I'm conflicted...about Coach Nick Saban. He has redeeming qualities (commitment, communication, discipline, knowledge, vision) but also inflexibility and inconsistent compassion. Simply, like all of us, he is human.
His book, How Good Do You Want to Be? offers suggestions and solutions but none of us follow our own advice all the time.
The beginning of The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck inspired Saban's prism:
"Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth, because once we see this truth - once we truly understand and accept it - then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters."
Peck continues, "Discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life's problems. Without discipline we can solve nothing. With only some discipline we can solve only some problems. With total discipline we can solve all problems."
Saban's life reflects a disciplined routine to the nth degree - from his daily coffee and Little Debbie cookies breakfast to his ending the football workday at 10 P.M. But total discipline isn't keeping players from wanting to transfer...and Saban won't back down.
Saban writes that there are three keys to success:
1. Developing the product.
2. Knowing the competition.
3. Teamwork.
He then explains, "The 'product' that I am referring to is people." He adds, "we want to do whatever we can to ensure the futures of our young men."
I agree that we want to encourage the success of our players. That might mean they miss practice to complete an assignment, or games because of family commitments, or even going to a school outside our community because they believe that is best for their future. Maybe that's not best for us. "Life is difficult."
