Alabama Football: Nick Saban’s jeans philosophy is code for life lesson

Yes, Alabama football head coach Nick Saban may have sounded like everyone’s grandpa when he discussed ripped jeans; however, it reflects his code to live by.

Jeans. The staple in every young person’s wardrobe. From different colors, brands, and styles, denim rocks the school halls, the malls, and any other place that young people inhabit. A pair of jeans can be the difference between friendships made, relationships started, and countless people judging said fashion sense.

However, if you ask Coach Saban about ripped jeans, he has a distinct opinion that would make famous judge Simon Cowell proud. That is, if Cowell didn’t also commit to what Saban deems a fashion faux pas.

Michael Casagrande of AL.com reported Saban’s comments at the last Crimson Tide football press conference, where the topic of ripped jeans came up:

"“Not to offend anybody out here, I just walked by some jeans, wore out jeans, holes in them, all cut up. I just remember when I was a kid in West Virginia, I was ashamed to go to school because my jeans were wore out only because we didn’t have any better.“Now they buy them that way. I just can’t figure how did we get here?”"

There’s a number of things that could be said about Saban’s laughter that followed these words. Casagrande elaborates on the fact that Saban could not keep a straight face during the presser. That is a possible miracle in itself, but focusing on just the words and how Saban expresses them speaks volumes of his mindset at his point in life:

Before Saban’s time as a youth, and yes that did happen at one point, denim was meant as a workman’s material to wear so that his clothes would be durable enough to take the strain that the workload would demand. It’s hard to keep dress pants in tact after working in the coal mines or refurbishing the hull of a ship. Holes in the pants meant either the family was too poor to buy more or that they were just in a fight.

Now, young people buy a pair of jeans that look like they paid a truck driver to pull them along a gravely road by a rope, dragging their legs on the ground at high speeds, to get that ripped effect.

Indiana Jones’ got nothing on a high school student with a desire to look fashionably trendy.

This philosophical question was brought up by Saban, himself. The man who eats, drinks, sleeps, and breathes football, who hates being distracted by anything, posed a life question about society’s acceptance of ripped jeans.

Do… do we need to check if Saban’s okay?

No, it just speaks of a man who has reached the pinnacle of his world and has looked down to see what society looks like since his deeds have been done.

Alabama football is, again, in first place in the college football rankings, and Saban’s team prepares for winning the final two games of the regular season. He got his team there by preaching to them to know the competition, know themselves, anticipating problems and prepare accordingly, and embrace change.

However, ripped jeans was not the change that Saban foresaw embracing.

Does one ever see Saban not dressed to impress? If he isn’t wearing a full suit, Saban is decked out in the finest Alabama Crimson Tide attire that could allow him into any establishment. He doesn’t pop the collar on his polo; the man is too classy for that.

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Win with class: that’s Saban’s motto. One expects to win because one is supposed to use every moment to prepare for it. Ripped jeans seem like they send the wrong message if one was to win the college football national championship. If that is the ultimate goal, then why ever look like you were run over by a cactus that was going 90 mph?

If every thought needs to be spent thinking that you are a champion, then why ever wear clothes that make you look like you couldn’t afford pants that covered your whole body? Does one want to look like life has beaten him or her to the point of quitting, especially when one is trying to send a message that they cannot be denied victory?

Saban’s words were merely amusing to him, but they were very suggestive to the rest of society: clean up your act, if you want people to respect you.

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Command people’s respect by dressing and acting like you matter. It may be wrong to judge people, but everyone still does it. Why let the competition think that you don’t think highly enough of yourself to look like a champion? Then, they may start thinking that they can actually beat you. Saban won’t stand for that, and neither should anyone else.