Chris Fowler calls out Jimbo Fisher for personal attacks against Nick Saban

After Alabama coach Nick Saban singled him out for allegedly buying players this year, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher lashed out at his former boss in a Thursday press conference. Later in the day, ESPN’s Chris Fowler joined The Paul Finebaum Show and didn’t sound thrilled with what he heard from the Aggies headman.

During his 10-minute press conference, Fisher called Saban a “narcissist” and hinted Saban doesn’t always follow the rules. The two are known to have a good relationship, but Fowler said although Fisher is right to defend his program, he went too far by getting personal.

“Uncalled for,” Fowler said. “He got off course there. Jimbo was right to say that he’s not cheating on this. They’re just gaming the system. When you claim to have no knowledge of what a collective is, everybody knows what a collective is. That was the unintended consequence that was always going to happen when you get into NIL. The idea that you’re going to pay somebody a few bucks to endorse a local business, forget that. The collective is real. Not a lot, but certain schools have them and more will have them. So I understand Jimbo getting upset when it was implied that he cheated. They didn’t buy players. They just bought them within the framework in the system. He struck back.

“Jimbo’s a feisty guy. … He’ll strike you back. It didn’t surprise me. He feels that he’s [at] equal terms with Nick. He feels he’s one of the few coaches that isn’t intimidated and feels that he can swing freely at him, and he did. But I don’t think he covered himself in glory, to be honest with you.”

Chris Fowler: ‘Jimbo’s a feisty character who gets off track a lot’

Fowler doubled down on his point about Fisher’s personality, saying he tends to go to the beat of his own drum. However, he also argued a back-and-forth between coaches might not be a bad thing for the game because people are talking about it and following closely.

“I don’t really understand it except to say, again, Jimbo’s a feisty character who gets off track a lot,” Fowler said. “Whether or not he would take anything back or walk anything back privately — he wouldn’t do it publicly — I don’t know.

“Listen, it’s not the worst thing in the world to have feuding coaches. It’s never been where these guys should be really good friends. They’re in each other’s way. They are obstacles for each other’s goals and potential success. I don’t have a problem with it, really. Let it work it out. It’s good theater. If he crossed the line and wants to walk it back, OK. If he doesn’t, I guess it’ll be an interesting collision at midfield on Oct. 8.”