Saban is the perfect mix of disciplinarian/human being. Some guys are too player friendly to be considered authoritarians, and some are over the top. I'm sure the media is going to take Saban's demeanor and run with it, but I think he's a good mix of each.
On the field he's obviously no nonsense. He will jump on you if you're loafing or if you make mistakes. That said, all the players, especially the veterans, seem to appreciate the way he has handled them in the offseason. JT, Zach, and even Ricky all seem to like the way he handles himself.