Alabama gubernatorial hopeful Tim James's election bid in jeopardy after Nick Saban rumor
Football and politics go about as well together as Oprah Winfrey and Lean Cuisine. One does not have to look further than the current United States Senate vs. BCS spat going on right now to see this. Most recently, Paul Finebaum, a regionally well-renowned Alabama sports talk show host and columnist, may have thrown a wrench in Alabama gubernatorial hopeful Tim James’s election bid.
During yesterday’s afternoon edition of the Paul Finebaum Show, Finebaum announced on-air that there was a rumor circulating that James (an Auburn alumnus) claimed that, if elected, he would cut the salary of Alabama football head coach Nick Saban. Saban recently received a contract extension and raise that will bring him a little under $5 million a year. Within 10 minutes of Finebaum’s on-air claims, the James camp went on the defensive and vehemently denied ever making such statements concerning Saban. James and his press team spent all yesterday afternoon and evening doing damage control and telling anyone and everyone who would listen that he never uttered such words. James is no fool and understands that if he is to stand a realistic chance at living in the governor’s mansion, taking a swipe at the state’s most revered man, Nick Saban, is a sure fire way to receive a fastpass to a quick exit.
College football is king in SEC country, even more so in the state of Alabama. ‘Bama fans in the state called the Paul Finebaum show en masse yesterday to chime in on the topic of the day. “It’s the most engaged [callers] have been in regards to Alabama politics in a long time, but of course we’re talking about something bigger than Alabama politics — Nick Saban,” Finebaum told The Birmingham News last night. James is no stranger to controversy as he recently took heat locally and nationally for a campaign ad he ran in which he claimed that, if elected, he’d make sure that Alabama driver’s license tests would only be administered in English.
With the party primaries taking place on June 1, 2010, James doesn’t have that much time left to pick up steam. I’m no campaign manager, but it’s safe to say that James is slowly fading to the back of the pack in the race. With only a few weeks left before Alabamians head to the polls to pick their G.O.P. representative for the statewide election in November, James and his camp need to hit the state hard canvassing neighborhoods and connecting with residents. All of this does have to make you really think though, is Nick Saban truly the most powerful man in the state of Alabama?
