Update> Hall of Fame boxing promoter Bob Arum confirms the same story to the New Jersey Record. Arum says someone from CAA who represents Nick Saban [Jimmy Sexton] reached out to the owners of the Giants to let them know Nick wanted the job. Arum says Giants owner Steve Tisch (a close friend) called Arum back to relay "Saban's got to get back to us in one day. This has got to be done in one day and it's got to be confidential. If it is, it'll be a go." Eventually word came back, "His wife loves Tuscaloosa. She doesn't want to move, so Nick can't take the job."
Original Article>
According to actor Tom Arnold, who has a close friend in the New York Giants organization in Executive Vice President Steve Tisch, Nick Saban was really close to leaving Alabama for the vacant Giants position left by Tom Coughlin this past off season.
Arnold made an appearance on the Paul Finebaum Show and talked about how close Tisch (who is also a film and TV producer) and the Giants brass were to landing Saban, up until he had to run it by his wife.
"Our friend that owns the Giants, he told me that as they were hiring the new coach, in the middle of it, they get a call from Nick Saban. He's interested in the Giants job. This is fact. They told him, 'You have three hours to let us know if he's really interested.' And he tells him he has to talk to his wife. And then things didn't work out."
“So they had to stop. This is on a Saturday night. They said, ‘You have until Sunday morning at 8 a.m. to say a definite 'Yes.' Tell us what he needs for money.’ ‘Well, he needs $10 million to start with and this is the deal. He has to get it approved by his wife.’ 'Well, he has to get it approved by his wife right this second because we have a coach on the string here. But if he wants to do it, it has to be right this second.'"
"So he had until Sunday morning at 8 a.m. and it didn’t work out. But it was close.”
Is the story a steaming pile of crap, or reliable information? You decide. Hear Arnold's full comments to Finebaum below.
Head here to read more on just how close Saban was to leaving for the NFL again, courtesy of Bob Arum and NorthJersey.com.