Nick Of Time

I have to salute Nick Saban on his retirement as head coach at Alabama, even though it means my autumn Saturdays will be much less fun now.

The man is 72 years of age and he has worked since he was a kid. He has a lovely wife and family, and while working surely has meant a lot to him, so do other aspects of his life, and he is certainly entitled to go off and enjoy them. I don't think any of us were put on earth to work until noon one day and then die at 2 PM. Someone I worked with long ago said, "There's more to life than just living," and that man's life was cut short in a car wreck, so...

Of course, five minutes after Saban said he was stepping down, the talk started that he would likely take a job in broadcasting. I doubt that. The man is too honest to be the color commentator for games in which people are not putting forth maximum effort on top of total preparation, without calling attention to those shortcomings. What's more, he certainly is able to afford groceries and gasoline in the incredible new house he and his wife bought, an oceanfront estate in Jupiter, Florida. What is more appealing - hanging around a palatial mansion, or flying to Keokuk to cover Slippery Rock vs. Alcorn State?

There is a lot of life left for him and his wife and they should enjoy it without worrying about work. We work to earn the life we want, not the other way around.