Former Alabama head coach and current ESPN personality Nick Saban has just started his new role on College Gameday. So far, the response to Saban on College Gameday has largely been positive, which Saban credited Pat McAfee for on Friday.
Saban joined McAfee on Friday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show, where the two discussed their time together thus far on the show. Specifically, the stark differences between the two were highlighted in a now-viral video of McAfee dancing on the set while Saban seemingly gave him a side-eye.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard. You and me, we’re on the internet. I was dancing, you were thinking I believe. You side-eyed the shit out of me. Here it is right here. You give me a nice side-eye. Look at it,” said McAfee.
“Yeah, I didn’t know what to think,” replied Saban.
“Yeah, you were thinking I’m an asshole. Which a lot of people think,” added McAfee.
Contrary to how the side-eye video looked, Saban later said that McAfee’s carefree nature has made it easier for him to fit in on the College Gameday set.
“You know, I’m very much the rookie learning the ropes,” said Saban. “Not in terms of having information that you want to put out there. But when to say it, how to say it, how to respect the people around you, how to have the conversation, how to fit with everybody. Because we’re a team. And every team, you have to be able to fit into your role on that team. Which I’m really conscious about trying to do.
“You’ve made it easier for me though. Sitting by you makes it easier for me. Because I’m less anxious because you are very aggressive in whatever we’re talking about or whatever we’re doing.”
McAfee is one of the few polarizing people in sports media these days. But when you pair his larger-than-life personality with the mild-mannered one of Saban, it seems to work.
A crew member on GameDay recently described their relationship as a “bromance.” Saban’s comments here certainly affirm that sentiment to be true.
