VESTAVIA HILLS Ala. — Nick Saban received a familiar greeting while vacationing in Italy earlier this month. Several fans spotted the Alabama head coach during his trip, cheering him in a similar fashion to what he's used to back home.

“It’s something to say about the brand that we have, an iconic brand, the Crimson Tide,” Saban said during an appearance Tuesday at Birmingham’s Old Overton Club for the Nick’s Kids Golf Tournament. “You get ‘Roll Tide’ in Venice, Florence, Rome and the Amalfi Coast. It’s everywhere I went. It says something about the brand. I don’t know what it says about me.”

Several photos have emerged on social media of Saban either walking the streets of Italy or interacting with fans. For the most part, the encounters were positive, but there were still some rivalries that extended overseas.

"I got a few jilts from other SEC fans,” Saban said with a laugh. “They didn't post that part."

Getting the chance to see Saban on vacation has been a rarity for Alabama fans. The 71-year-old head coach generally doesn’t take too much time away from football preparations. However, with some brief downtime in Alabama’s schedule, he was able some time to recharge for his 17th season with the Crimson Tide.

Alabama will begin its season on Sept. 2 when it hosts Middle Tennessee State inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.