Saturday, March 24, 2012

Bill Parcells: This Alabama program is as good as it gets

By: @LivingCrimson

Alabama Coaches Clinic 2012Once every twenty-five years, Bill Parcells agrees to speak at a coaching clinic. This quarter century it was the Crimson Tide’s turn to host the two-time Super Bowl winning coach.

Nick Saban introduced Parcells with very high praise, saying the Alabama team and recruiting methods reflect Parcells’ philosophy, by way of Bill Belichick.

The Big Tuna returned the favor with his opening remarks to the 1,400 high school coaches in attendance. Noting 52% of NFL players come from 27 schools, Parcells put Alabama at the top of the list for producing good football players. He also commended the organization of the Tide football program under Coach Saban and The University’s storied tradition being carried forward for future generations.

The videos released from the event contain only the beginning portion of Parcells’ remarks in which he emphasizes the foundations of a winning formula: the player’s knowledge, commitment and personal responsibility.

Sound familiar, Bama Nation?

Some of Parcells’ most famous quotes have been offered up in one form or another by Coach Saban to reporters over the past few years:

  • “Sometimes when everybody's feeding you the cheese, it's hard not to eat it.”

Saban’s interpretation – "I don't care what award they won, or how many made All-American or how many we had. None of that's going to matter when the game starts."

  • “When you don't know that you don't know, it's a lot different than when you do know that you don't know.”

Saban’s interpretation – “You never stay the same. You either get better, or you get worse.”

  • “Knowledge is confidence. And confidence lets you play fast.”

Saban’s interpretation – After each game, “I have a good, bad and an ugly reel” for the players.

  • All you have to do is play better than the other guy and things go well.”

Saban’s interpretation – “We stopped ourselves in the red zone by not executing what we were supposed to do. It’s not a systematic problem. It’s a lack of execution problem.”

  • “The only players I hurt with my words are the ones who have an inflated opinion of their ability.”

Saban’s interpretation – “Sometimes when you make those role changes, how they respond to that change goes a long way to telling me what kind of player they are, or it tells me what kind of competitor they are, because if they pout about it, that’s not really what we want.”

After five years of tough love molding tough Bama players, Nick Saban has won two national championships and earned a statue near Bear Bryant's. On any list of the greatest football coaches of this modern generation, most would include Bill Parcells. After three national titles in nine years at two different SEC schools, Saban rightfully joins the same elite status.

The Crimson Tide is pleased Parcells’ coaching philosophy has found a new home in Tuscaloosa.

Video courtesy of al.com

Lou Holtz will be the featured speaker on Saturday night to close out the Coaching Clinic.


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