Everybody Needs Credential at SEC Media Days, Even Saban

Legendary Alabama coach had to use a credential for first time ever since he didn't need one winning championships

Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban at SEC Media Days in 2022. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — If Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has any aspirations of sitting at an SEC Network desk after his time with the Razorbacks, he has yet another lesson to learn from former Alabama coach Nick Saban.

Yeah, even Saban needs a credential to get into the SEC Football Kickoff downtown on Monday morning. What's was even better was commissioner Greg Sankey having some fun with it when he kicked off the annual throng of media people gathered, primarily to interview each other.

"The third would go to Nick Saban, who apparently was denied access because he didn't have his credential this morning and had to go back to his room," Sankey said, joking about three hustle awards. "So we teach those lessons quickly."

Sankey later admitted that he too got busted for being in a hall without his credential. Saban, who is in attendance as part of his new gig with ESPN on the SEC Network's panel, apparently couldn't even play his championship football coach card, as he said on Get Up earlier Monday morning.

"Now that I'm on your team, I guess it's a little different," Saban told Laura Rutledge. "But the [security personnel] were really polite and I respect that they were just trying to do their job."

It's a different world for Saban now. Security has always been picky about those things.

When it was at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala., there was a connected mall and people would stroll through slowly, but they couldn't stop for long without drawing looks from security. Things are apparently a little better now.

"This SEC Media Day was kind of D-Day for me because in January you spend time developing your team, February is spring practice and summer is conditioning, so your focus is really on developing your team," Saban said. "Then all of sudden when you get here, you say 'Oh boy, there's a lot of competition, so we got to start to get ready for the season.' So it was really kind of D-Day for me in terms of transitioning your team from developing to getting ready to compete."

He'll get a turn with Arkansas coach Sam Pittman on Thursday. The Razorbacks will kick off the final day then.

HOGS FEED:

• Calipari pulling out all stops to gain commitment from Boozer

• Sankey leaves wiggle room if needed in regard to future conference expansion

• LSU's Kelly perfectly diagnosed Razorbacks' biggest issue when it comes to SEC success

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