A kind note of warning to those who may want to write an unauthorized biography of Alabama head coach Nick Saban sometime in the future.
Don't do it.
Monte Burke, a writer with Forbes magazine, did, much to Saban's displeasure, as he let everyone know on Thursday.
"I just want everybody to know that I'm opposed to an unauthorized biography on anybody," Saban said. "If some person that you don't even know [is] trying to profit by your story or someone else's story."
Burke said he spoke with Saban before starting his project and didn't do anything to stop it from being done. Saban helped with a biography during his time with LSU, and didn't rule out another when he's through at Alabama.
But he's not through, yet.
"One of these days when I'm finished coaching at Alabama, I'll write an authorized book because there's only one expert on my life and guess who that is -- me. And there won't be any misinformation. There won't be any false statements. There won't be any hearsay. There won't be any expert analysis from anybody else. It will be the real deal."
Saban also noted the timing of the release of Burke's book, right about when the Crimson Tide are starting their training camp. Though he was adamant the book would not serve as a distraction to himself nor his team.
When Saban does sit down to that write the book about the thing he's the sole expert -- himself -- he said, "it will have the truth -- the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
Much of it will involve winning.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Daron Payne, the Rivals.com No. 3 defensive tackle and No. 21 overall football player, has given a verbal commitment to attend the University of Alabama over Auburn.
Payne, of Shades Valley High School in Irondale, Alabama, also received offers from Florida State and Ole Miss.
He grew up a fan of the Auburn Tigers, though the relationship he made with Tide offensive line coach Mario Cristobal over the past year would influence his decision.
"It's a school where I feel they can better me as a player," Payne said. "I like Alabama because of their development history, the facilities and the coaching staff."
The 6-foot-2, 335 pound tackle is the fifth five-star player to sign with the Crimson Tide, alongside quarterback Blake Barnett, receiver Calvin Ridley and defensive backs Deionte Thompson and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
"They were showing me some film," said Payne, who will visit the school in January. "They were telling me how they don't really run a 3-4 defense anymore. They use different front and rotate guys in and out. They said they want to use me inside-out."
Alabama recorded the nation's best recruiting class for 2015, according to Rivals.com.
GRAPEVINE, Tex. - Sunday found the College Football Playoff Committee's announcement of the nation's four best college football teams to feature in the first-ever collegiate playoff.
1. Alabama (12-1)
2. Oregon (12-1)
3. Florida St. (13-0)
4. Ohio St. (12-1)
Ohio State entered the week ranked fifth nationally, though were promoted into the semifinal picture following their conference championship performance. Texas Christian and Baylor were excluded, it is believed, as the Big 12 lacks such a game. TCU falls to No. 6 after holding the fourth position a week earlier.
"It was really about Ohio State's movement up," Committee chairman Jeff Long told ESPN. "It was their performance on the field that made a difference to the committee."
Baylor, No. 5 in the final committee poll, finished ahead of TCU as the Bears defeated the Horned Frogs in a 61-58 comeback shootout Oct. 11th.
Alabama and Ohio State will feature in the 2015 Sugar Bowl semifinal, and Oregon will face Florida State in the 2015 Rose Bowl.
The winner of each contest will meet in Arlington, Texas, for the national championship.
NEW ORLEANS, La. - 2015 Sugar Bowl
Nick Saban's Alabama side defeated Missouri 42-13 Saturday for the Southeastern Conference crown in Atlanta. Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon both rushed for two touchdowns as the Tide pulled away on a three-touchdown fourth quarter. It was their 8th-straight victory since falling 23-17 to Mississippi Oct. 4th.
Hours later, Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes leaned on their third-string quarterback to rout the Wisconsin Badgers 59-0 to decide the Big Ten champion in Indianapolis. Cardale Jones threw for three touchdowns and Ezekiel Elliott for two more. Buckeyes end Joey Bosa recovered a Melvin Gordon fumble for a touchdown.
PASADENA, Ca. - 2015 Rose Bowl
Oregon secured the Pac-12 championship following a 51-13 decision over the Arizona Wildcats Friday night. Quarterback Marcus Mariota, the leading Heisman Trophy candidate, threw for 303 yards and was responsible for five touchdowns.
"If this guy isn't what the Heisman Trophy is all about, then I'm in the wrong business," Ducks coach Mark Helfrich said after that game.
Florida State snuck past a game Georgia Tech eleven to claim the ACC title in Charlotte Saturday night. Tech came within two after they flew 97 yards in a minute for a touchdown with 1:47 left. But their onside kick was recovered for the Noles, securing their 29th-straight victory. Jameis Winston completed 21-of-30 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns.
ATLANTA, Ga. - Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon each rushed for two touchdowns as the Alabama Crimson Tide downed the Missouri Tigers 42-13 in the 23rd battle to determine the best of the Southeastern Conference Saturday.
Henry carried for 141 yards on 20 rushes for Alabama (12-1, 7-1), adding two scoring strikes in a fourth quarter that found the Tide outscore Missouri 21-0.
Yeldon's 47 yards came on 14 carries and scores from 1 and 2 yards out in the first half.
Alabama outrushed Missouri 242-41, including a 44-3 advantage after the first quarter, and the 92-21 edge at the halftime break.
Missouri outscored the Tide 10-0 in the third quarter to bring the Tigers within 20-13, but Blake Sims would lead Bama down on a 17 yard toss to Christion Jones, who finished the drive 5 seconds into the final session with a 6 yard scoring reception.
Sims finished 23-of-27 for 262 yards and two touchdowns, his 85 percent completion rate ranking as the all-time best in that league's championship game, beating Jason Campbell's previous record of 77 percent for Auburn.
"I don't know if I've ever seen a player go through any more than Blake went through for four years, and never once did he ever not do whatever he needed to do to help the team," Alabama coach Nick Saban said of his quarterback.
DeAndrew White hauled in a 58 yard touchdown reception from Sims 12 seconds into the second period. Sims faked the play-action and rolled right before launching the scoring ball into the waiting arms of White, who easily outraced the corner and split two safeties on the play.
Sims was tackled hard and lifted off his feet when Missouri end Shane Ray hurled himself into the quarterback. Ray was called for targeting and disqualified from the contest.
White caught 4 passes for 101 yards for Alabama. Amari Cooper finished with 89 yards on 12 receptions, a record for catches in the 23 year history of the game.
Missouri (10-3, 7-2) was outgained in total yards 101-21 after the first quarter and would only find the end zone three minutes into the third.
Jimmie Hunt hauled in a 63 yard reception to the Alabama 1 after Maty Mauk was pushed out of the pocket to his left, hurling the prayer for Hunt on a 3rd-and-10 attempt.
They fared poorly on their first three goal-to-go plays and Mauk nearly lost a fumbled exchange, though would find Bud Sasser on the 4th-down from a yard out.
Hunt's night ended with 6 catches for a 169 yards for Missouri.
Hunt answered another prayer on their next possession, a mirror-image of their previous charge as, once more, Mauk rolled left and launched to the receiver, for 47 yards to the Bama 17. Andrew Baggett kicked from 33 yards when the drive bogged down.
But the Tide rolled in the final session, sending a record-24th Southeastern Conference title to Tuscaloosa, where they would say it belongs.
ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia Dome will host the 23rd Southeastern Conference Championship, this year pitting No. 1 Alabama of the Western Division and the No. 14 Missouri Tigers from the East.
A berth for the conference in the first-ever College Football Playoff hinges on a victory for the Crimson Tide, after the league enjoyed seven straight years holding the national championship trophy.
"Without looking at everyone, I would think that somebody in our league qualifies to be one of the better four teams in the country based on the quality of the league and the good teams that we all have to play," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Sunday.
Alabama (11-1, 7-1) secured the 79th Iron Bowl Saturday, defeating arch-rival Auburn 55-44 in the greatest scoring total of that mean-spirited series.
That, despite starting quarterback Blake Sims hurling three interceptions. He rebounded with four touchdowns, finishing 20-of-27 on 312 yards passing as the Tide aired it out in their comeback.
Which is unusual for Alabama, a program known in recent years under Saban for their devotion to consistent rushing and defense, a style earning the devotion of football purists.
That change in philosophy against Auburn found receiver Amari Cooper tie a school record, racking up 224 receiving yards on 13 catches.
And under first-year offensive coach Lane Kiffin, no stranger to the forward pass, Cooper easily overpowered Alabama records for yards receiving (1,573) and touchdowns (14).
Cooper recorded two touchdowns against Auburn, from 39 yards, and, trailing 36-27 in the third quarter, broke away to haul in a 75 yard score on a 1 play, 10 second drive.
"I think it's scary for them," Alabama safety Nick Perry said of opponents. "Usually, Bama beats you with defense and running the ball. Now, we can play a whole different type of game. We can put up points or we can shut them out with defense. I think that's scary for other teams."
Other teams like Gary Pinkel's 14th-ranked Missouri Tigers.
"When you're that potent offensively, when you can play defense at that high, consistent level, that's certainly problematic for anybody that's going to play against them," Pinkel said of his opponent this week.
Missouri (10-2, 7-1) is playing for the conference crown for the second time in three seasons since joining the league in 2011. The school has now appeared in the game more often than South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt combined.
They lead the league in sacks (40) and face a Crimson Tide group that has allowed the league's fewest (11).
Their two defeats came at home, a 31-27 loss to the unranked Indiana Hoosiers and a 34-0 shutout at the hands of then- No. 13 Georgia, a game after which the Tigers were given a 2.3 percent chance of winning their division.
"This has not been an easy year, but we battled and competed," Pinkel said. "It's our second time down there in a row, and I'll tell you this, that's hard to do. Having the experience of being in this game certainly helps."
Ohio native Maty Mauk goes under center for Missouri, and though is responsible for 23 touchdowns, he completes only 54 percent of his passes and has thrown 11 interceptions.
Missouri needed every bit of the clock last Friday when they hosted Arkansas, rallying for a 21-14 victory. It was a contest that seems to typify the team's character, in that old football cliche, of finding ways to get the job done.
They got the job done with a two-touchdown fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium.
Trailing 14-6 early in the final session, Mauk led the Tigers 98 yards, connecting with Jimmie Hunt for a 4 yard touchdown. Two receivers came up with the 2-point conversion when Bud Sasser found Darius White on a reverse pass.
Marcus Murphy notched the go-ahead touchdown with 4:38 left and tackle Markus Golden recoverd a Razorbacks fumble to end it.
Murphy comes out of Missouri's backfield with 747 yards and four touchdowns. He has also found the end zone once more as a receiver, punt returner, and twice returning kickoffs.
Bud Sasser leads the Tigers with 65 receptions on 904 yards and 9 touchdowns. Jimmie Hunt follows with 529 yards on 34 catches and 7 scores.
Don't do it.