Tide’s Saban Wishes Hogs’ Petrino Well, Talks Motorcycles

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Arkansas’ Bobby Petrino returned to practice this week, just two days after wrecking his motorcycle and winding up in a neckbrace.  Missouri’s Gary Pinkel — also a biker — sent his best to Petrino on Tuesday.  Yesterday it was Alabama’s Nick Saban’s turn.

During yesterday’s presser the Crimson Tide coach said, “I wish Bobby well.  I hope there’s nothing serious there.”  He also launched into a story of his own experience with motorcycles:


“I love motorcycles.  I loved motorcycles when I was a kid.  I was not allowed to ride a motorcycle when I was a kid. 

My best friend Charlie Anderson had a Triumph, and I mean that thing was hot.  Where my dad’s service station was, there was a long straightaway, and they used to race.

Every time no one was looking, I’d get on Charlie’s Triumph.  I took it to my girlfriend’s house, and she lived on the side of the mountain, and there was a curve, and the water was running across the street, and a dog was chasing me down the street.

I didn’t get hurt, didn’t hurt the bike, just slid out. 

My dad found out about that, and that’s the last time I’ve been on a motorcycle.”


So how does Saban get his kicks now?  “I try to enjoy life.  I still water ski.  I ride them jet skis as fast as they’ll go, and every two years I get the fastest ones they make to replace the last ones.”

Five million bucks a year will buy a lot of jet skis.