That other book about Nick Saban ...

Nick Saban during his press conference Thursday.

So Thursday I was at the University of Alabama for Nick Saban's press conference when he finished up by making a statement about the unauthorized biography that was just published about him. 

What I really loved was that it came right after he was asked about Bo Scarbrough's suspension and said he "shouldn’t comment because it seems like every time I make a comment about something it kind of gets taken out of context and gets blown up and all that, so I’m going to make less comments about things."

(In case you don't know it's totally true. The man could say the sky is blue and get criticized for it — but I digress.)

Saban was referring to Monte Burke's book, Saban: The Making of a Coach, which was released this week.

I haven't seen the book yet, and obviously haven't read it. The author interviewed some Crimson Tide reporters when putting it together and I was not among them. 

Here's what Saban had to say: “I just want everybody to know that I’m opposed to an unauthorized biography on anybody. If some person that you don’t even know (is) trying to profit by your story or someone else’s story. One of these days when I’m finished coaching at Alabama, I’ll write an authorized book because there’s only one expert on my life and guess who that is … me. And there won’t be any misinformation. There won’t be any false statements. There won’t be any hearsay. There won’t be any expert analysis from anybody else. It will be the real deal. And I’m not really ready for that to happen and it’s a little amazing to me that the timing of all this happening right when we’re starting camp. I just want everybody out there and all of our fans to know, it’s not going to be a distraction to us and it’s never going to get discussed again.”

“But since I’m not finished yet at Alabama, we’re not writing any books yet. But when we decide to write an authorized book it will have the truth ― the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

Yes, I was in the room when he said it. No, I have no idea what might be in the book that has the coach so upset. It might not be anything specific. 

Of course last year I published Nick Saban vs. College Football, which was deliberately not meant to be a biography. Specifically, my publisher asked if I might be interested in doing a Saban version of the book Tom Brady vs. the NFL, which came out in 2012, and I said yes as long as I could change the format.

I liken it to being the equivalent of a long thesis paper in which I set out to try and prove who have been the best coaches in college football history, so it was about a lot more than Saban. Also, before agreeing, I went to some of his handlers and explained what it was about. No one voiced a concern (and if they had I might have declined the project), although I was told that Saban would not contribute to it at all since he was planning to write an autobiography someday. The figures I'm hearing for a possible advance are nothing short of staggering.

The coach and I have never had a conversation about the book I wrote. I felt his not contributing to it at all only added to its objectivity. As for his statement, I can see the point of view for both sides. But while trying to get Alabama fans to ignore Burke's book, he might have only helped fuel sales. So be it.