TUSCALOOSA, Ala.–The football team was back at practice Wednesday but the day was overshadowed by Avery Johnson.
The newly appointed men’s basketball coach visited football practice and was welcomed to Alabama by head coach Nick Saban and the players. Johnson gave a speech to the football team, telling them a story of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and the team’s perseverance.
After Payton took over the Saints, he called Johnson — a New Orleans native — to give the first speech to the team. Johnson spoke to the team at their temporary practice facility in Jackson, Miss. in what he said was 115-degree heat. Payton brought Johnson back to speak to the team in 2009, and Johnson said he told the team to “Be Special.”
Johnson said he thought the 2009 team would be 14-2 and win the Super Bowl. He was wrong. The team went 13-3 and won the Super Bowl, the first in franchise history, which was also the year Alabama won its first title under Saban.
“[Johnson] told us he wants to be a part of what we’re doing and would love for us to be a part of what he’s trying to do with the basketball program,” Alabama linebacker Dillon Lee said. “What I really took away from [his speech] was when he said, ‘Win every second.’”
Saban welcomed him to Alabama, and spoke about how he supports every team on campus during his press conference Wednesday.
“Avery Johnson is part of our family here now and we want to do everything we can to help him be successful,” Saban said. “We’ve always been a real team player here in terms of the relationships that we try to have with the other sports. We want to be good in everything here.”
Johnson expressed an interest in joining Saban’s famous noon basketball league, but Saban had one stipulation.
“Avery Johnson can be in my noon basketball league,” Saban said. “But I’m going to play point guard and he’s going to play 2-guard.”
The league meets occasionally, usually after recruiting has finished, and the coaching staff plays each other in Coleman Coliseum — a scrimmage in front of 15,000 empty seats. Saban picks the teams so he can have the best players and he calls his own fouls. He and his staff will be playing pick-up basketball while Johnson is working to fill the arena with fans.
Including his nearly 20-minute introductory press conference, Johnson had a successful day of creating positive PR for his basketball program and ingratiating himself with the fans and the biggest team on campus.
“Practice makes perfect,” Johnson told the football team. “You know this, you have a hall of fame coach…We’re in the pursuit of excellence on the basketball court. You’re in the pursuit of excellence on the football field.
“I’m around, I would love to have your support at the games. I’m going to be at the football games…I can’t wait to see you get started, and all I can say is ‘Roll Tide.’”
