Alabama football coach Nick Saban helped us forget about Urban Meyer for a day. No, Saban didn’t lie, he was, in layman’s terms, a jerk. The reason I put the two in the same camp is because they violated the simplest of public-relations practices that all coaches, let alone two of the winningest in college football, should know. After further review …
• A story that didn’t have to become one — Alabama football coach Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide won its season opener eleventy-billion – 7 and yet he was somehow aggravated enough about a postgame question that he snapped at ESPN reporter Maria Taylor. The game was a blowout and ended about midnight EDT. That it is a topic of conversation that will likely carry over to the start of the work week (after Labor Day) is all on him. Even though Saban reportedly called Taylor to apologize, his snippy and condescending answer to a justified question about his quarterbacks was uncalled for. Taylor handled it quickly and professionally and moved on.
Had Saban acted like a grownup, this wouldn’t have been a story. Like I’ve written about Ohio State’s Meyer and his poor responses to media of late, top-tier Division I coaches should know better. I guarantee both of these men do. But they’ve won titles and know they can often get away with acting like bullies. At least Saban saw his national media misstep and reportedly apologized.
Coaches, remember — you can’t hang posters in your locker room that preach honor and dignity if you don’t act with them yourself.
• Disturbin’ Urban — Speaking of Meyer, he released another Friday afternoon “memo” to try to further defend his innocence regarding what he knew about a now-fired assistant coach accused of domestic violence. He detailed why he thinks media misrepresented the investigation that explored who knew what, when. I hope a publicist has advised him to keep quiet from here on — like he should have last week. I read the statement and uttered in my limited Hebrew, “Sheket Bevakashah!” (Quiet, please.)
• The (roof has been mostly) Open — I know the college football season started, but I’m dialed in to the U.S. Open. (The tennis🎾 one, for those that get confused.) If you haven’t already, check out what I’m taking about, tune in for the quarterfinals, semifinals or finals matches this week. The electricity fans provide in addition to spectacular tennis in Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums and throughout the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is unlike any other Grand Slam tournament.
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