Tuscaloosa, Ala. is a far cry from New York City. The closest thing to a sky scraper is Bryant Denny Stadium, where Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban has made a name for himself, leading Alabama to four national championships during his tenure.
Despite not having the cosmopolitan lure of New York, Tuscaloosa is home to the most successful college football team in nation, much like New York is home to the most successful Major League Baseball team of all time, the New York Yankees.Great leaders tend admire each other, and such is the case with New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi and Nick Saban.
During a WFAN-AM 660 podcast segment titled “30 with Murti“, the Yankees’ skipper– who is currently in his ninth season as manager for New York — told WFAN’s Sweeney Murti that he praises Saban for his on-field success and views him as a coaching influence.
“Talk about the results. It’s the process — winning every play and being better than the guy across from you every play,” Girardi told Murti. “Baseball, in a sense, is a lot like that. If you’re a pitcher, you have to win each play, and a play as a pitcher is an at-bat. Vice versa if you’re the hitter.’
Girardi went on to say that he “loves the way” Saban goes about his business. Being a coach of a team like the New York Yankees, Girardi understands the type of expectations and standards Saban must live up to. He discussed a trip he took once with his son to see Alabama face off against LSU, and noted that the amount of work Nick Saban puts in daily is almost unmatched.
“I’ve been to a couple of games down there; I took my son to see them play LSU,” Girardi said. “The amount of work he puts in in one day is incredible. He has to deal with recruits and not only the game plan, but the shows he has to do. I was just watching how his time schedule was so organized and how he went about his business.”
Girardi’s admiration for Saban goes back to the time they spent coaching in Miami, when Girardi was the manager of the then Florida Marlins, and Saban, coach of the Miami Dolphins. Girardi has familiarized himself with Tuscaloosa, haven spoke to Saban’s team during the 2013 preseason. Saban spoke to the New York Yankess during their 2013 spring training camp in Tampa, Fla.
During his time as a manager in New York, Girardi has coached the team to a 735-561 record. He is most noted for winning a World Series title in 2009. Saban also won a national title in 2009, defeating the Texas Longhorns.
Blain Bradley is a contributor for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “Follow” him on Twitter, via @blainbradley1 or “like” him on Facebook
