Alabama players learn from motivational speakers

TUSCALOOSA — At first blush, it sounds cheesy: a motivational speaker.

Instant memories of a Saturday Night Live skit — the late Chris Farley as hapless Matt Foley — come to mind.

But Kevin Elko was able to hold the Alabama football team’s attention in a recent talk with the team.

“He was awesome,” cornerback and return specialist Javy Arenas said. “Learned a lot from him and him putting all the emotion and action into it made it worthwhile.”

“He was the best speaker I’ve ever heard,” tight end Preston Dial said. “He spoke on toughness and what it takes to get to the next level.

How controlling your mental will help your physical.”

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban routinely brings in speakers and programs for his players.

This summer, the Pacific Institute put on a program for the team.

Speakers during training camp have supplemented that clinic.

“Lisa LaMaster was here and did a seminar on media relations,” Saban said. “Gene Washington did a great job with life after football and the FBI guys were here talking to the players about gambling in athletics.

“So we have a lot of these things going on in camp. It is another indication of how we try and educate our guys to make good choices and decisions.”

Use of these “head games” draws snickers from the skeptical. But look at it from Saban’s point of view.

Beyond wanting to help his players as people, he had a team that lost six games by seven points or fewer last year.

Could a little more unity, a little more confidence made a difference?

Also, his team put everything on the line in a championship-type atmosphere against LSU. Remember, Alabama was 6-2 and had just one conference loss going into that game.

After LSU erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and beat Alabama, the Crimson Tide didn’t win another regular-season game. The collapse was more mental than physical.

There is no reason to expect anything but close games this season, either. The SEC has never looked tougher top to bottom. Every team will be challenged physically and mentally.

“This is the Southeastern Conference. They’re gonna be close,” Mississippi State head coach Sylvester Croom noted at Media Days in Birmingham. “The blowouts back when I was playing on Alabama, the game over at halftime, 35-0, you sit over there and drink water, eat popcorn the rest of the game — those days are over.

“Games are going to be decided probably by seven points or less and it’s going to come down to somebody doing something right or wrong at the end of the game.”

Kentucky coach Rich Brooks, whose team beat top-ranked LSU last season, said the league is deeper than ever.

“We were one of the teams that everybody used to think they could put an automatic W up next to as they went into the season,” Brooks said. “I think it pretty much has proven true over the last two years that any team can beat any team in this league.”

Which is why Saban will use every resource to help his team improve — physically and mentally.

“Whether it’s passion, commitment, hard work, investing your time in the right things, perseverance, pride in performance, how you think in a positive or negative way, the discipline you have personally to make choices and decisions ... I don’t think that what makes you successful changes,” Saban said.

He said Elko’s program was excellent.

“Here’s somebody that’s had experiences with pro teams and pro players — whether it’s Deion Sanders or T.O. (Terrell Owens) in Dallas, or different guys in Miami, or whatever,” Saban said. “He does a fantastic job and has a great message for our players — just about having a positive attitude, knowing what you want to accomplish and what are willing to do, and what are you telling yourself every day.”

Dial recalled the feeling in the room as Elko spoke.

“He just had everybody on the edge of their seat. Giving true-life stories of things he’s done and things he’s seen others do that proves you can push through it mentally,” the tight end said. “The first thing that goes is your mind — before your legs.”

Dial gave an example of what he took away from the Elko’s program.

“One of the things he said is worrying is praying for the worst. That’s one thing I’ve really tried to hook on to,” he said. “You can’t fret about practice and all that cause it’s gonna come. You just gotta make sure you execute. I think that really stuck with a lot of guys on the team.”

“Our players gave him a standing ovation,” Saban said. “I’d never seen that, except for (Michael) Franchese, who’s the Mafia guy. They really liked him a lot.”

A key question, of course, is will it work? Will those lessons help at crunch time when another team is driving near the goal line? Will players find a way to stick together?

Those answers, just as the physical question marks, will be revealed in the coming months.