Saban then became increasingly agitated with the minor physical ailment and expressed his displeasure with a series of analogies to the 20th century's most horrific human tragedies.
First he stated the hangnail was a major physical bother to him, saying it was "like cancer or AIDS". Then he compared his struggle to pull it off to the civil rights movement, calling his hangnail racism and his tweezers Martin Luther King, Jr. He proudly stated, "Now I understand what Dr. King and the rest of those people went through."
Several anti-defamation groups have voiced their displeasure with Saban’s remarks. The Jewish Anti-Defamation League has been the most vocal. They released a statement calling Saban's comments "niggardly" and "retarded" and claimed their request for an apology "fell on deaf ears".
But while most groups were appalled, there is one group of people who did not find Saban's comments offensive at all. In fact, most Alabama football fans do not think his comments went far enough.
According to minister and lifelong Tide fan Rev. Joseph McElroy, losing to Auburn “is more tragic than 9/11, Pearl Harbor, the crucifixion, and the apocalypse combined.” He added that he has resigned from the Church to “pursue a higher calling” and focus on Alabama football with his “mind, body, and soul with a purity of intention and purpose in accordance with scripture, the Lord, and Bear Bryant”.
Correspondingly Saban has responded to the negative backlash by falling back on his religious faith. The coach showed how he has grown spiritually from the experience when he described his fellowship with the Lord in his own distinctive way:
"My God, I feel like I'm being crucified here. I mean, I guess Jesus had to deal with angry Jews too, but he never had to face anything as tough as the sports media."
Coach Saban clarifies his comments to an understanding Alabama press corps.
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