Polar opposites – Miles, Saban share one thing in common: winning

Published 9:03 am Thursday, November 5, 2015

It almost seemed like an accusation, and Alabama’s Nick Saban quickly denied it.

But he was asked on the Southeastern Conference’s weekly teleconference Wednesday morning if it was true that, as part of a good luck ritual, he would chew a single blade of turf grass before the Tide’s games?

“I never heard of that,” Saban said, with slight agitation in his voice to quickly dismiss the rumor.

But it was a nice try, perhaps a desperate attempt to connect the Southeastern Conference’s two marquee coaches, Saban and LSU’s Les Miles, on the week of another showdown between the Tide and Tigers.

Miles, of course, has been caught many times chowing down on Tiger Stadium’s special Bermuda hybrid blend, or whatever’s handy at an away stadium.

Saban, apparently not. The inquiry was a dead-end street.

So there you have it. It’s official. Saban and Miles really don’t have much of anything in common as head coaches.

Except for winning, that is — between them they’ve won seven of the last 10 SEC West titles, four for Saban. Miles won the 2007 Bowl Championship Series national title. Saban won it in 2003 at LSU, and added three more at Alabama. 

They famously played for the BCS title following the 2011 season, which Alabama famously won in a rematch of the previous November’s “Game of the Century” that Miles claimed in Tuscaloosa. 

Saban has won the last four meetings to go up 6-3 in the head-to-head duels, three of which have required overtime.

But whatever success one or the other aspire to, it usually has to go through the other.

Both are also somewhat old-school throwbacks in the increasingly fast-paced, spread-option world of college football. They prefer to win with defense, a no-nonsense running game and a passing attack the NFL would recognize.

Not to mention relentless recruiting of the type players who certainly catch the NFL’s eye.

But that’s about where the similarities end.

Sometimes they even seem to speak different languages.

Miles’ LSU players have to have a “real want” for winning. Bama players must do everything “relative to” winning.

Sometimes Miles is called “Lucky Les” for his oddball victories. With Saban, its all about “The Process,” which doesn’t make any allowances for chance or luck.

Miles delights in playfully holding his players back in tunnel before running onto to the field.

He’s also been known to get lost. He almost ran to the wrong sideline for LSU’s first appearance at the Dallas Cowboys’ palatial home stadium, and on a previous trip to Tuscaloosa he tripped and fell head-over-teacup onto the turf while trying to lead his Tigers into battle. 

Saban has his famous glare while marching purposefully down his own tunnel.

Wrong sideline? Not a chance.

One year, for SEC Media Days in Hoover, Alabama, the Tide dispatched an advance team the day before Saban’s appearance to measure the distance in the hotel lobby — maybe 25 feet — from where he’d exit the limo to the foot of the escalator leading up to the waiting reporters.

Miles’ peculiar hand clap, the one which his extended fingers never actually touch during the palm contact, is worthy of a “Saturday Night Live” skit and often imitated by LSU fans. 

The statute of Saban outside Bryant-Denny Stadium shows him executing a much more traditional, cupped-hand clap. By the book.

Miles has his odd-fitting ball cap — hence, the nickname “Mad Hatter” — while it’s almost a subplot with Bama fans to catch the bare-headed Saban fussing with his hair near the end of the half to prepare for a television interview.

Miles is often seen chatting amicably with officials on the sideline, seemingly sharing private jokes. Saban, well, less friendly. The Process doesn’t leave much room for idle small talk.

Outwardly, at least, they seem to get along just fine, even if at an arm’s length.

It never seemed to bother Miles that his 2007 national championship was occasionally referred to as him “winning with Saban’s recruits.”

Saban never personally claimed any credit, and Miles has kept winning long after the last of Saban’s LSU recruits departed. 

They were caught chatting amicably while sitting next to each other at the 2011 Heisman Trophy presentation — Miles there with Tyrann Mathieu, Saban with Trent Richardson — just weeks before the national championship showdown.

So they meet again Saturday.

Saban, no doubt, will have his pregame snack of a Little Debbie treat.

Miles, on the other hand, was asked on the teleconference for a taste comparison from Tiger Stadium to the stadium he’ll be in Saturday.

“To be very honest, I have enjoyed the grass in Baton Rouge much more. It’s kind of a home feel,” Miles said. “But they take great care of their grass in Tuscaloosa, too. I’ll certainly have to figure that out once I get there.”