Nick Saban drew FCC complaints for College GameDay cussing

The former Alabama head coach and current ESPN college football analyst was the subject of some testy complaints received by the FCC after some of his profanities went over the air.

College football viewers weren't impressed by Nick Saban's choice of words, and lodged their complaints with the FCC. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Nick Saban has garnered something of a reputation when it comes to his choice of words when speaking in public, including a few notable profanities that slipped out when he appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay.

The former seven-time national champion head coach was known to go over the line when it comes to FCC rules and regulations on what you can say over the air.

And a few college football viewers made their disgust known about it.

That’s according to the results of a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by AL.com seeking out criticism made to the FCC specifically about Saban and his potty mouth.

“Nick Saban said the word sh-t twice, b-tch once, and something else I can’t remember,” read one complaint filed by an unhappy ESPN viewer from Missouri.

“I tune [in] to gain knowledge and insight on college football, not to have profanity stuffed in my face by a former coach trying to be funny. It will continue until you [fine] them a million dollars or more. Chinchy fines accomplish nothing.”

That particular complaint was received by the FCC just after Noon Eastern Time following the Dec. 7 episode in which Saban was displeased with conferences fining schools amid the flag-planting craze across the sport the previous week.

“I think to find these schools $100,000 is like worrying about mouse manure when you’re up to your ears in elephant sh-t,” Saban said, one of a few profanities he used that day.

A clever way to illustrate a point, no doubt, but not one that some viewers took very well.

Another complaint came in about a quarter hour later, this one including remarks made by analyst Pat McAfee in addition to another made by Saban.

“I continually hear profanity on College GameDay which airs on ESPN,” said another complaint from North Carolina.

“The show comes on at 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Children are obviously awake and can be exposed to this broadcast. Today, Nick Saban used the profane word bullsh-t on air. Most every show I watch, Pat McAfee is using profanity. I don’t understand why the FCC is not [stopping] this.”

It added: “No one is able to sit down with their children and watch a football show without exposing them to the profanity.”

Despite the complaints, the FCC does not have a record of ESPN being penalized last year.

(AL.com)

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