The University of Alabama declared earlier this week that Nick Saban Field will be the new name of their football field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The former head coach and his wife Terri were thrilled by the gesture, but ESPN’s Paul Finebaum referred to it as a “insult” and suggested that Bryant-Saban Stadium be the new name for the entire complex.
“It is offensive to name a field after the best college football coach ever,” Finebaum stated on WNSP-FM 105.5’s The Opening Kickoff on Thursday.
He added that the action was “underwhelming.”
Finebaum remarked, “I don’t understand for the life of me why the University of Alabama is so stubborn.” This doesn’t seem like a very fitting homage to Saban. It is, in my opinion, a little offensive to rank him below (Paul) Bryant and (George) Denny. Denny has his own set of chime. It might be the campus of Alabama’s most recognisable feature.
According to him, it also sends a message to name the stadium after the two most successful college football coaches in history.
“You’re telling the world we had the two greatest football coaches in college football history at one school when you put Bryant and Saban’s names on the stadium,” he remarked.
The stadium bears the names of previous university president George Denny, who led the institution at the start of the 20th century, and Paul “Bear” Bryant.