"You were able to show you’re not afraid of him": Paul Finebaum recalls conversation with proud Miss Terry about challenging Nick Saban

There’s no love lost between Paul Finebaum and Nick Saban over the years. Their relationship has seen its fair share of fiery moments, but one particular incident stands out for the SEC Network analyst.

During the 2016 SEC Media Days, Finebaum openly criticized Saban on live television for handling then-Alabama star Cam Robinson’s legal troubles. The exchange quickly escalated, with Saban getting into a heated argument and even accusing police officers on duty were sore LSU fans.

The clash grabbed headlines as expected, but it wasn’t without a silver lining. Finebaum revealed on the "Beat Everyone" podcast that Terry Saban, Nick Saban’s wife, viewed the incident as a positive one for both men.

“[14:20] Terry Saban, in fact, told me when I ran into her at a restaurant a couple of months later... that it was the best thing to happen to both of us. ‘You were able to show you’re not afraid of him. You would challenge, and he got to show he will stand up for his players,’” Finebaum said.

The incident is one of the numerous to-and-fro jabs between the two figures of college football. Finebaum described his relationship with Saban on the podcast as “good, but clearly, it’s been tested.”

Paul Finebaum scared to death by Nick Saban

The CFB analyst recently spoke about his experience with the former Alabama Crimson Tide coach. On the "Sports Media" podcast, Finebaum praised Saban's preparation and expertise.

“He (Saban) will be the most prepared person on that GameDay set, and he will be clearly the most knowledgeable. I think really the issue will be if everyone else can be themselves. I could not be myself. I’m rarely intimidated, but he scared me to death,” Finebaum admitted.

Nick Saban will now see more of Finebaum, as he will have analyst roles with the SEC Network and ESPN's "College GameDay." His debut on television during the SEC Media Days and the 2024 NFL Draft has left fans wanting more.