re: Matt Mauck comments on Nick Saban

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I've never heard this.

Sounds interesting, do you have a link or something?

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“Did the tornado of 2011 change you?”

“I think it did,” Saban said. “I tried to be a little more empathetic. I thought it was important for our players to know how fragile life could be and to help others. I tried to be a little less closed off.”

That was a change in direction from someone best known for his obsessive football personality.

According to the sports psychologist that helped Saban develop the “blessing” directive issued to the football team, the tragedy provided a chance for the “real” Nick Saban to shine through adversity:

“People don’t know Nick Saban well; you maybe see him in press conferences,” Dr. Kevin Elko said. “He was incredible, just an unbelievable leader. He did one of the best pieces of leadership work you ever could imagine.”

Talty’s report reveals that, in total, Saban and his team helped rebuild 17 houses and spent countless hours clearing debris.

But as far as Saban is concerned, the greater impact came off the field in the way it changed his outlook on his role in the community. The once guarded personality even expanded his tight inner circle to include some new people to help with outreach.

Talty’s piece cites a couple of well-connected people that noticed that change:

“It doesn’t sound like a lot, but he let more people into his life,” author Lars Anderson said. “And it made him realize the power he wields in this state and really just how he can comfort people in a way that no one else can as the head coach at Alabama.”

His players noticed a change in his outward involvement, too.

“I noticed he became more charitable after that,” former Alabama kicker Cade Foster said. “You hear more stories of him donating his time and money through his Nick’s Kids program and through the Catholic center on campus. So perhaps it did. Looking back, I’m sure it did.”

Today, Saban is quietly active in many different areas of outreach. Just don’t expect to hear him talking about it much publicly – that’s not his style.

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