Coaches Fans Love to Hate

Steve Spurrier can no longer claim to be the most hated coach in the Southeastern Conference. That title clearly belongs to Alabama's Nick Saban.

Saban's ugly departure as coach of the Miami Dolphins and fat $4 million contract have made him public enemy No. 1.

How is Saban — or as some call him, Nick Satan — viewed by other SEC coaches?

"I have no idea. I don't know," he said. "I have a lot of people that I respect. My feeling toward them certainly hasn't changed in terms of the quality of what they've been able to do and the kind of people that they are and the programs that they have."

Saban is not alone. There is plenty of hate to go around in the SEC. Louisiana State fans have never forgotten Auburn's Tommy Tuberville for firing up a cigar in 1999 after a 41-7 victory by his team in Baton Rouge.

And Tuberville is hated in Mississippi for jumping to Auburn after he told Rebel fans during the 1998 season that the only way he'd leave would be "in a pine box."