The breakdowns of LSU football coach Les Miles’ mental psyche have been in full force ever since he bent down to gnaw on a blade of grass during last season’s game against Alabama.
But there is little, if any, look into the inner workings of Miles’ counterpart this weekend, Alabama coach Nick Saban.
Saban has been dubbed with a Napoleonic complex due to his surly disposition and his vertical ineptness.
There is plenty, though, in Saban’s persona that makes up for his small stature.
Little Nick, big office.
Saban’s office got plenty of air time this week when ESPN decided to take an all-access look at both LSU and Alabama. His office looked to be bigger than most living rooms, exploiting his insecurity of small places. The large office aids his need for power and control.
Little Nick, big straw hat.
The straw hat is reminiscent of an old country construction site foreman. The foreman has total control over the work that gets done at the site and is usually regarded as an intimidating figure. During his tenure as coach of the Miami Dolphins, Saban made one of his players cry. Yes, a professional football player, and a lineman at that, cried on the field after being berated by Saban.
Little Nick, big temper.
Tying in with the straw hat is Saban’s iconic temper and the flair he has for tossing his headset when things go against his plan. Saban uses his temper as an intimidation tactic against those with more vertical prowess than himself. Plus, Saban has an eligibility rule on his team; if you can’t jump rope with a tossed headset cord, you are not coordinated enough to dress out on Saturdays.
Little Nick, big fake teeth.
Saban’s porcelain veneers are the visible effects of a fake persona. While he was charming and endearing on ESPN, there is no doubt Saban has a sinister side that could call forth an army of hellions faster than junior running back Trent Richardson runs the 40-yard dash.
Little Nick, big box of Oatmeal Cream Pies.
It’s quite ironic that Saban would be a compulsive eater of a product made by Little Debbie (no one is sure if there is any relation between the two). But the fact that he has eaten the same breakfast every day for more than a decade is as Saban-esque as it gets.
To Saban, things are supposed to look and feel a certain way. Everything is a process, and nothing should ever interfere with the process. One step is not more important than the next, no matter what event comes his way.
Saturday’s game is no more important than Kent State in the eyes of Saban. The second you begin messing with a routine is the second you begin losing a game, in the mind of Saban.
Little Nick, big ego.
Saban is a stubborn man who is well set in his ways. While his successes make it hard to argue that his methods are effective, they have come back to haunt him numerous times in the past. The latest set of mishaps in the “process” came last season when Miles converted a fourth down against Saban in the fourth quarter to help lead LSU to a 24-21 win. Then Auburn rallied from a 24-0 deficit to defeat the Tide in Tuscaloosa.
Sometimes there needs to be a change in the process, but Saban doesn’t believe that is necessary.
Little Nick, big loss Saturday.
Rob Landry is a 23-year-old mass communication senior from Mandeville. Follow him on Twitter @RobLandry85.
 
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Contact Rob Landry at [email protected]