OPINION

By Matt Hayes

updated 6:36 p.m. ET June 16, 2007

Matt Hayes

Alabama coach Nick Saban finally scribbled off on the biggest contract in the history of college coaching, and there are a couple of interesting side notes.

First, there is no buyout if he leaves early. Considering Saban never has lasted more than five years at any job, that ought to make Tiders feel more secure. Secondly, and more important, Saban made sure to protect himself from the onslaught of off-field issues he must deal with.

Under terms of the deal, Saban does not have to speak or appear at more than 15 engagements unrelated to endorsements, such as alumni and booster clubs. The more Saban is insulated from the nonsense, the better chance Alabama has of keeping him around for more than a few years.

When I was working on the Alabama story a few months ago and speaking to former Tide coaches, anecdotes of intrusion were overwhelming. Not just from one coach -- from all of them. Many that never reached the magazine:

Just this spring, Dennis Franchione and some of his staff took a vacation to Las Vegas as a primer before the start of spring practice. Remember now: He's five years removed from the Capstone.

"I'm sitting a slot machine with (my wife) Kim, and a few Alabama fans just come up and start taking pictures," Fran says. "They wanted an autograph, they wanted a picture. I guess I'm not hated by all of them."

Mike Price went into the job thinking he'd beat the system. There are few coaches in the nation as genuine and gregarious. He wanted to be in the middle of it all. Yet even he was surprised by the enormity.

"I was going there to be part of that thing. That's what lured me there, to be what they wanted you to be," Price says. "So I'm walking in the mall the first week or so we're there. You know, my wife is buying some things and I'm just hanging around. Well, soon enough, you hear it through the mall. 'I saw Coach in this store, I saw coach in that store.' Next thing you know, the little store for ladies is overrun by fans. You have to understand, for those people, you are their coach. You are there for them -- they aren't there for you."

Other tidbits
Gene Stallings: "Some people like to say they give a lot of money and that they're big boosters. As far as what they give the university, you never know. But no matter how much you give at Alabama, you feel like you should have your say. You feel like the coach should come to your barbecue. And you let those in charge at Alabama know about it."

DuBose: "Right, wrong or indifferent; for too many people there, football is their God. They try to put that person and that player in that elevated position. It takes a strong person with some balance and stability to keep things in proper perspective. It won't be as hard on Nick as it will be on his family. That's the difficult part. That's the part that keeps pouring on you."

It's not all negative in Tuscaloosa. Consider these thoughts:

Bill Curry: "Players absolutely knock themselves out every day in practice and in games. You never have to worry about effort or motivation. Anyone who understands football is going to win at Alabama."

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Franchione: "Those players will play hard for the crimson jersey. I remember my first few weeks there, we offered a young man (tight end Clint Johnson) a scholarship, and he didn't live that far away. He came back every weekend and helped us recruit. We're in the locker room one recruiting weekend and guys are trying on their jerseys. I'm just making small talk and I said to him, 'Did you like this aspect of your visit?'

"He looked at me -- and I'll never forget this -- and said, 'You didn't have to offer me a scholarship. Just the chance to wear that jersey was all I wanted.' The hair on my arms stood up and I got chills. I still get chills now just thinking about it."

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