`We're done': A&M's Fisher fires back at `narcissist' Saban

The Southeastern Conference spring meetings will be held in person for the time since 2019 in a little less than two weeks.

It is unlikely two of the SEC's superstar coaches will be chumming around Destin, Florida, together.

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher called Nick Saban a “narcissist” on Thursday after the Alabama coach accused the rival Aggies of using name, image and likeness deals to land their top-ranked recruiting classes.

Less than 24 hours after Saban said Texas A&M was essentially “buying” players, Fisher called an impromptu news conference to blast college football's most accomplished coach and his former boss at LSU.

“It's despicable that a reputable head coach can come out and say this when he doesn't get his way or things don't go his way,” Fisher said in College Station, Texas. “The narcissist in him doesn't allow those things to happen — it's ridiculous — when he's not on top. And the parity in college football he's been talking about? Go talk to coaches who have coached for him. You'll find out all the parity. Go dig into wherever he's been.”

Texas A&M had the consensus No. 1 recruiting class in the country for 2022 after beating Alabama during the regular season. The Tide's class was No. 2. In his session which lasted about 10 minutes, Fisher declared: “We never bought anybody, no rules are broken. Nothing was done wrong.”

The public spat is perhaps the ugliest display of the growing angst and concerns among college coaches who are wrestling with two big changes: The compensation era, launched last July, and its impact on recruiting, and the ease with which players can now transfer.

Baseball

METS ACE SCHERZER OUT 6 TO 8 WEEKS >>

Mets pitcher Max Scherzer is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a strained oblique muscle in his left side, the latest blow to a New York pitching staff already missing ace Jacob deGrom.

Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, had an MRI a day after he pulled himself from a start against the St. Louis Cardinals with a 1-1 count on Albert Pujols in the sixth inning after feeling “a zing” in his left side.

New York said the scan detected a moderate-tohigh grade strain.

Tennis

OSAKA GETS REMATCH AS SHE RETURNS TO FRENCH OPEN >>

Naomi Osaka's return to the French Open will be a tough test against the player who beat her at the Australian Open, Amanda Anisimova.

They were paired in the bracket during the draw at Roland Garros for the claycourt major tennis tournament.

Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion who used to be No. 1 in the rankings but has slipped to No. 38 in part because of a lack of activity. That included time off for a mental health break after she withdrew from Roland Garros ahead of her secondround match last year, revealing that she has dealt with anxiety and depression.

Osaka is not seeded at the French Open, where play begins Sunday.