Charles Barkley cited former Alabama football coach Nick Saban when offering some advice for Auburn’s Chad Baker-Mazara.
Baker-Mazara was tagged with a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected in an overtime loss to Alabama on Saturday.
The NBA analyst and former Auburn star, obviously, wants Baker-Mazara to learn from the foul moving into the SEC and NCAA touranments.
“Chad has got to be really careful with his emotions,” Barkley said. “Nick Saban, the greatest coach in college football history says, ‘I want you to play with emotion. But don’t be emotional.’
“I asked him about that one time and if you go back, he says especially in big games when you’re really excited, all the TV networks are there, the fans are going crazy. Because one emotional decision gets you tossed from the game or gets you a penalty. Playing with emotion and being emotional are two different things.”
On Saturday, Baker-Mazara elbowed Alabama’s Chris Youngblood in the back of the head as the players were boxing out for a rebound. Baker-Mazara
Auburn is set to play Friday at noon in the SEC Tournament.
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.