He may coach at Alabama, but when it comes to hockey, Nick Saban's allegiances lie in the state of Tennessee.

The legendary Crimson Tide frontman, who attended Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final clad in a Nashville Predators jersey, admits he's fully swept up by the team's improbable run to the championship round.

"I got the fever," Saban told Chandler Rome of the Anniston Star. "I took a liking to the way their team competes."

It isn't shocking that the hard-nosed coach enjoys watching a team known as "Smashville," although it's certainly jarring for Crimson Tide fans to see their coach supporting a team from Tennessee.

Saban is no stranger to hockey, growing up about 90 miles south of Pittsburgh in Fairmont, W.Va. The fact he's rooting for the Predators when the Penguins are the opposition has caused a little tension with his friends back home.

"They're giving me a hard time," Saban admitted.

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