fiasco, and the two talked football. Saban knew he needed to have a more explosive on offense. He also knew that, given… Read more