“It’s not that hard”: Paul Finebaum fires shots at former Alabama HC Nick Saban as he moves onto analyst role

The sight of Nick Saban and Paul Finebaum sitting side by side to each other as an analyst for ESPN will be weird for some time. But the two college football entities can finally reason with each other without constantly clashing.

Although Finebaum was never shy about criticizing the former Alabama head coach, Saban’s role at ESPN will start a new kind of relationship between the two. On The Next Round podcast, while host Ryan Brown was talking about Saban's candor on Alabama's prospects, Finebaum had other things on mind.

He took a cheeky shot at Saban and him being high maintenance on the ESPN set.

"He’s always got 3 people with him. I don’t know what these guys do because I’ve done all the things he’s doing this week and it’s not that hard," said Finebaum.

It’s clear that the 72-year-old coach remains a hot topic for Finebaum, with Saban’s move to the analyst chair giving him fresh material.

Post-retirement Nick Saban interaction felt different to Kirby Smart

It’s natural to get nervous when talking to Nick Saban. Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart had a similar nerve-wracking interaction with Saban at the 2024 SEC Media Days in Dallas.

Despite the legendary former coach's retirement and shift to the media, Smart felt the familiar pressure when speaking to his former boss.

"It's different. I'll tell you the most unique part. Lane [Kiffin] and I were sharing some texts, and he reached out to talk to us to prepare for the media day, and I still got nervous on the phone with him," Smart admitted on ESPN.

The respect and influence Saban holds over his former assistants were evident. Smart continued:

"I felt like I was still talking to my boss. I told Lane, he is still calling us, asking us about our team, and I felt like I was sharing insider information or something. He's been a critical part of my career and so many coaches' careers. I'm just happy he's stayed involved in college football."

The legendary Alabama coach may have retired but his stature remains tall in the college football landscape.

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