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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Exciting news for Nick Saban’s fans: The coaching maestro has emerged from retirement and made a highly anticipated public appearance. The former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach took part in an engaging interview with Jimmy Rane, found on the Alabama Crimson Tide on the AL.com YouTube page. 

However, he was not just there as a silent guest; instead, he took the stage. When it’s Saban, college football will surely get some words of wisdom. The interview has been no exception, as the ex-Crimson Tide mentor offered two invaluable pieces of advice to dodge lawsuit attacks.

Saban’s urgent advice on NCAA’s legal woes

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NCAA has been dealing with a severe legal issue for quite some time. Now that the situation has taken a serious turn, the NCAA has found its new guru. 

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In a conversation with Rane, Saban comes up with two pieces of advice. Since lawsuits are hanging over the NCAA, not resolving them could harm the entire college football spectrum. “Look, the No. 1 thing we need to do in college football is address all the lawsuits because the lawsuits may break the NCAA and it may break college football all right so that should be the first order of business,” enlightened Saban. He then advises the NCAA to channel their focus on the athletes, “The second thing is to try to create a system that continues to allow all people who have had the opportunity to participate in college athletics that’s male and female.” Saban being so sincere about NIL has come as a surprise for most college football fans.     

Saban’s dilemma between tradition and transition

Earlier in March, the ex-Alabama mentor did take a firm stand against the present workings in college football. He claimed, “All the things that I believed in, for all these years, 50 years of coaching, no longer exist in college athletics, it was always about developing players.”

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During the discussion hosted by Sen. Ted Cruz, Saban brought forward what his wife believes about the current situation in college football, “She said, ‘All they care about is how much you’re gonna pay them, they don’t care about how much you’re gonna develop them, which is what we’ve always done, so why are we doing this?'” Even though the 72-year-old legend did tag NIL as a “great concept’, at the same time, he voiced his deep worries about the system. 

Since, according to him, it has now become “pay for play, ” it will create a system where the rich will only get richer. However, with a change in his mindset, Saban proposes not to rob of any opportunities from athletes and guides the NCAA to clear up the lawsuit.