It’s no secret that if you’re a fan of LSU, you most likely despise Nick Saban. Though the hatred started with LSU fans, today it seems it’s not just LSU fans or Louisiana natives expressing their disdain; it’s the south as a whole.
The LSU hatred started after he left the Tigers to pursue a job coaching the Miami Dolphins for the NFL. Since then, LSU fans have shown no signs of slowing down expressing that hatred.
Adding on to that, Saban referred to Louisiana as “coon ass” in a radio broadcast and stated multiple times he wasn’t going to coach for Alabama after leaving Miami. Obviously, he lied and did become the head coach for Alabama. The lack of trust after these actions is obvious.
Statistically speaking, Saban is one of the greatest college football coaches. He led his team to six NCAA football national championships. This kind of success can create some jealousy and annoyance.
As for the rest of the south, no one wants to see the same team with the same coach always winning unless they’re your favorite team. It’s like when the Golden State Warriors first acquired Kevin Durant; it was almost unfair to the rest of the NBA.
People are sick and tired of seeing Saban win everything since starting with Alabama. Other southern teams like Ole Miss and Florida feel the same. I remember rejoicing when Alabama lost to LSU and Auburn this season.
And I’m not alone in this aspect. Sports Illustrated previously named Saban as one of the most disliked sports figures. He was on the list with the likes of Lance Armstrong and Donald Sterling, former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.
In the 2017 National Championship game between Clemson and Alabama, fans from all over America celebrated Alabama’s loss. One tweet wrote, “I don’t understand anything Clemson is doing right now but it’s working and will make Nick Saban mad for the rest of his life, keep doing it.” And after this game, there were thousands of tweets like it.
I do think there are those that hate him just because they think it’s fun or because everyone else is, but being lied to and insulted by a coach who used to be our coach can make anyone angry.