James Franklin Calls Nick Saban, 'Nicky Satan' at Sports Banquet, Then Calls Saban to Apologize

Increasingly popular Vanderbilt coach James Franklin had this to say about Alabama coach Nick Saban

The internet collectively laughed and heaped praise on Franklin!

"“There’s this guy down at Alabama. I think his name is Nicky Satan. You guys have probably heard of him before. I’m going to outwork him.”"

Cool.

Later, Franklin called Saban to apologize, according to the Tennessean.

"“Obviously, tremendous respect for Coach Saban,” Franklin said. “I just got off the phone with him. Tremendous respect for them. I’ve got tremendous respect for what they’ve done. Everybody is chasing them. The guy has won three or four national championships. “(I was) really talking about the work ethic that he has a reputation for, and that we’re going to outwork them. I made a joke. And in today’s society with all the media and social media and people with tape recorders and things like that, that doesn’t come off that way. I know people have tremendous pride in Alabama, and their fans are fanatical. So I understand. But it was a joke and I didn’t mean to offend anybody.” Franklin said that Saban was “good” with the situation. “He’s got a lot on his plate right now with recruiting. I have a lot on my plate right now with recruiting,” Franklin said. “We spoke briefly. He said, ‘Coach, I have a lot of respect for what you guys are doing up there at Vanderbilt.’ I said, ‘Coach, I’ve got tremendous respect for what you’re doing.’ And that was it. Got off the phone and that was it.”"

Well, that was fun for a few hours. If you’re wondering, the Tide don’t play the Commodores in 2013. [Tennessean]