We love to talk about how noble we are for working 100 hours a week. It’s the culture of our business, and we’re all driven competitors. I was born that way. My dad was that way, and I was taught that at all times, do my best, never give up and work harder than the next guy, no matter what. That gets into your hard-drive.
“Then you get into football, already obsessed from the inside and now you’re adding external pressures of people watching you, the media watching, ESPN watching. But working harder than the next guy, no matter what, does enormous collateral damage.
“While I was at ESPN, I had very prominent coaches pull me into their office before games and say, ‘I’ve got a son that I love, but I don’t know him. Do you have a suggestions?’ I’d say, ‘Yeah, but you’re not going to take my advice. Go home after practice. Make sure you see your family at one end of the day. Come to work early, get home early, or go in late and stay late. I promised my staff at GSU I would do that.
“I destroyed my health in 21 years of coaching and got to the level of fatigue where I couldn’t operate as a good decision-maker, with migraines and exhaustion overtaking me. If I could do it over again, I’d do it differently. I have children who have gotten sick of me apologizing over the last 15 years for not being there. I thought that was what I was supposed to do.”
Link: http://www.ajc.com/sports/viewpoints-coaches-and-stress-276713.html
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