When the Crimson Tide won their 2009 National Championship, I was thirteen. I knew absolutely nothing about football, but I did know that my dad really wanted Alabama to win the game. They hadn't reached that level of greatness since before I was even born. The rest is history: Alabama took the trophy, has taken three more since, and now I'm a student there. I have been obsessed with football since that January day and I know that none of the championships would have been possible without the work of Coach Nick Saban. Here are ten reasons why he's basically my favorite person ever:
1. He wins. Like, a lot.
Four conference titles, four national titles and an overall official record of 101-18. Alabama fans have literally forgotten what it's like to lose.
2. He genuinely cares about his players.
"I don't really care to answer the critics because I'm going to do what's right for the players," Nick Saban said in an interview with Paul Finebaum at SEC Media Days. Saban was defending his method of discipline for arrested team members Hootie Jones and Cam Robinson.
3. He isn't afraid to express himself.
Whether he's telling OC Lane Kiffin how he feels about a busted play or telling the media like it is, Saban doesn't ever seem to hold anything back.
4. He is a family man.
Coach Saban often talks about his wife, Miss Terry, and his grown son and daughter. In December 2013, his granddaughter Amelie was born. On his Thursday night radio show, Saban talked about Amelie's reaction to his thorough scolding of Lane Kiffin during the Western Kentucky game. "Why Papaw mad?" she apparently asked her father while watching it on television. Saban admitted that her comment made him feel bad for the incident.
5. He cares about the Tuscaloosa community.
The Saban's have donated thousands of dollars to different initiatives within the Tuscaloosa community, most notably to Habitat for Humanity. Coach Saban and Miss Terry have built 16 houses for families in need to represent Alabama's 16 national championships. They were also instrumental in helping those in need after the 2011 tornado that destroyed part of the town.
6. He has a grade A fashion sense.
Miss Terry probably dresses him, but we'll give him the credit anyway.
7. He always respects his opponents.
It doesn't matter if it's Ohio State or Western Carolina, Saban demands that the players and the media take every opponent seriously.
8. He is never over-confident.
If you are waiting for Nick Saban to talk about how unbeatable his team is, you're going to be waiting forever. He may win a lot but he knows that any game is one that can be lost.
9. He is dedicated to his work.
On the plane ride home from the 2015 National Championship Game, Saban was watching the film of it on his laptop and picking out mistakes. That's some serious dedication.
10. He is the greatest coach in college football.
In his decade in Tuscaloosa, Coach Saban has molded Alabama into a powerhouse program that more than mirrors what it was under Coach Bryant. His success is completely unprecedented and his standard seems unmatchable. Thanks to him, Alabama fans rarely end their Saturday nights feeling disappointed.
