Saban is No. 1.

According to Forbes magazine, Alabama's Nick Saban is the most powerful coach in sports.

Makes me wonder if Forbes knows that the Crimson Tide lost to Louisiana-Monroe last season?

But seriously, Forbes contends in the article that no other coach boasts Saban's "combination of money, control and influence." That's mostly due to the $32-million, eight-year contract Saban was given to come to Tuscaloosa.

Saban will be the first college football coach to grace the Forbes cover since the magazine was started in 1917. The magazine hits newsstands Friday.

Should be an interesting read. As a fellow Southern-fried football fan, I only hope Forbes doesn't make Alabamans appear to be Neanderthals who have ceded control of their state's flagship university to an aloof egomaniac. But, hey, it is what it is.

Also, there's no No. 2 or No. 3 or Top 10 in this issue. Just Saban.

Without thinking too deeply about this, I've gotta figure Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, Ohio State's Jim Tressel and, say, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski figure somewhere in the top 10. Maybe Joe Paterno or Bobby Bowden should be considered.

Makes for some interesting conjecture, no?