Growing up Saban, or playing checkers in a Wii world

By Ken Rogers

Published: July 24, 2008

HOOVER—Alabama head coach Nick Saban loves to illustrate his points with personal anecdotes, often about his own family.
Thursday morning’s appearance at SEC Football Media Days was no different.
Asked about how things have changed regarding discipline and handling players differently over the years, Saban played the parent card.
“Well, I think we’re all aware that they have changed,“ he said. “If you have children of your own, I think you can probably attest to anyone who has gone through adolescence with someone now knows that they’re different.
“My kids just flat-out tell me (things) I didn’t have the guts to tell my dad. When I sit and look at my kids and I say, ‘When I was your age, I worked for everything I had.‘ And they just look at me and say, ‘Well, I don’t know anybody that does that anymore, Dad’—like you came from outer space.
“So it is different. I mean, people grow up different. It’s an instant coffee, instant self-gratification. Everything is on the internet. Everything is a picture. Everything is fast. Everything is quick. There’s not the same long-term commitment to something and sticking with it and learning from your mistakes.“
Saban said young people don’t understand that their actions come with consequences.
“You know, we played checkers when we were growing up. And when you moved the wrong guy, you lost your guy. You got immediate positive or negative self-gratification for it and you learn from that.
“You know, my kids push the restart button. They don’t even know if they got blowed up.“