Saban backtracks on Texas A&M comments, argues for clearer NIL guidelines

The Alabama football coach said the following Tuesday.

“I never said anybody did anything wrong.”

Two weeks ago, Nick Saban touched off a firestorm, saying that Texas A&M bought every player on their team.  Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher fired back, saying among other things that Saban’s behavior was “narcissistic.”

So, there was Saban at the podium at the SEC meetings in Destin, saying the following: “Equitable national competition is really important in college athletics, in college football,” said Saban.

Saban wants some sort of guidelines, that level the playing field when it comes to name, image and likeness.

When I hear anyone in the Southeastern Conference talked about equitable competition, I have to chuckle.  In 2021, the SEC announced that each school in the conference would receive $54.6 million in TV revenue. In March of 2019, the American Athletic Conference announced a 12 year deal with ESPN that will pay each school $7 million per season.

That’s equitable?

The transfer portal, another item that supposedly signaled the end of college football as we know it, has been a boon to several SEC schools, but no school more than Alabama.

The Tide got one of Georgia’s best receivers, one of Georgia Tech’s best running backs, one of LSU’s best cornerbacks and Vanderbilt’s best offensive lineman. The rich, got richer.

Which is the problem with name, image and likeness.  The state of Texas has more money than most.

Certainly, more than the state of Alabama. Thus, the Crimson Tide coach screams for regulation.

“I am for the players making as much money as they can make,” said Saban.

If he truly believes that, great. However, deep down inside, I think many college coaches want things the way they used to be.

Once, not long ago, it took an act of God for a player to leave one SEC school for another.  If a player transferred, and they were not a graduate student, they had to sit out for an entire year.

Once you signed your letter of intent, a player’s rights were diminished.

Now, if they are a great talent, and at a well healed school, the college football world is their oyster.

Name, image and likeness gives Texas A&M University a real advantage. If you don’t believe that, go to College Station and check out the campus.

In some spots, it screams opulence. In other spots, it simply says we have the best money can buy. Now that pertains to football.

Texas A&M is winning name, image and likeness battle by following the rules.

Those rules, or lack of them when it comes to NIL, are making the Alabama football coach uneasy.

What I like so far is that LSU head coach Brian Kelly isn’t complaining. He’s making $10 million a season and understands what he got into and what he’s up against.

“I wanted to compete in the American League East,” said Kelly.

If that includes NIL, so be it.