Rob Carr / AP

Coach Nick Saban will win at Alabama, writes Matt Hayes of Sporting News. It's how he deals with the nonstop carnival of fans booster intrusion that will define his time at the university.

Franchione declined to comment on the proposed contract extension, but according to sources, his representatives tried for six months to get Alabama to eliminate the clause. It was removed only after Franchione informed the school of Texas A&M's offer. Once Franchione left for A&M, he was vilified by Alabama fans, boosters and administration members as a coach who walked away from a program after pleading with his players to "hold the rope" through NCAA sanctions.

The problem is, the Tide administration wasn't securing that rope.

After years of botched contract negotiations — DuBose and Shula were each awarded multimillion-dollar extensions the offseason before they were fired — Alabama finally has gotten it right in spite of itself. Saban's eight-year, $32 million guaranteed contract forces the Tide not only to have patience but to protect Saban from outside influences, too.

"They want him there — the powers that be need him there," Price says. "When they need you instead of you needing them, it's a whole different game. I'm not saying that's going to protect him from everything, but it will surely insulate him."

If it doesn't, then Saban always has Cedric Burns to run traffic. Burns has been part of the Tide program for years, and his official title is athletic relations coordinator. His job is rather simple: Take care of coach.

"If I needed gas in my car, Cedric got it," DuBose says. "If I needed my shoes shined, Cedric did it."

And if you wanted a pack of gum?

"He got it," says DuBose, adding a bit ominously, "You don't go to the store."

A couple of months after Saban was hired, the Birmingham News ran a story about the $2.9 million home he purchased in the posh Crown Pointe subdivision in Tuscaloosa. The story detailed the number of rooms, including a breakdown of bedrooms and baths, and how much the previous owner had made on the sale of the home.

So much for things being different this time around. The same thing happened to Curry shortly after he arrived in 1987.

"My wife is a strong, intelligent woman," Curry says. "She has a Ph.D.; she's not someone who is going to be intimidated. But she felt like our children were at risk. Those kinds of things just wear on you. Ninety-five percent of Alabama people are wonderful. The negative ones are throwing bricks or planting stories or doing whatever they can to make you uncomfortable. And when they want to make your life miserable, they work at it."

Forget about the brick. The mark it left doesn't even scratch the surface.

More news

Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Johnson still directing Utes offense

Brian Johnson, who led Utah to an upset of Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl, is ready for his first season as the Utes' offensive coordinator. At 25, the ex-QB will be the youngest with that job at the FBS level.

CFT: Miami says it's 'committed to the ACC'

Headlines

• Label

CFT: Notre Dame AD expects to be at playoff table

3 arrested Arkansas players no longer part of team

Tennessee suspends TE after arrest

CFT: Texas AD says Big 12 doesn't need to expand

CFT: Alabama-Michigan set for prime-time

CFT: Bolden reportedly won't leave Penn St.

CFT: Paterno’s state pension totals $13.4 million

PHT: Ex-Clemson RB Bellamy going to Miss. JC