Here’s a tweet making the rounds. This poor guy is currently getting the ratio for an opinion about press conference etiquette and how we should address football coaches:

First of all, the reporter saying “Hi Saban” is incredibly odd. Apparently they were nervous and flubbed the introduction.

But Rick Karle thinks we should be addressing Nick Saban as “Coach Saban,” and he wrote a lengthy Facebook post explaining why.

Here’s a snippet from the post:

I have a problem with reporters addressing Coach Saban as “Nick” when asking the coach a question if they don’t know him well.

I have heard this since the coach arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2007.

Questions like, “Nick, can you tell me about the progression of your quarterback?”

Or, “Nick, what have you learned about your team this year?”

…

I’ve come up with a proposal for all of us media people to follow as we move into a new year. How about simply calling the head football coach at the University Of Alabama, “Coach Saban?” I think the man has earned that much respect.
…

Think about it: Why does almost every person in our state refer to Paul “Bear” Bryant as “Coach Bryant?” Respect. Calling him any name other than Coach Bryant is showing disrespect.

So how about we make a New Year’s resolution to address the greatest coach in the history of college football as “Coach Saban” (and yes, simply “Coach” will do)?

And yes, the same goes with Coach K, Coach Belechic (sic), Coach Kelly, Coach Williams, Coach Harsin and any other coach (especially those who have been around for decades).

It’s the most proper, most classy and most respectful thing to do when in news conference settings.

Really? These guys are football coaches. We’re not talking to the pope or some foreign dignitary. We’re not 22 years old and nervously referring to our first boss as “Mr.” We are not exalting the great pigskin leader as a demigod, come to lord over us dirty and unwashed peasants.

It’s Nick Saban. His name is Nick Saban. It’s not rude or disrespectful to call him by his first name. We call Doug Pederson “Doug” and Alain Vigneault “Alain” and Doc Rivers “Doc.” Some reporters and fans will use the generic term “coach,” which is absolutely fine.

This is such an Alabama take that it hurts. Football in the deep South is a second religion, and nothing else matters, as James Hetfield once said. These coaches are among the highest paid and most revered employees in their states.

This is the same region of the country, mind you, that voted Tommy Tuberville to the Senate, a guy with a 2-2 career record against Temple who doesn’t know the three branches of government.

And the ultimate irony is that Rick Karle writes “Nick Saban” in his profile: