Alabama lights up traditional stogies after beating Tennessee (PHOTOS)

Call it close, but yes cigar.

It's a tradition, when Alabama beats Tennessee, cigars are smoked. And on Saturday, those stogies were lit after the Crimson Tide eked out a 19-14 win over the Volunteers in Tuscaloosa.

After two touchdowns from running back Derrick Henry, the Heisman candidate celebrated quite appropriately with his coach Nick Saban:

While the PC Police will find so much wrong with these pictures, you have to love that Alabama don't give a lick.

One last time to spark the cigars with lil bro #BPsiPhi #FlyHighMyGuy #HeyVols #WeJustBeatTheHellOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/FFBFf1OJng

— John Fulton (@_Elvis_Freshley) October 24, 2015

The host team preserved their lead after the Vols fumbled with little over a minute left in the contest:

This left Peyton Manning, who was watching the game on the sideline of his alma mater, with what looks like well ... smoke in his eyes.

Saban uses video of Mariano Rivera to inspire 'Bama team

Mariano Rivera may pick up a save tonight without even jogging out from the bullpen if Alabama captures the BCS National Championship with a victory over Notre Dame.

It wouldn't go down in the record books as career save No. 609, but could play a small part in the history of Alabama football, nonetheless.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban said he had his players watch a video of the New York Yankees closer to help them get a grasp of the importance of focusing on the task at hand.

"We just watched a video of Mariano Rivera, and he talked about how he struggled at some time in his career because he was trying  to be a perfectionist," Saban said on Sunday.  "And that when he's in the bullpen, he sees the crowd, he hears the crowd, he knows sometimes that he's getting a lot of positive self-gratification for what he does and sometimes getting a lot of negative self gratification...

"But when he runs out and they hand him the ball, he's got one focus.  He's not worried about the crowd, he's not worried about any of the external factors.  One focus: 'Three outs, how am I going to get three outs?'"

Saban has coached in big games before and wanted to inspire his young Crimson Tide players with a tape of the Yankees great — who has seen more than his share of big moments over an illustrious career.

"You could say, well, that's nothing," said Saban about how focus affects the outcome of a game.  "Well, believe me, being around young people, being in games like this, that's something, and it's something big."

Nick Saban got write-in votes for president

Come November every four years, Alabama fans might care more about a national championship than the national debt. But at least one person thinks Nick Saban could probably handle both the sidelines and the Oval Office.

That loyal 'Bama supporter cast their write-in vote for Saban and Alabama men's golf coach Jay Sewell for president Tuesday and posted a picture of it on Twitter.  There are reports that this wasn't the only vote the head coach of the current No. 1 college team in the country received either.

It probably wasn't the best way or time to show your loyalty to a team or coach but isn't that what the blank space is for?

Saban's accomplishments in Tuscaloosa are well known — two national titles for the Crimson Tide in six seasons — but Sewell's credentials as a running mate are solid if not as glorified.  Sort of a quieter version of Joe Biden.

The Alabama golf coach does have a couple of SEC Golf Coach of the Year awards on his mantle and his team was runner-up for the national championship last year.

If the head coach is ever swayed by a Tide movement for his candidacy in 2016, it would be hard to imagine Saban carrying the states of Florida or Louisiana or the intense coach kissing a lot of babies.

President Saban. Imagine our national defense.