One way Saban is trying to turn the Tide

By Robert Rousseau  |   Sunday, August 10, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Alabama Crimson Tide
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The Alabama Crimson Tide football team hasn’t had a stellar year in a while, obviously. In addition, the program has endured some well-documented off-the-field issues. So how is head coach Nick Saban trying to rectify things?

Beyond preaching hard work and discipline, among other tinhs, Saban has been bringing in some new blood. Specifically, he’s been eliciting speakers to visit the team on a regular basis.

"It is another indication of how we try and educate our guys to make good choices and decisions," Saban said, "so they have a chance to be more successful."

Last year, Saban brought in former NFL defensive lineman Chuck Smith to speak to the Tide. That appeared to pay dividends; after all, Smith built a strong relationship with Bama's Wallace Gilberry. This year, Saban has persuaded media relations adviser Lisa LeMaster and Alabama native Gene Washington, the NFL’s director of football operations, to fill the role.

Perhaps most popular, however, was motivational speaker Kevin Elko, whom Saban also used during his national championship run with the LSU Tigers. Elko is known for helping people focus their goals, work through the process to reach them and reduce stress in their environment.

“What I do is put in a step-by-step process for winning," Elko said, whom the Tigers warmly received.

"He was phenomenal," tight end Preston Dial stated. "[He] talked about toughness, what it takes to get to the next level, what it takes to control yourself mentally."

Cornerback Javier Arenas described Elko as "a motivational speaker mixed with a comedian."

Saban has high goals for his team. One of the ways he believes that the Tide's players can achieve those goals is by listening to and utilizing strategies given to them by speakers such as Elko. Hey, it worked once at LSU.




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About Robert Rousseau

Robert Rousseau is a sports writer that has been published in a variety of print and online venues. He’s been writing for RealFootball365.com for almost three years now. When Rousseau isn’t writing about college football he tends to be penning mixed martial arts pieces for MMAFighting.com or ...
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