Why LSU Fans Hate Nick Saban: Showdown in Death Valley

Tomorrow at 3:30 pm EST the No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide will head to Baton Rouge, LA to face the LSU Tigers.

This SEC West Rivalry is always a big game but this particular game has significant implications and not necessarily on the standings. The big story is the return of Nick Saban to his old ball club, LSU. During his tenure there he turned the program around and won two SEC Championships while capturing the 2003 National Championship.

However, don't expect a warm welcome for Saban, since most LSU faithful utterly detest the man.

But why?

The root of the hate for Saban isn't that he left them for the Dolphins. This was proven when the Miami Dolphins were forced to play in Tiger Stadium against the New Orleans Saints because of Hurricane Katrina. Many LSU fans showed up to applaud Saban and some even wore shirts that read "Welcome Home Nick."

So the root of the hate has to be that he returned to the SEC and with LSU's archrival, Alabama.

William Shakespeare once said, "We hate that which we often fear."

LSU fans are fearing the future. They're fearing the possible success that Alabama will have and they know that Saban can do it because he did it with them.

If Saban can do what he did with LSU with Alabama then that means some down years for the Tigers. And no football fan wants a down year.

The only thing bad about being the best is the fall from grace. The big question is, how far will LSU fall in the next few years and how high will the Tide rise?

Most LSU and college fans in general (I'm talking about the reasonable ones) expected LSU to lose three or four games this year due to the talent they lost. But how LSU plays in the coming years will determine just how valuable Saban was to LSU's program.

Was Saban merely a coach who happened to have success with the Tigers and then Miles did the same? Or was Saban a great coach who was the only man for the job?

We're about to find out.