Alabama Crimson Tide Football: Nick Saban Turning 60, How Many More Years Can Bama Expect?

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) On Halloween this year, Nick Saban turns 60. Clean living, hard work and a few secrets from his stylist keep him looking much younger.

So the question at this milestone begs to be asked, how much longer will Nick Saban keep coaching?

Two years ago, I talked with Saban about how he sort of officially became a member of the "Alabama Nation", you can see it by clicking here, and he told me that he would be here until we fired him or he couldn't do it anymore. He claimed this was his last stop till he made the final move to Lake Burton. (Where his vacation home is.)

And from the sincerity in his eyes when he said it, and from years of staring down some sharp card players, I believe with all my heart that he's telling the truth. This is his last coaching stop.

But he didn't say how long he'd be here in so many words, but through all the years I've interviewed him, heard him speak publicly and to Red Elephant groups, you can see that it's something he never wants to be pinned down to.

He's joked before that he may retire before Joe Paterno does and doesn't see himself doing anything like Jo Pa is doing. Instead he likes to make vague references and says things like, "As long as I can still work up to level people expect of me", yet honestly, I don't think anyone puts more expectations on Nick Saban than he does himself.

Then he'll say things like, "You know, sometimes when the boys are running sprints after practice, I'll line up with them and dare them to let a 59 year old man outrun them" and for the record, Terrence "Mt." Cody once told me that he was shocked by how fast that old man still is, and he was ashamed to get smoked by Saban.

But I see Saban coaching past the days he fails to outrun any players, even after a grueling practice.

Other times times he's said things like, "Until it stops being fun." Saban plays an intense game of golf, he enjoys fishing, not so much for the fish as for the companionship of those he takes with him.

But he wants to win when he plays golf and he'll want to catch at least one more fish than anyone else. Nick Saban is a competitor so much so that in all reality, his biggest hobby is his work. The other things in his life are just small breaks from his real hobby, finding and coaching young boys into men and winning football games.

Saban has no desire to retire and do TV commentary. I think he'd prefer to listen to heavy metal rap while having bamboo shoved into his fingernails. He wants to do just what he's doing now.

Maybe that's why there's never been any talk of a "Coach in Waiting" at Alabama, because I don't see the talk of a succession plan becoming serious for another 10 years.

And if I were to guess, that's the number I'd put on things before it becomes an issue; 10 more years.

Someone in my Red Elephant Club asked me if Saban won back-to-back national championships would he retire so he could go out on top?

I hope my friend isn't reading this, and I'm sure he will, but that was sort of a dumb question. Right now with the talent Saban has assembled in Tuscaloosa, he will be at least in the hunt for a national title every year and knowing Saban, winning back-to-back championships is just doing his job, that's what he's supposed to do.

He would be insulted to think that people think that he couldn't win more after that. That's just Nick Saban.

So no, there's no magic number of wins or championships that will bring about his retirement, no number on the birthday list that he has circled nor any other milestone he wants to achieve.

No one will have to tell him, and like Joe Paterno, I doubt anybody ever would, that it is time to go.

Like everything else Nick Saban does, he'll do it his way, in his time and when he's ready.

Nick Saban is like one of my mother's "tongue can slap your brains out, it's so good" chocolate pies, I know it's going to be gone before I want it to, but I'm going to savor every scrap of it until it's gone.

And that's the advice I have for Alabama fans, just enjoy it while you can.