Watch as Charles Barkley gets Nick Saban to dish on diapers, grilling and hoops
Charles Barkley and Nick Saban sat down for a one-on-one interview that any sports fan should watch
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3 min read
Before we get started, props to AL.com for setting up the interview of the offseason, one that any sports fan would (and will) love. Charles Barkley's one-on-one with Alabama coach Nick Saban was a comfortable conversation between two of the biggest names in sports who happen to share deep connections with the state of Alabama.
Barkley, a star at Auburn and still a die-hard Tigers fan, delivered a couple solid digs at his Iron Bowl rivals -- including "did they paint this dump" as he walked into the Alabama facility -- but once the conversation began, there was a level of respect on both sides that made the whole thing worth a few minutes of anyone's day.
The comfort level between the two Alabama icons brought out some interesting tidbits about Saban -- some that were known, others that weren't. We've compiled the best, funniest and most interesting moments from the video, which can be seen below.
1. Saban can get himself a statue outside Barkley's house. The conversation was filmed just before the final weekend off for Saban and the Alabama coaching staff. Saban was preparing to head to the lake, where he said he was planning to play a lot of golf. Barkley, infamous for his golf game and golf swing, laughed at Saban's proposal that he could be better if he wanted to be based on his natural athleticism.
"If you can fix my golf game, I'll put a statue of you at my house. As great a coach as you are, if you fix my golf game, anytime you come to Arizona I'll put a statue of you outside my house," Barkley said.
2. Saban's weakness is discovered. "My wife gets so mad at me because I don't like to cook on the grill," Saban said after Barkley assumed that the championship-winning coach was a "master griller."
As it turns out, Saban's time at LSU included a lot of good eating. He said when guests came over to visit they'd even bring their own "cooking apparatus," and since everybody else cooked so well, he had no reason to get into the grilling game.
3. Barkley sees Saban's discipline as giving second chances to young black men. None of Saban's comments on this were particularly new if you've followed the coach through these situations, but given the recent news of the offseason with Cam Robinson, it was relevant.
"As a coach, when it comes to football players, we're trying to change their behavior and make them better. As people, we're trying to change their behavior and make them better," Saban said, adding that there are a lot of chances to work with players between the spring and the start of the season to change that behavior.
"I've had a lot more success helping guys then just being punitive," he added.
4. Saban ain't changing diapers but wishes he had been involved more with his family. "The biggest thing, if I could go back and try to change things, I tried to do it as much as I could but I never did as much as I should," Saban said, referring to going to his kids' games and events when they were younger.
The way that Saban had the turn of phrase ready to roll suggests that he's thought about this before. But when Barkley followed up with a question about changing diapers now that Saban is a grandfather, he broke that steel-faced character. "Do I have to answer that honestly?" After laughter from both parties, Saban shook his head, "No."
5. No one but Saban plays point. Saban's pick-up basketball games have been well documented, but this was the first time I've heard about the involvement of second-year Alabama basketball coach Avery Johnson.
Saban calls himself the "commissioner" of the pick-up league, getting to pick the team, play point guard and even pick the player on the other team who guards him. When Johnson showed up, Saban wanted him on his team but actually made the former NBA player move over to shooting guard for their games.
"What happens when someone commits a hard foul on Nick Saban?" Barkley asked.
"Most of the guys I'm playing with work for me, so you could get fired," Saban responded.
"Is that what happened to Kirby Smart?"
After a hearty laugh from both Barkley and Saban, the Alabama coach revealed that Smart, now at Georgia, was always on his team because "he can shoot."
