SIAP: Nothing lasts forever ...

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But if Alabama coach Nick Saban has had an athlete parallel -- on the field, at least -- it's Halladay, the coldly efficient taskmaster who set new standards for consistent excellence. Eventually, even those in the most complete control of the outcome, through a combination of personal talent and preparation, can't continue at such a high rate of success. Peak performances gets away from you, sometimes out of your control. One short field goal in the hands of college students can derail a season; one underperforming recruiting class can set in motion a larger downturn.

The latter, whether it's recruiting-related or something else, will come eventually at Alabama,
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Rarely does a football coach get to decide when and how he goes out, but there comes a certain point in a career when the end game has to be planned anyway. For Saban, the man with the most unassailable position in the sport, that time actually isn't that far off.

It was no secret, of course, but one of the most startling facts emphasized during the Texas coaching saga of last week was that Saban, at age 62, is the same age as Mack Brown. In football terms, they seem so far apart, Saban the man Longhorns supporters hoped would bring the program future glory in place of a past-his-prime Brown. But Saban's final act as a football coach is nearing, and thus we are not far removed from a definitive answer to the question of whether his wandering football eye is attracted to the one un-met goal that could immortalize him further.

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