'We need to earn it'

• By CARL DUBOIS AND SCOTT RABALAIS
• Advocate sportswriters
• Published: Jul 25, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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HOOVER, Ala. — Former LSU coach Nick Saban took the high road Thursday with his first public response to Les Miles’ joke about the Alabama Crimson Tide losing to Louisiana football teams.

“Well, he told the truth,” Saban told reporters at SEC Media Days. “He told it like it was.”

At a gathering of LSU fans Sunday in New Orleans, Miles briefly discussed the schedule of games this season. Saban’s first game in Tiger Stadium as the Alabama coach will be Nov. 8.

Miles playfully told LSU fans “not to make too much of that game, as it seems like a lot of teams in Louisiana beat that team.”

The Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide 41-34 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa last season, Saban’s first as Alabama’s coach. Two weeks later, Louisiana-Monroe shocked the Crimson Tide 21-14 on the same field.

During the Wednesday sessions at SEC Media Days, Miles said his comments Sunday in New Orleans were not meant to show disrespect to Alabama. He described his remarks as no different than what many coaches do when they speak to booster groups.

“In front of alumni, it’s entertaining and fun,” Miles said. “A quip should be allowed.”

Publicly, at least, Saban seemed to agree. He did not suggest Miles needed to show the Crimson Tide more respect.

“We need to earn it,” Saban said before making a somewhat awkward reference to the movie “Saving Private Ryan” to drive home his point.

“You know, that’s what the guy told Private Ryan,” he said, referring to a scene after several soldiers are killed on their mission to rescue Ryan behind enemy lines. “Tom Hanks says, ‘Earn this.’

“We need to earn the respect. We need to earn it, so that’s what we need to do. That’s what we’ll work to do. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

SEC coordinator of football officials Rogers Redding kicked off Thursday’s session by reviewing the new rules changes for the 2008 season.