Saban on LSU fans

Looks like new Bama head football coach is wasting no time burning the few bridges that still connected him to his former life as head coach of the LSU Tigers.

He had a few nasty things to say about Cajuns during a Jan. 3 interview with an Alabama journalist. Saban humorously told a story that had been relayed to him by one of his few remaining friends in the Bayou State. The tale was about a Cajun who was in New Orleans recently for LSU's Sugar Bowl appearane and complaining loudly about Saban's decision to the head coaching job at one of LSU's key conference rivals.

Among other things, Saban describe the fan as a "a guy working in the ditch" and a coonass (a slur used by many people against Cajuns) who talked funny like "most people in Louisiana can."

The comments were supposed to be off the record, but they were caught on tape (click here to listen).

This from a guy whose relatives are still digging coal from West Virginia hills.

After hitting the Internet, the story was reported by the Associated Press, which got these reaction comments from Saban:

"The words were used in paraphrasing a story told to me by a friend. I was simply using the same wording used by the person who told me the story.

"The term in question is not language that I use or condone, and I can understand how some would take offense. However, I think it must be noted that those comments were made 'off the record' and the words merely reflected an anecdote that was told to me using that language."

I don't think so.

I'd love to see how he explains this one to all of those blue chip Louisiana high school seniors he's desperately trying to recruit right now.