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A number of ESPN hosts are being ripped for a recent segment on the legacy of Nick Saban. Those co-workers believe the head coach will be viewed in a different light should Alabama miss the College Football Playoff again in 2023.
This comes despite Saban being arguably the best college coach to ever walk the sidelines, backed up by his NCAA-leading seven national titles. Fans have been quick to comment on the ridiculous question and answer piece as they post responses online.
No one can deny what Saban has accomplished in Tuscaloosa. A perennial playoff contender, he’s led the Tide to 10 wins or more in 15 straight seasons. He’s also landed a No. 1 ranking at some point throughout each of those campaigns.
His team has played in six of the last eight national championship games, most recently losing to Georgia in the 2021 season.
This past season, Alabama lost two games by a combined four points, both on the final play of the game. That kept them out of the SEC title game and CFP for the first time since 2019, pushing a bit of doubt into the minds of these sports analysts.
Recency bias favors Kirby Smart and UGA as they’ve won each of the last two titles. A third consecutive championship would mark the first time that’s happened in the NCAA since the 1930s.
Paul Finebaum believes, if it happens, that it will be a mark against Nick Saban and his legacy in college football.
Nick Saban’s legacy could be viewed differently if Alabama misses the CFP again this season, according to @finebaum 👀 pic.twitter.com/6lijtdO09f
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 17, 2023
“If for some reason Alabama doesn’t make the playoffs again this year, are we going to be talking about Nick Saban’s legacy in a different light?” the co-host asked.
Finebaum took the bait and answered, “Yes.”
“I think, yes. You have to. Nothing is going to take away from what he’s accomplished,” he said. “But if he is in the same league as somebody who at the end of this season has won three, then that’s a big hit on his legacy.”
He continued on to say, “You have to question Saban for what happened last year. He had the best team in the country going in… With that, he still couldn’t get it done.”
Fans and media quickly disagreed with the opinion.
Mike Golic said, “Could not disagree with this more.”
Could not disagree with this more
— Mike Golic (@golic) July 17, 2023
Another college football account wrote, “We have officially run out of things to talk about.”
we have officially run out of things to talk about
— College Football Lounge (@CFBLounge) July 17, 2023
This fan posted, “ESPN has fallen off so hard.”
ESPN has fallen off so hard. The greatest college coach of all time’s legacy will not be diminished if Alabama doesn’t make the playoff. What’s is this ???
— Cam (@camdencwilson) July 17, 2023
The segment in general is just a complete stretch. Welcome to the college football offseason.