Despite father’s on-air beef, Nick Saban’s daughter rejoices watching Shane Gillis’ live show

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban's daughter Kristen Saban has been supporting Crimson Tide players who were drafted during the just-concluded NFL draft. On Saturday, Kristen, who is a vociferous defender of her father, made an exception when she attended comedian Shane Gillis' show.

Gillis and the former Bama coach had a viral moment last year during a segment of ESPN's College GameDay when the comedian seemed to suggest that college football was more equitable in the current era than during the coach's heyday when the Crimson Tide monopolized the best players.

Kristen Saban posted a picture on her Instagram stories of her guest pass to the comedian's live show with the caption:

"So excited to lol all night long," Kristen Saban wrote.

Kristen Saban's IG story.

The trouble between Nick Saban and Shane Gillis started when the latter was the celebrity guest picker during ESPN's GameDay coverage of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's 27-17 win over the Indiana Hoosiers during the first round of the college football playoff in December.

During the episode, Gillis suggested that the Fighting Irish have a chance to compete for the national championship because the Crimson Tide no longer has a monopoly on the best players due to the NIL era. Saban did not take too kindly to the suggestion, vigorously defending his successful era in Tuscaloosa, which ended with nine SEC championships and one national championship.

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Nick Saban forgave Shane Gillis because of Kristen

During a segment of the "Pat McAfee Show," Saban revealed that his ever-supportive daughter, Kristen, being a fan of Gillis, helped to make him less angry at the comedian.

"Not at all. Not at all," Nick Saban said. "I understand he's (Gillis) a comedian... We were trying to create value for players and I think that's why we were able to recruit good players... that speaks for itself and that's all there is to it.

"He was trying to be funny, which I get. You know my daughter Kristen loves him, so that kind of soothed the soul a little bit that somebody in our family likes the guy."

During a segment of the "Matt & Shane’s Secret Podcast," Gillis revealed just how angry Nick Saban was after the incident.

"I would have never done that if I thought he (Saban) was serious," Gillis said. "I went up to him after and he was like, 'You think the SEC dominated because we cheated? That’s bull—! He spazzed on me. After he yelled at me I had to help him down and he, like, looked around to see if anybody else could help him, but I had to help him down. I felt really bad about that."

Incidences like the one with Shane Gillis have accounted for the surge in popularity that Nick Saban has enjoyed as a panelist on the GameDay show ever since he retired as the coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.