Alabama coach Nick Saban's planned appearance at a benefit event Tuesday in Tennessee shows the Crimson Tide-Volunteers rivalry is alive and well, even if it's been one-sided lately.
Saban's speech at the seventh annual Athens Area Chamber of Commerce benefit dinner is expected to attract a sellout crowd of 1,500, the largest in the event's history.
But the decision to invite Saban to an event less than 60 miles south of the University of Tennessee has caused some hard feelings. Saban's Alabama team has beaten the Vols six straight times by an average of 23.2 points.
Rob Preston, the chamber president, says his office has received over 100 complaints about the Saban appearance over the last several months. Preston says security was beefed up for the event as a precaution.
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