Months before the Kick Six, Nick Saban had a College GameDay offer, Paul Finebaum says. The longtime host shared the story on ESPN’s Get Up and The Paul Finebaum Show.
What We Know: Finebaum mentioned Saban began growing weary around 2011, recalling a comment from his wife Terry in the Wall Street Journal. Then, in May 2013, agent Nick Khan traveled to Tuscaloosa to meet Saban and his agent, Jimmy Sexton. Khan, now WWE’s president, was then a sports media agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA). According to Finebaum, the possibility of a College GameDay role came up at that meeting. Months later, Auburn stunned Alabama in the Nov. 30 Iron Bowl on the famed Kick Six. Saban’s squad subsequently lost the Sugar Bowl to Oklahoma. Finebaum was in Pasadena, California covering the national title game between Auburn and Florida State at the Rose Bowl. Over lunch at the Langham hotel in Pasadena, Khan told him that ESPN executives were coming, followed by Saban and Sexton.
What They Said: “Nick Khan would entertain for hours. It’s like The Don, Don Corleone; there would be people waiting. Toward the end of lunch, he said, ‘Listen, at some point this lunch is going to end very quickly, because John Skipper, the president of ESPN, and John Wildhack, the number two guy, are going to show up here. And a few minutes after that, Saban and Sexton are going to show up.’ The reason that’s important is that this was after the Kick Six, and Saban was furious.” -Paul Finebaum
“I was thinking right then, this guy might be walking out. He has just had enough. He would never admit to that now, and nobody would confirm it. I’m just telling you, I was subjected to an F-bomb tirade by Saban that night in Pasadena.” –Paul Finebaum
What Remains Unclear: It’s unclear how seriously Saban considered leaving Alabama for College GameDay. Additionally, it’s unclear whether ESPN maintained a formal offer for more than a decade or periodically renewed its interest in Saban.
What It Means: Finebaum’s account highlights how high-profile coaches can have a lucrative landing spot in television when they’re ready to leave the sidelines. ESPN’s longstanding interest in Saban suggests networks are willing to pursue prominent coaching personalities years before they retire. Moreover, Saban’s eventual move to College GameDay could establish a blueprint for other big-name coaches considering their next career move.
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