The University of Alabama announced earlier this week that they plan on renaming their football field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium as Nick Saban Field.
While the former head coach and his wife Terri were flattered by the gesture, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum called it an “insult” and thought instead that the entire complex should be renamed Bryant-Saban Stadium.
“Naming a field after the greatest coach in college football is an insult,” Finebaum said Thursday on The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5. Thursday.
He also called the move “underwhelming.”
“For the life of me, I don’t understand why the University of Alabama is so stubborn,” said Finebaum. “I don’t think this is that great a tribute to Saban. I think it is somewhat of an insult to put him below (Paul) Bryant and (George) Denny. Denny has Denny Chimes. It may be the most iconic thing on the Alabama campus.”
He said naming the stadium after arguably the two greatest college football coaches of all time also sends a message.
“You put Bryant’s and Saban’s names on the stadium, you’re telling the world we had the two greatest football coaches in the history of college football at one school,” he said.
The stadium is named after Paul “Bear” Bryant and former university president George Denny who was head of the school at the beginning of the 20th century.
About Stacey Mickles
Stacey is a 1995 graduate of the University of Alabama who has previously worked for other publications such as Sportskeeda and Saturday Down South.