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| President Obama, Nick Saban, Alabama coaches and players
‘Bama meets O-Bama
Brother, the leader in
college football, meets the leader of the free world in the White House.
Nick Saban has come a
LONG way from Helen’s Run and Monongah High School.
Justin Meyer, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Alabama has won four
football national championships in seven years, which some might attribute to
talent and coaching. According to President Barack Obama, though, there could
be something else at work.
“This is the fourth time I have hosted
Alabama here at the White House,” he said Wednesday. “So, clearly, I’ve brought
you some good luck. Might as well call me ‘O-Bama.’ ”
Alabama has gone to the White House so
often during Obama’s tenure, the president felt compelled to ask Nick Saban
where he has been the last three years.
“My first question is: Coach, what took you
so long?” he asked, able to elicit a rare smile from Saban. “It’s been three
whole years since I last saw you.”
Obama explained this would unfortunately be
the final time he could welcome the Crimson Tide to the White House.
“I’d like to say I’ll see you next year,
but we’ve got this thing called term limits,” he said.
The president highlighted some of the
community work the Alabama program has done, including building homes for
victims of the 2011 tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa, volunteering at local
retirement homes, school and hospitals, its high graduation rates and more. He
continued his praise, also recognizing Alabama for its accomplishments on the
field.
“I just want to say, Coach, I couldn’t be
prouder of you and the work that you’ve done,” he said. “I know that the people
of Alabama are extraordinarily proud of this team. Maybe the Auburn fans don’t
want to admit it, but everyone recognizes excellence when they see it, and
nobody has had more sustained excellence as a football program at the
collegiate level than the Alabama Crimson Tide.”
Outside the White House after the event,
Saban commended Obama for how he has treated his team the several times they
have come to the nation’s capital.
“We certainly appreciate President Obama
for being so hospitable,” he said. “He shakes every player’s hand, everybody
gets an opportunity to meet him.”
Saban said this past season’s team “won as
one,” having to overcome an early loss to Ole Miss in order to make its way
back into the national championship conversation.
“The adversity we had to overcome losing
early, and having 12 straight elimination games to win a championship against a
very good Clemson team, I think makes this team really unique from all the
rest,” he explained.
“Most of the time when I say I really like
our team, that means something, and I really like this team.”
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