Paul Finebaum: It bothers me when Nick Saban talks down to the media

Paul Finebaum has a bone to pick with Alabama head coach Nick Saban. On Tuesday, the SEC Network analyst criticized Saban for his relationship with the media when joining Andy Staples On3.

“Instead of people saying, ‘I don’t really like that.’ People usually say, ‘Oh, he’s an evil genius. He knows what he’s doing,'” Finebaum told On3’s Andy Staples. “The reporter in me, who has sat in that room like you have many times, that bothers me because, in my estimation, he’s talking down to the media.

“When you’re Nick Saban, you don’t have to bully a bunch of sports writers who are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I remember I was in that room 40 years ago, or a little bit more, covering Bear Bryant. I was scared to death. And one thing about Bryant, he never berated the media. He never talked down to them and Saban does.”

The incident that stirred controversy this time was Saban’s refusal to release Alabama’s depth chart on Monday ahead of the team’s season opener. The 71-year-old head coach firmly responded to reporters’ questions surrounding the roster.

“I know your No. 1 focus is not on the game, it’s on the depth chart,” Saban said to the press. “Look, there’s a lot of competition on the team, and when we put a depth chart out, you all think that’s, like, final. Like it’s etched in stone and it’s going to be this way forevermore just because we come out of fall camp and that’s where it is. Creates a lot of distractions on our team. Creates a lot of guys thinking, ‘Well, this guy won the job now and I’m not going to play or whatever.’ And quite frankly, we don’t need that.”

The Nick Saban history

It isn’t the first time Saban has caused a stir with the media. While speaking at an event celebrating the 50-day countdown to the World Games in Birmingham last year, Saban reportedly claimed that Texas A&M “bought every player on their team” with NIL deals.

Obviously, Saban’s comments drew headlines. Whether right or wrong, Staples claims the moment was pivotal for his perspective of Saban.

“I used to be one of those people who always thought there was an ulterior motive, that Saban has a master plan for everything he does,” Staples said. “I was disabused of that notion, [when Saban] was speaking out about Jimbo Fisher last year… That was one that he didn’t have planned out and you realize, ‘Oh, he is the best coach of all time, but sometimes he just does some things that maybe don’t make sense.'”

Fans won’t have to wait long to see Alabama’s depth chart. On Sept. 2, Saban and Co. will kick off their season against Middle Tennessee State.