You have to imagine that if Nick Saban and Les Miles hung out before the end of last season, their conversation eventually sounded like fantasy football league message board banter. (”So, Daunte over Brees, huh, Nick?” “Kiss my ring, son.”)

But now that Les has won his own title (and whipped up on ‘Bama in the process), he’s letting Saban have it. THE TIMES PICAYUNE reports Miles throwing completely unprovoked — albeit hysterical — barbs Alabama’s way during his Tiger Tour 2008 stop in New Orleans.
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DEADSPIN calls out the cops, as they discover the real starting point for traveling down that path toward a life of crime. Poverty? Drugs?

No - college football!

(Miami and Florida International trading pigskin pleasantries.)

MARGINAL REVOLUTION comes across a paper (PDF file) from Daniel Rees of the University of Colorado-Denver explaining the relationship between homecoming and home invasion.

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DEEP SOUTH SPORTS pulls over to get a good look at this billboard:

This roadside message is proudly on display in Monroe, LA - home of the UL Monroe Warhawks. The Sun Belt squad walked into Bryant-Denny Stadium last November 17, and walked out with a 21-14 win over Alabama.

In recognition of the big upset, some ULM alumni pooled together $12,000 to show off their Warhawk pride to Monroe-area motorists.

And the billboard will also greet Crimson Tide fans rolling along to the Independence Bowl. Those Alabama fans driving from Tuscaloosa to Shreveport on I-20 will have to pass by Monroe - and the “Tide Rolled” reminder.

But for many ‘Bama bashers, the 12 grand was money well spent.

SABAN HARKENS 9-11, WWII, AFTER UL-MONROE DEFEAT: Nick Saban provided us an insightful gander into his personal planetary environment this week with his comments at a presser following Alabama’s loss to Louisiana-Monroe.

Saban: “Changes in history usually occur after some kind of catastrophic event. It may be 9-11, which sort of changed the spirit of America relative to catastrophic events. Pearl Harbor kind of got us ready for World War II, and that was a catastrophic event.”

After Saban’s comments to the media, Alabama SID Jeff Purrington was soon at DefCon 1, attempting to dizzy us with this: “What Coach Saban said did not correlate losing a football game with tragedy, everyone needs to understand that. He was not equating losing football games to those catastrophic events.”

For us, Charlie Weatherbie has always been the George S. Patton of college football, so we don’t find the comparison offensive at all. Say no more, Jeff!