Can all this money turn the Tide?

Sometimes you almost feel sorry for Pete Carroll -- and he’s doing fine.

Nick Saban’s eight-year, $32-million contract to coach Alabama’s football team was approved by the university’s board of trustees this week, and it is believed to make him the highest-paid college football coach in history, certainly at a public school. Private schools don’t have to report salaries, but Carroll reportedly makes in the neighborhood of $3 million a year at USC.

Saban’s deal includes the use of a skybox at Bryant-Denny Stadium, 12 general admission tickets, two automobiles, a country club membership and use of a private plane for vacations for up to 25 hours of flight time a year, the Birmingham News reported. Saban also can earn up to $700,000 in bonuses, including $400,000 for winning a national championship.

Plus, there’s cost of living. We checked, and Carroll would need to make $6 million a year in Los Angeles to have the buying power of Saban’s $4 million in Tuscaloosa. Something about that 216% higher housing cost.

There’s not even a buyout clause that would require Saban to pay Alabama if he takes another job.

After all, he’s a man of his word, right?

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Trivia time

Jim Killingsworth, who took over a struggling Texas Christian basketball team in the 1980s and coached the Horned Frogs to the NCAA tournament, died Sunday at 83.

What school did Killingsworth lead to a regional semifinal upset of UCLA that broke the Bruins’ 10-year run of reaching the Final Four?

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Get your Duck stamp here

The U.S. Postal Service is issuing a special Stanley Cup postmark and two commemorative envelopes that will be available at Anaheim post offices beginning Monday through July 6.

First-class letters require 41-cent stamps.

Extra postage applies if you want to send your letter to Ottawa.

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Ouch!

Add this to the pantheon of stupid pro-athlete injuries.

A paintball shot to the groin kept Washington Redskins rookie LaRon Landry out of practice on the first day of the team’s mini-camp Friday.

Landry, a safety from Louisiana State who was the No. 6 pick overall in this year’s draft, is expected to return to practice in a couple of days.

“I didn’t know paintball was that dangerous,” linebacker Marcus Washington told reporters.

“I hope it wasn’t friendly fire.”

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Not to be irreverent ...

A long-standing NFL tradition that has survived the departure of the Rams and Raiders is Irrelevant Week, which next week in Orange County will celebrate its 32nd year of honoring the last pick in the NFL draft.

This year’s honoree is Ramzee Robinson, a cornerback from Alabama who was taken by the Detroit Lions with the 255th pick.

Told that Robinson’s fondest hope was to meet Snoop Dogg and Halle Berry, Irrelevant Week founder Paul Salata was eager to reach former USC quarterback Rodney Peete.

Salata’s response when someone told him Peete is married to Holly Robinson, not Halle Berry?

“Close enough.”

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Mercifully, it’s over

New York Post headline on the San Antonio Spurs’ NBA Finals sweep: “Four-mality.”

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Trivia answer

Killingsworth’s Idaho State team upset UCLA, 76-75, in 1977.

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And finally

Joe Espy, president pro tempore of the board of trustees at Alabama: “A lot of coaches around the country are very happy with us, and a lot of administrators are probably not so happy.”

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robyn.norwood@latimes.com.