Former Alabama Crimson Tide football head coach Nick Saban has won many awards, hoisted plenty of trophies and given many inspiring speeches. However, at the 2024 ESPY’s, something felt different when Saban accepted the Icon Award. He received the award as recognition for the vast amount of success Saban had throughout his coaching career.
Saban stood on stage and addressed not just the countless celebrities and top athletes from across the world, but everyone at home too.
As a successful head football coach, Saban was loved by many – mostly those who supported the teams he coached. Though, he was also loathed by many – mostly fans of opposing teams. Last night, Saban was everybody’s head coach.
“Sports bring people together better than anything,” Saban said. He cracked jokes throughout his speech, but also wanted to send a clear message of positivity and remind all of the influential people who sat before him they have an obligation to lift others up and inspire those who watch them.
Yes, Saban was an outstanding head football coach with plenty of accolades to back up the argument that he’s the greatest of all time. Saban had, and still has, many goals. Winning championships – strike that. Winning in general, was always important to Saban. However, the methods he utilized in pursuit of winning were what separated him from all others.
Though he coached up the players on his team, his goal wasn’t to solely develop them as players, but to develop them as people.
Service projects weren’t just a photo-op for the former Tide head coach and his team. They were something that he was, and likely forever will be, passionate about. And that message has clearly resonated with his players over the decades-long career Saban had, as many still speak on the effect he had on them outside of the game of football.
“People aren’t going to remember what you say. They are going to remember how you made them feel.”
This quote may have been new to many watching the ESPY’s, but for Alabama fans, this is a mantra Saban regularly preaches. Not only does it not get old, but it resonates a little bit more every time he says it.