NICK SABAN HAD mixed emotions as he left his home in south Florida on Jan. 3, 2007 and headed for the airport. Initially, he hadn't been interested in leaving for Alabama, and had said so publicly. He was committed to being the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. He loved and respected the team's owner, Wayne Huizenga, and despite finishing his second season at 6-10, he wasn't looking for an out.
But then Mal Moore, Alabama's athletic director at the time, came over for dinner. Saban slept on what he'd heard, and after some soul-searching, he'd had a change of heart, calling that morning to accept Moore's offer to become the next coach of the Crimson Tide.