Max
Member
Part 2 of Episode 1 of the new Alabama Football video series, renamed āBama Cutsā following a squabble with Lebron James (you read that right), included deeply important messages that should not be overlooked by recruits. Thatās easier said than done with NFL stars like Julio Jones giving advice, advice that should be written down and read regularly by recruits no matter where they decide to play.
Seriously, how lucky is Alabama to have a spokesperson like Julio Jones? The guy is money in front of a camera.
Nevertheless, this episode was full of memorable quotes, but the conversation regarding social media was particularly interesting. If these episodes were to have a purpose, and they do, that purpose was revealed midway through this episode when the former players were talking about social media and its power.
Former Bama safety Eddie Jackson, now with the Chicago Bears, began by talking about how important it used to be for him to get ā10,000 likes.ā The conversation was centered around external factors and how these factors can deter players from listening to the message thatās most important: the message from their coach.
To summarize, Saban had this to say:
āWith all the social media stuff, everything is outward, everything is whatās coming from every place else. Youāre not thinking about what you have to do, youāre thinking about what everybody else is saying. Some of that stuff is not necessarily the right information. Itās not correct in terms of how it gets portrayed to you and thatās where that unrealistic reality comes in that people have a hard time dealing with. I mean, I know a lot of people do, and it takes a lot of maturity to be able to say, āwhat do I control?āā
The conversation then turned to how social media has changed rapidly in a small amount of time. Jones spoke about how social media wasnāt as big in his life, but that he sees others living their lives on social media, which prevents them from going out and living on their own.
Saban followed up with this gem of wisdom:
āIn that little bit of time, itās changed dramatically. But it is what it is and I think that you have use that as a means to get your point across. Good, bad or indifferent because thatās where everybodyās head is at. And Iām at a big disadvantage because I grew up in an era where we didnāt have it. I still donāt know how to send a text message and I canāt even use Miss Siri or whatever her name is.ā
As funny as Saban calling Siri āMiss Siriā is, Sabanās point reflects the whole point of this show: recruits and young people in general live and die by social media. It consumes everything they do and how they receive information as well as communicate with family, friends, the world and even coaches and recruiters.
For an unscripted show, these guys do a fantastic job of bringing the point full circle.
Jackson talked about how different itās been with the growth of social media and pointed out how āhype videosā and the work the social media team does for football elevates what outsiders see.
Saban added more depth to the conversation by adding this, which is important to the whole idea behind the creation of āBama Cuts:ā
āBut I still think thereās mis(information) about Alabama football. Thereās mis(information) out there that people get told they canāt play here, people get told things that really arenāt exactly right.ā
You can almost see the self-awareness on screen as Saban speaks. A man who supposedly doesnāt even know how to send a text let alone use āMiss Siriā understands how negative recruiting is effecting his classes. What better way to combat that than with a new recruiting tool that pulls back the curtain on a man and a program that focuses inward exclusively.
The last few minutes of the episode was possibly the best example of what it means to play at Alabama as former WR Calvin Ridley walks in and immediately sits down in the barberās chair for a haircut. As the other players are talking amongst themselves about what it takes to play at Alabama: accountability and a will to compete.
Saban has the last laugh as he compares the desire to compete with his waiting nearly 30 minutes on a haircut and Ridley walks right in and takes the chair over. What better way to show the competitiveness at Alabama than a soon-to-be first round draft pick cutting his former coach off even for a haircut.
Players talking about earning it, Saban jokes with Ridley about jumping in line to get a haircut when Saban has been waiting for 30 minutes. What better way to show how to get ahead at Alabama as a player than that?
