s.Fred Funk was two strokes back at 67 along with Scott McCarron, Jim Carter, Joey Sindelar, Jerry Smith and Br

ATLANTA -- Nick Saban rolled into the room with all the warmth of a tray of ice cubes you just pulled from the freezer.The pursed lips, the tightened jaw, the forced smile -- tell-tale signs that made it clear he preferred to be anywhere but here, sitting in front of a group of reporters on the eve of another Southeastern Conference championship game.Then, over the course of a half-hour Friday, the coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide provided some tantalizing glimpses into the World According To Nick.A world where failure is not an option, complacency is treated like some sort of horrific disease, and no one talks about what they did a year ago, a day ago, even a few minutes ago.Be where your feet are, Saban said. Im right here, right now. This is whats important, and this is what we have to focus on.To some degree, all coaches have that sort of single-minded drive. But Saban takes it to an entirely different level. Thats why hes left everyone in his wake, from those who came long before (sorry, Knute Rockne and Bud Wilkinson) to contemporaries faced with the unenviable task of trying to beat him now (sorry, rest of the SEC).This much is clear: As along as Saban reigns in Tuscaloosa, college football is his world.Everyone else is just fighting over the crumbs.I hate to lose more than I like winning, Saban said. Im not in love with what we did last week or the week before that or the whole season. The challenge is the next game because thats the game we can lose.It seems a joyless existence, but its one that makes perfect sense to Saban.Dont bring up the crazy, amazing run -- as former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow described it -- that Alabama has been on since the beginning of the 2008 season. During that span, the Crimson Tide has won 110 of 122 games, captured four national titles and gone to the last week of November four other times with a shot at winning it all.Dont bring up the fact that Saban has five national titles overall, counting the BCS crown he won at LSU, and is just one away from tying Bear Bryants mark for the most national titles by any coach.I havent thought about it. Im not thinking about it, Saban insisted. Im focusing on what can I do for our players so we have a chance to win the SEC championship.Top-ranked Alabama (12-0) shouldnt have any trouble with this game, going in as a whopping 24-point favorite over No. 15 Florida (8-3). The Gators are a team with all sorts of offensive limitations, which doesnt bode well against Sabans latest stellar defense, a group that hasnt given up a touchdown since October. After this little formality in Atlanta, its on to the College Football Playoff for a shot at a second straight national title and fifth in the last nine seasons.By any objective standard, Sabans tenure at Alabama makes him the greatest coach in college football history. This nearly decade-long run is almost beyond belief in what should be an era of enhanced parity, when there are plenty of schools that can match Alabamas resources but dont have the right guy at the top.Florida coach Jim McElwain got a firsthand look at Sabans genius while serving as his offensive coordinator.Alabamas success goes far beyond the Xs and Os.I was able to see a commitment and understanding of the organization and what it takes on a daily basis to help yourself have the opportunity to be successful, McElwain said. Its about being in the line. Everythings got to be in alignment. Everythings got to be aligned. Thats one thing he was ahead of his time as far as making sure everybody was aligned. It was a fascinating working experience.In some ways, Sabans dominance may be hurting the reputation of the SEC, long regarded as the nations best football conference. Everyone is playing catch-up, which has led to some hasty coaching changes and an air of desperation among the other 13 schools.In the long run, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey believes it will have a positive impact.Around this league, there are coaches trying to figure out how to beat Alabama, he said. When a team is ranked first and has had the sustained success, I think that effort makes everyone better. I would use the phrase you often hear, `a rising tide lifts all boats.Sankey quickly caught himself.I want to be careful about using the word `tide, he said with a smile, but I think you understand.Actually, the only thing we can see is Alabama ruling the SEC as long as Saban is around. At 65, hes certainly got more seasons behind him than in front of him, which provides a glimmer of hope to the rest of the league.We all have fears sometimes, he said, revealing a bit of vulnerability. When you start getting up there, you say, `I wonder how long Im going to be able to do this?Then, just like that, he got back on point.There are no plans to ease into retirement.Not anytime soon.I love coaching, Saban said. Im going to do it as long as I feel like I can do a good job of it, and Im healthy enough to do it. Thats always been what Ive wanted to do, and as long as I can keep doing it, Ill be happy doing it.Sorry, everybody else.---Paul Newberry is a sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org or at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---For more AP college football coverage: www.collegefootball.ap.orgRed Sox Jerseys 2020 . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Boston Red Sox Pro Shop . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. Red Sox Jerseys China . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Custom Boston Red Sox Jerseys .Y. -- Syracuse has turned up the defence at the right time all season, and when High Point threatened to pull off a monumental upset the second-ranked Orange did what they do best with their quick hands and savvy play.SHANGHAI -- Hideki Matsuyama arrived at the HSBC Champions as the first Japanese player in nearly two decades to reach the top 10 in the world ranking. His 19 birdies over 36 holes in biting chill and swirling wind helped explain how he got there.Even as the weather shifted dramatically Friday at Sheshan International, Matsuyama kept piling up the birdies. One last birdie on the par-5 18th gave him a 7-under 65 and a three-shot lead going into the weekend of the final World Golf Championships event of the year.Matsuyama was at 13-under 131 and led by three shots over defending champion Russell Knox (68) and Bill Haas (67). He shouldnt have been surprised by the result because it was his eighth consecutive score in the 60s dating to the second round of the Tour Championship.Rain the last two days gave way to a strong wind when Matsuyama was warming up, and the wind made the sharp dip of temperatures into the 50s feel even worse.Fifteen players still managed to break 70 because of the rain-softened greens, and while Matsuyamas 65 was the best score of the second round, making it even more impressive was that he also had two bogeys. On Thursday, he had 10 birdies against four bogeys.Matsuyama already is having his biggest year since he began playing regularly round the world in 2014. He overcame a two-shot deficit over the last two holes and beat Rickie Fowler in the Phoenix Open. He had another top 10 in the Masters. Two weeks ago, he won the Japan Open for his ninth victory worldwide. He was runner-up to Justin Thomas in Malaysia last week, pushing him to No. 10.SIME DARBY LPGA MALAYSIAKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Amy Yang holed a pitching wedge for eagle on the par-4 11th hole and stretched her lead to three strokes in the hot, humid and stormy Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.The 27-year-old South Korean player had a 2-under 69 at TPC Kuala Lumpur, a day after shooting 63 to miss her own course record by a stroke. She parred the first 10, then hit the approach that landed on the front of the green, hopped and rolled in.Anna Nordqvist, Mi Jung Hur and Candie Kung were tied for second after the round that was delayed about two hours because of lightning -- accompanied by periods of heavy rain -- with the last group in the 16th fairway. Nordqvist had a 68, and Hur and Kung each shot 65 to match the best rounds of the day.Theyre playing TPC KKuala Lumpurs East Course, a week after Justin Thomas successfully defended his title on the West Course in the PGA Tours CIMB Classic.dddddddddddd.Yang made her first bogey of the week after hitting into the water on the par-4 14th. She returned from the delay -- and lunch -- to hole a 20-footer for birdie on the par-5 16th. Both of her LPGA Tour victories have come in Asia, the first in 2013 in South Korea and the second last year in Thailand.Michelle Wie followed her opening 66 with a 70 to drop four strokes behind.POWERSHARES QQQ CHAMPIONSHIPTHOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Fred Couples shot a 4-under 68 in his first competitive round in eight months, while Bernhard Langer withdrew without hitting a shot in the PowerShares QQQ Championship.Returning from a chronic back injury, the 57-year-old Couples had three straight birdies on the back nine at Sherwood in the PGA Tour Champions playoff opener. He was tied for eighth, three strokes behind leader Colin Montgomerie.Langer re-aggravated a left knee injury at home in Florida doing routine spinning, had an MRI on Monday and wasnt able to play a practice round.Montgomerie shot a 65, closing with a birdie after nearly holing his approach on the par-4 18th. The Scot birdied the first three holes, and had four more on the back nine. He won in Canada this season for his fourth tour title and is fourth in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.Fred Funk was two strokes back at 67 along with Scott McCarron, Jim Carter, Joey Sindelar, Jerry Smith and Brandt Jobe.SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIPJACKSON, Miss. -- Grayson Murray shot a 7-under 65 on Friday to take a two-shot lead in the Sanderson Farms Championship.The 23-year-old Murray, a rookie playing in his third career PGA Tour event, rebounded from an opening bogey on No. 9 to make eight birdies -- the last on the final hole. He had a 12-under 132 total at the Country Club of Jackson.Greg Owen (67) and Seamus Power (69) were for second, and Lucas Glover (69), Trey Mullinax (70), Graham DeLaet (69) and Brandon Hagy (68)were three strokes back.Kevin Streelman had a two-shot lead after shooting a 63 in the first round, but struggled to a 73 to fall four strokes behind Murray. Cody Gribble had a 63 to pull within four shots. ' ' '