Alabama Football: How Much Mercy Does Saban Show Former Coach Dooley and Vols?

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) Last week when the two coaches crossed the field for the obligatory shaking of the hands, Saban apologized to his old friend for the score, but it was hard to hold back his third team from continuing to rip the Rebels.

Of course, with the day the Rebels had, I would venture to guess that Houston Nutt missed the handshake on his first three attempts.

Nutt is just a fellow coach and friend, while Dooley is a former pupil and assistant of Saban as well as a friend.

Saban has always had a soft spot in his heart for his assistants and everyone acknowledged that he clearly called off the dogs on Will Muschamp, a former coach and current head coach at Florida, after they lost their starting quarterback.

Even die-hard Florida fans said they could see Alabama not wanting to run it up on the Gators any worse than they did.

But that was Florida.

Derek Dooley is at Tennessee.

Alabama loves to pile it on Tennessee. This is a rivalry game of almost mythical proportions to the people who bleed Crimson all year. This week in interviews, some players remarked this was the rivalry game of all games to them.

So can Saban call the dogs off even if wants to?

Without Tyler Bray, Tennessee is a turtle crossing the freeway of Crimson colored semi trucks. They know it and so do the Alabama players.

So how ugly will it get?

Listening to the Paul Finebaum Show yesterday on my way to Alabama for the game, their usual Vegas game picker said to take Alabama and the 30 points and that it was going to be ugly.

This is the game where cigars are secretly sneaked into the locker room by players to light up after a win.

This is the game where Rocky Top is sung with different words in the Tide's locker room.

This is the game that decided more SEC championships than any other game the Tide and Vols have ever played.

This is the team whose coaches are told when they're hired, "It doesn't matter how many games you win if you don't beat Alabama," and the Tide coaches and players all know that.

I have a feeling at the end of the game, Saban will offer another apology.

That may be all Derek Dooley gets today.