Tuscaloosa, AL - Nick Saban, who led Alabama to three national titles in four years but was rumored to perhaps be looking elsewhere, will continue to coach the Crimson Tide. Pedro Borbon Jr. Jersey Braves . Alabama said Friday it reached a long-term agreement with Saban, ending the recent speculation he would leave to coach another team, potentially Texas. Details of the new deal, which has to be approved by the board of trustees, were not immediately available. Alabama signed Saban to a contract extension in March of 2012 that was to run through 2020. "Alabama is where I plan to end my coaching career," Saban said in a statement. The Crimson Tide are 79-14 since Saban was hired as coach in 2007. He led them to FBS titles following the 2009, 2011 and 2012 seasons. Still, whispers grew that he might leave to coach the Longhorns if Mack Brown and Texas parted ways. Brown, who has coach Texas since 1998, was to meet with university officials Friday about his future. Alabama was again perched atop the rankings this season until a shocking loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 30. Chris Davis last-second field goal return knocked the Tide from the No. 1 spot in the BCS rankings, ruining their chances to win another championship. Instead, Auburn and Florida State will face off in the BCS Championship Game next month. Alabama (11-1), led by quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist AJ McCarron, will play Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2. "Coach Saban is the best in the business and has led our program to the pinnacle of college football," Alabama athletic director Bill Battle said in a statement. "This agreement is a strong indication of our mutual commitment to building on the foundation he has established." Saban, 62, has also coached Toledo, Michigan State and LSU and is one of only four coaches in the modern era to win four national titles. He also reached the top with LSU after the 2003 season. Jeff Burroughs Jersey Braves . LOUIS -- Known for his game-managing and defensive skills, Yadier Molina made another statement with his bat. Tom Glavine Jersey Braves . Bayern led second-place Leverkusen by 10 points with a game in hand, while Dortmund was another four points off the pace. Freiburg midfielder Felix Klaus scored in the last minute as his side twice came from behind to climb provisionally out of the relegation zone.SOCHI, Russia – It was the third game of the Olympics for the Canadians in Torino, Italy when the wall of Martin Gerber emerged in shocking fashion. Gerber stopped each and every one of the 49 shots peppered by Team Canada en route to a highly improbable 2-0 victory for Switzerland. In a two-week tournament like the Olympics, goaltending performances of that caliber have the potential to shock, rattle and awe even the most powerful foes, hindering medal hopes with save after unlikely save. Eight years after Gerber shook up what was an ultimately doomed 2006 Canadian bid – they finished seventh – lies another Swiss goaltender in Jonas Hiller capable of doing the same, if not more, at the Sochi Olympics. "Every year at a tournament like this you need a good goalkeeper to have success," said Andreas Ambuhl, a winger for Switzerland and teammate of Hiller for years with Davos in the Swiss League, "especially a team like us." Switzerland is still buzzing from a silver medal finish at the 2013 World Championships – the now 39-year-old Gerber teaming with Calgary netminder Reto Berra – and though they have no grand illusions about their chances at these Olympics, possession of a goaltender like Hiller poses at least the possibility of a little unlikely noise. Hiller is back to top form in Anaheim after a couple bumpy seasons punctuated by injuries. The 31-year-old stopped 36 of 38 shots in his final game before the Olympics and owns a .943 save percentage in his last five starts. "Theres no doubt," said Swiss head coach Sean Simpson, a Canadian and former Chicago Blackhawks draft pick who has yet to actually coach Hiller during his four-year run ass bench boss of Switzerlands national program. Discount Jerseys League. "Any of the goalies, they stand on their head they can make a difference in a one-game scenario thats for sure." Simpson would consider a trip to the quarterfinals as success for his squad, which sits in a group with Sweden, Latvia and the Czech Republic. In the past 50 years the Swiss have never finished higher than sixth which they managed during that unlikely 06 run with Gerber at the forefront. Sizzling efforts in goal have the potential to alter the face of the Olympics, both for powerhouses like Canada, who must decide between Carey Price and Roberto Luongo, and lesser limelight squads like the Swiss. Its why Finland still holds dark-horse medal potential despite losing potential captain Mikko Koivu and second centre Valteri Filpulla to injury. With Tuukka Rask, Antii Niemi and Kari Lehtonen as sterling options between the pipes, the Finns have the goods in goal to rattle more than a few cages. It was during those same 06 Olympics in Torino that then-Flyers goaltender and Finnish product Antero Niittymaki carried his country to a silver medal – they fell to Sweden, who was led by Henrik Lundqvist – leading the tournament with a mighty .951 save percentage. One need only remember the heroic efforts of Dominik Hasek in 1998. Hasek allowed just six goals in Nagano – posting a crazy .971 save percentage – willing the Czech Republic to their first and only gold medal. "Theres going to be lots of strong goalies here," said Simpson. "Jonas, hes got a great personality and hes going to give the team a lot of confidence when hes in net there for sure." ' ' '
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