Comedian Shane Gillis has revealed a heated conversation he had with legendary college football coach Nick Saban after the former suggested the latter’s Alabama Crimson Tide cheated while he was there, during the ESPN’s “College GameDay” broadcast.
Gillis spoke on the “Talk of the Town” podcast, where he explained what led to the situation where the comedian said Saban “blew my mind.”
First, Gillis told Saban’s “College GameDay” colleagues Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit that he believed Alabama had dominated college football because they were paying players before it was legal to do so via NIL agreements.
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Stand-up comedian Shane Gillis will begin a world tour in January 2025. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for the Bob Woodruff Foundation)
“After he said that, we had to go to the stadium to sit in the office, and I walked in there, and he [Saban] “It was like, ‘I heard what you said,’” Gillis said. “And I was like, ‘Holy shit,’ and then McAfee and Herbstreit were like, ‘He’s just beating the crap out of you, man.’
“‘He loves to play with guys. Like he’s literally fucking with you,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, okay. I’ll fuck with him back.'”
NICK SABAN CORRECTS SHANE GILLIS AFTER COMEDIAN JOKE COACH SUPERVISED CHEATING DURING TERM ALABAMA HISTORY
Gillis’ antics did not go down well with Saban, as the comedian double-crossed during his Dec. 20 appearance at the Notre Dame-Indiana college football playoff game.
“I was just kidding. I don’t think the SEC ever paid the players,” Gillis said on the show. Isn’t that a fun sight? Is this a serious show? Alabama Jones looks very serious.”
Nick Saban hosts the ESPN College GameDay show ahead of the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. (Michael Clubb/South Bend Trubube/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“Alabama Jones” referred to Saban, who wore a hat that resembled the one worn by Indiana Jones.
Saban shot back at Gillis, and he certainly meant it.
“I believe in integrity. I’ve always tried to run the program that way so the players have a better chance of succeeding in life,” Saban said. “We make more money in the NFL than any other school, 61 players in the league. That’s how we cheated. We developed players.”
Once the cameras were turned off, Gillis said Saban was actually upset after McAfee and Herbstreit told him to go talk to him.
“So I went to him afterward, he said, ‘You think the SEC dominated because we cheated? They’re bulls…’.” He lunged at me,” Gillis said.
Stand-up comedian Shane Gillis will begin a world tour in January 2025. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for the Bob Woodruff Foundation)
Saban is well known for his six national titles during his time in Tuscaloosa, as the Crimson Tide became a college football power. He also led the LSU Tigers to the BCS National Champions Game following the 2003 regular season.
