Alabama football coach Nick Saban is glad to be back from vacation. Why? Hint: Chores
ATLANTA — Nick Saban likes SEC Media Days, and it's because of what it signifies.
Sure, football is almost back, but there's more to it for him.
"Lots of people love vacation, but I'm the leader of an organization, but I'm not the leader when I'm on vacation," the Alabama coach said Tuesday. "When I get the list to take the garbage out, run the sweeper, Pledge the refrigerator, it's always, after a certain period of time, refreshing to be able to go back to work so that I can be the leader of an organization."
Saban didn't name who the leader is when he's on vacation, but reading between the lines, that title probably belongs to his wife, Terry.
She's the one who gives him the list, Saban said. And turns out he's not only good at winning football games.
"Nobody knows how well I do all those things," Saban said, talking about the chores.
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Among his vacation stops, he usually spends some time during the summer at his place on Lake Burton in Georgia.
Another spot they spend time at is their vacation home in Boca Grande, Florida. That's where Saban once trimmed plants with kitchen scissors because the woman known as Miss Terry asked.
Katie King, the director of Nick's Kids Foundation, told the story to the Tuscaloosa News ahead of the Sabans' 50th wedding anniversary this past December.
"Who else in the world could tell Nick Saban, 'Go do some yardwork before our guests get here?' " King said.
There weren't many people on the small Gasparilla Island in Southwest Florida available to help take care of the yardwork. And Terry, before guests were set to arrive, thought the pathway looked awful because of the untrimmed plants.
So the leader on vacation sent Saban out with scissors.
"Do I need to go help him?" King asked.
"No he's fine," Terry responded. "It's good for him."
Nick Kelly covers Alabama football and men's basketball for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter: @_NickKelly
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football: Why Nick Saban is glad to be back from vacation
