Nick Saban and the Intimidation Factor

Following Saturday's tension filled, roller-coaster-of-emotion game with Tennessee, the Alabama fans were wild with excitement. The Vol players and fans were dejected at coming oh-so-close. And as a new reporter, I was just trying to record the emotions the players coming off the field .

I had watched those final few minutes on the sidelines with the players. I watched so many different emotions that so many players could present.

Some couldn't bear to watch the final field goal attempt that would have cost them the game. Some were yelling what sounded like primal screams from the top of their lungs. And one loud voice rang out, "One more time Cody! One more time!"

And that's just what happened.

Call it sheer will. Call it destiny. Call it the moment everyone may look back on if Alabama does indeed make it to the national championship game this year. But call it a win.

As I recorded the faces of the players coming off the field, I recorded Nick Saban and saw a face I did not expect. I expected to see a man disappointed that his team had let the sure-win slip away to a point that they were within one outstretched hand away from losing a chance to play for a title.

But what I saw was a man as happy as any of his players. I saw a man wanting to acknowledge the crowd, thanking them for helping the team with all the enthusiasm they had shown the whole game. I saw a man smiling!

I walked with the last of the team to the locker room and saw the celebration. I decided to leave them to share that moment privately as I went to the press room to get a good seat.

I always make a list of questions I want to ask and mark them off if someone else covers it first. I have always been either lucky enough or liked enough to always be one of the only four or five reporters called upon.

They point to me and hand me the mike. I look at my questions and then back up at Nick. I can't ask that one remaining question. Who am I to question Nick Saban?

The question I was going to ask was, "When it was first and goal at the four and we have two running backs averaging four yards a carry, why didn't we just run the ball four times?"

I chickened out and asked a stupid question that you can see here , at about 8:00. Nick Saban hates stupid questions and lets reporters who ask them know it.

The look Nick gave me was intimidating. I couldn't do it and buckled. In a panic, I stammered out something like, "Coach, how much did you think about going for it when it was fourth and short, down on the goal when it was so short?"

Instant irritation, "Which one was that? It was fourth and a yard and a half when we kicked the other field goal, it wasn't that short. If we had've run for it on third down and gotten it down to one yard, we would have gone for it." he said.

"However, we threw the fade to Julio instead and whether the guy bumped him or not I don't know, y'all see that better than I do, with the replays and all that, but it wasn't that short. I'm mean if we had gone for it and not made it, we wouldn't have won the game." Saban continued.

"So you can criticize me for a lot of stuff today, but that ain't one of 'em, I don't deserve that." he said with a little irritation.

I said, "I'm not criticizing you, I just wondered how much talk there was about it." But it was too late, my feeble voice was drowned out with the acknowledgement from the rest of the press corps.

"Especially when the game was as close as it was, you've got to take the points." he finished, as he then went on to another question.

I sank in my chair, duly chastised and pretended to take notes.

Now I understand the feeling that players talk about when they come under his "stare". I understand what other coaches must feel like in their exchanges with Nick Saban.

He is an intimidating presence, a man quick to become frustrated with people who aren't prepared to do what they need to do or who don't do it professionally.

I can only hope that, like the team he mentors, this experience with him will help me become better. I don't think I'll ask a question the next time unless I'm as prepared as Saban.