The Kinda Girl Who Will Help You Find The Answers

January 30, 2025

This scene struck me last time I watched “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Ma Bailey is encouraging George to call on Mary. She says Mary is the kind of girl “who will help you find the answers.” It’s crazy that the world is not explicitly run by women. They are so often smarter and more insightful than men. They often have the answers while we mean fumble around to figure out the question.

I thought of that when I heard this story about Nick Saban:

Nick Saban has 50 years married to his wife Terry. But he recently told a story about his early days with her that has some people absolutely stunned.

At a recent speaking engagement, Saban revealed that back in high school Terry dated a man named Mickey Schafer before she started going out with him. Years later, the Sabans met Schafer at a homecoming party, where Nick Saban learned that Schafer now owned a car service station.

Later on, Saban decided to show off a little by taking Terry to Schafer's station. When he tried to brag that if Terry had stayed with Schafer, he'd be married to a station owner, Terry made one of the greatest comebacks ever:

"We drive by his service station and I said, 'if you would've married him, that's where you'd be now.' She said, 'bull****, if I would've married him, he'd be the head coach at Alabama now,'" Saban said.

Terry Saban probably wasn't lying there. It's no secret that she's been working behind the scenes for years with Saban to help him succeed at all of his college football stops.

The Wall Street Journal reported back in 2013 that Terry Saban would even use their dining room table for recruiting more than eating.

Suffice it to say, Nick Saban found a tremendous ally in Terry.