Nick “Brother” Saban, quarterback of the 1968 Monongah High state football championship team, often helps Monongah High alumni get tickets for Alabama’s home games.

David Fazio, Class of 1968, and wife Cora Fazio, a 1973 Farmington High grad, were in Tuscaloosa for Saturday night’s Iron Bowl Game between No. 1 Alabama and Auburn, which the Crimson Tide won, 55-44.

As a bonus, David got his photo taken with Joe Girari, the manager of the New York Yankees, Dave's favorite team. Brother told Joe that David was the reason that Brother was a Yankees fan. 

Other former Lions have told me how Brother helped them get tickets and lodging arrangements to watch the Crimson Tide play. 

Despite his multi-millionaire status, Brother hasn’t forgotten his Monongah High and Idamay/Carolina roots.

Joe Martin, Class of 1957, who lives on Treasure Island, Florida and Bertha Pazdric Sullivan, Class of 1954, who lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, remember when the Saban family lived four doors from the Martin family in Carolina at Main and Seventh streets.

Brother’s father, Nick Saban, Sr., sponsored and coached the Idamay Black Diamonds Pop Warner children’s football team for years. 

And ran a service station at Helen’s Run and U.S. 19 near Worthington after the family had moved to the house behind the service station.

Brother’s sister, Deene Saban Thompson, a Monongah Middle School teacher who gave Nick the nickname of Brother that stuck; Duane Harbert, Class of 1951, who lives in Marlton, New Jersey; and John Matkovich, Class of 1948, who lives in Palm Harbor, Florida, with his wife, Dolores Sweede Matkovich, Class of 1953, all confirmed the Helen’s Run service station/residence account.

Alabama will play Missouri next week in the Southeastern Conference title game. If the Tide wins that one, and goes to 12-1, then Brother probably will be shooting for his 5^th national title, 4 at Alabama and 1 at LSU, in the 4-team national playoffs.

Cora Fazio runs Fazio Eldercare on Stonylonesome Road in Monongah.