1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Truth with Lisa Booth, where we get 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: to the heart of the issues that matter to you. Today, 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: I talked to legendary college football strength coach Scott Cochrane, 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: known as Coach Yeah, the man behind eight national championships 5 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: with Alabama and Georgia. He's also now the head coach 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 1: at Western Alabama. He gets brutally honest with us about 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: his new book, School Session, Mastering the Mental Game and 8 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: Sports Work and Life, opening up about his battle with 9 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: opioid addiction, his near fatal overdose, and the spiritual reawakening 10 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: that led to lasting recovery and helped him rebuild the 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: foundations of his life. We'll also dive into those school sessions. 12 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: What are they, what do you need to know? And 13 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: how do they help build champions that he has worked 14 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: with as well. 15 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 2: We'll also talk. 16 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: About behind the scenes stories from his work with legendary 17 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: football coaches Nick Saban and Kirby Smart, those dynasties, and 18 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: how these principles apply to your life as well and 19 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: to anyone that has hit rock bottom and is looking 20 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:14,279 Speaker 1: to recover. Stay tuned for Coach Scott Cochran. Coach Scott 21 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: Cochrane appreciate you for making the time to come on 22 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: the show. Looking forward to just digging into your life 23 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: story and then also you know, talking a little bit 24 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 1: of football since we're heading into playoff season and I 25 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: got the Super Bowl in the horizon. 26 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 2: I'm sure, I'm sure you're watching. 27 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 3: So yes, of course I'm watching, come on now, always watching. 28 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 3: I wish I was still playing, but D two ball 29 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 3: ended about two weeks ago, so yeah, so now I 30 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 3: look forward to the college and the super Bowl. So yeah, 31 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 3: it's a good time. Thanks for having me on. 32 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 2: Really excited to be on. 33 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: Well, appreciate you coming on. So your books school session 34 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: mastering the mental game in sports, work and life. I 35 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: mean you've had a you know, do this on your 36 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: own as well with your own battle and your life 37 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: life with an opioid addiction and the near fatal overdose 38 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: that really changed your life. What made you decide to 39 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: lead with such a raw and personal story right from 40 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: the start in your book and open up about your 41 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: own your own battle. 42 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: You know, I just. 43 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 3: This country is really having a hard time with addiction. 44 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 3: I think, whether it's alcohol, whether it's gambling, whether it's 45 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 3: you know, drugs like I was, you know, mine. We're opiates, 46 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 3: and you know, I just I think it's really important 47 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 3: that people understand that they're not alone, that the struggle 48 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 3: is real and it can happen to anyone, you know, 49 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 3: because I was at the height of my career, you know, 50 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 3: in some people's eyes. 51 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: You know, obviously I think my height is still coming. 52 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 2: I like that. Yeah, you know, I still think I'm climbing. 53 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 3: But I was extremely successful, and on the outside, it 54 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 3: looked like I had it all, you know, I was 55 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 3: financially set, had you know, the white picket fence, kids 56 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 3: in private school, all the things, and thriving on the outside, 57 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:08,959 Speaker 3: but no one knew underneath. 58 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 2: I had this crazy, awful addiction. 59 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 3: And it all came to a head April tenth, twenty twenty, 60 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 3: when I got my hands on some fentanyl thinking it 61 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 3: was something else and had an accidental overdose, and my 62 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 3: wife found me and got me back to got me 63 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 3: back to this side of the planet, this side of 64 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 3: the world. 65 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: Why do you think you know sort of what led 66 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: to your addiction, Because to your point, I mean, there's 67 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: so many people in this country, in this world. 68 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: And we don't know what's happening behind the scenes. 69 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: We don't know the struggles in their lives and what 70 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: they're being faced with. What was it for you? You know, 71 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: why do you think that, you know, what was sort 72 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: of your turn to addiction? 73 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: Yeah? 74 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 3: So, you know, I was a yeller and a screamer 75 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 3: right in the weight room. I was a strength coach 76 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 3: for twenty years. And when I yelling scream for long 77 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 3: periods of time, I would get these just gut wrenching, 78 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 3: painful headaches. 79 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 2: They were migraines that were just unstoppable. 80 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 3: It literally felt like a vice between my temples, and 81 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 3: every time I yelled or screamed, it. 82 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 2: Would just get worse. And so I was like, man, 83 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 2: this isn't right. 84 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 3: I got to find out, you know, how to prevent 85 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 3: this or how to fix this problem. And so I 86 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 3: went to a doctor and it was a really really 87 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 3: outstanding doc, and he you know, started me off on 88 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 3: you know, because I was taking advil, you know, and 89 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 3: he started me off with like muscle relaxers or you know, 90 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 3: blood thinners, beta blockers. 91 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: He tried all these different. 92 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 3: Things and nothing worked, absolutely nothing worked, and so finally, 93 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 3: you know, he said hey, and this is about twenty 94 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 3: twenty eleven, he said, hey, why don't you try oxy 95 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 3: or vic it in. 96 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 2: I tried the vike it in. 97 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 3: It was okay, and then I was like, it's still 98 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 3: not lasting long enough. 99 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: He goes here, tried this. 100 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 3: Oxy code on and I was like, I was in 101 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 3: my early thirties and I was on top of the world, 102 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 3: and you're going to tell me that a pill is 103 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 3: going to rearrange my whole life. Like he said, hey, 104 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 3: you got to be careful with these things because they 105 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 3: can be addictive. You don't even listen to that, right, 106 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 3: I just remember him saying that, Like I didn't hear him. 107 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 2: I did not. 108 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 3: I'm like, get out of here, dude, I'm not going 109 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 3: to get addicted to a pill. 110 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 2: Come on, get out of here. 111 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 3: But sure enough, within within six months, that doc stops 112 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 3: writing me and said, this is not a route you 113 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 3: want to take. You're taking too many. You have to 114 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,799 Speaker 3: shut this down. And so I just, you know, stopped 115 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 3: talking to that doc and went to other docks to 116 00:05:58,160 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 3: get what I needed. 117 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: So talk about that interim, that period of time, you know, 118 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 1: before the near fatal overdose, you know that time between 119 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: that you started taking these up until the point of 120 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,239 Speaker 1: the near fatal overdose. What was that period of addiction, 121 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: like like walk us through sort of like the challenges 122 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: and how that life disruption that it had. 123 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 2: It was. 124 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 3: It was really bad because my days started off at 125 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 3: about six am every day, and so every morning I 126 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 3: would get up and I would At first, I was 127 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 3: just taking them orally before that first group, and then 128 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 3: i'd have to take after that group, I'd have to 129 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 3: take a couple more, and then i'd take a couple 130 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 3: more before every group, and then we'd have practice and 131 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 3: i'd take a couple more, and then before I went home, 132 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 3: I would take a couple. 133 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: You know. 134 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 3: It just kept turning into more and more and more, 135 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 3: and then twenty sixteen it turned into instead of taking 136 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 3: them orally, I was like, you know what, I could 137 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 3: chop these up and snort them and then it'll get 138 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,040 Speaker 3: there faster, so I for sure won't have a headache now. 139 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 2: And it's looking back at it. 140 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 3: It's so disgusting and it's so awful just to talk about. 141 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 3: Like I hate even you know, I hate that I 142 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 3: have to bring this up, but it's just very embarrassing 143 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 3: and shameful. But I just feel like, being honest, it's 144 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 3: going to help somebody else, and so my life revolved 145 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 3: around these pills. I had two separate doctors, one in 146 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 3: the state of Alabama one in the state of Mississippi 147 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 3: that wrote me scripts, and that still wasn't enough. And 148 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 3: they were writing, you know, ninety a month, and that 149 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 3: still wasn't enough. I had to go to find dealers 150 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 3: that could get me larger amounts. And it was a 151 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 3: constant cycle, like you couldn't take a day off because you'd. 152 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: Go through withdraws. So it was every single. 153 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 3: Day for about eight to ten years, and it was relentless, 154 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 3: you know. So in a twenty nineteen I was disgusted 155 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 3: with myself. I was sick of it, and so I 156 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 3: was like, you know what would fix it is if 157 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 3: I changed jobs. If I moved out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama 158 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 3: and went to a different job, I won't have to 159 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 3: yell as much. Maybe I'll do special teams. So I 160 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 3: decided to become a special teams coordinator. I called up 161 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 3: my good buddy Kirby Smart at Georgia UGA, and he said, 162 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 3: come on, man, for sure, come be my special teams coordinator. 163 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 3: And I get the job there, and in my mind, 164 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 3: I'm like, you know, I'm gonna put these down. 165 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 2: This is it. 166 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 3: I'm gonna try to wean myself off of it. I'm 167 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 3: only gonna take with me a certain amount and as 168 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 3: soon as I get their COVID starts. So I'm in 169 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 3: the building for a week. I don't even know who 170 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 3: the players are yet. I'm starting to wean off. I 171 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 3: think I have a you know, good plan, and then 172 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 3: COVID hits and send me. 173 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 2: Basically right back in the danger zone. 174 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 3: Because I took the job in March or late February 175 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 3: of twenty twenty, COVID hits, and then April tenth, Good Friday, 176 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 3: I had an overdose. 177 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: And it sounds like your wife really hung in there, 178 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: you know, and it really helped wait for you and 179 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: your family and and your kids. 180 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 2: You know. 181 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, you know, I'm sure this. You know, this 182 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: had been a really hard period for her and for your. 183 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 2: Kids as well. 184 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: You know, talk about the impact of that and just 185 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: the importance of sort of like a wife's love in 186 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: this too. 187 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 3: Yes, I mean, what an angel she has been through this. 188 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 3: I mean, when you talk about a rock star to 189 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,439 Speaker 3: stand in the fire and just say I'm not quitting 190 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 3: on you, is you know, a blessing that I could 191 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 3: never comprehend and I could never be grateful enough, you know, 192 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 3: to show my gratitude to her for that. But she's 193 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 3: stuck in there in the fire and said I'm not quitting. 194 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:12,959 Speaker 2: And it's really tough on the spouse, you know. 195 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 3: And that's another reason why I wrote the book, was 196 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 3: because I wanted the people, the family members. This disease 197 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 3: affects the entire family, and it affects friends everyone. You 198 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 3: think that you're hiding your alcoholism or your addiction, you 199 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 3: think you're hiding it from people, but they're getting torn 200 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 3: up from it, and all they want to do is help. Right, Like, 201 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 3: the hardest thing for I feel like, especially a man, 202 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 3: right a male, is to raise his hand and say 203 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 3: I need help. I'm sure it's the same way for females, 204 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 3: but speaking from my experience, that was the hardest thing 205 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 3: is to raise my hand and said, hey, I need 206 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:57,199 Speaker 3: some help. I can no longer live my life like this. 207 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 3: But you know, my kids at the time were I'm 208 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 3: pretty young when it all went down. My son was 209 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 3: probably thirteen, my daughter was eleven, and my other daughter 210 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 3: would have been eight when I finally said, hey, I 211 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 3: need to tell them, because after the overdose. I went 212 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,439 Speaker 3: straight to rehab because it was COVID. Right, I'm working 213 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 3: for UGA, I'm the special teams coordinator. Everything's done on Zoom. 214 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 3: And so I went to rehab in Massachusetts and a. 215 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 2: Place called Heron Wellness. 216 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,599 Speaker 3: And I just told my kids at the time, and 217 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 3: you know, it was the right thing to do at 218 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 3: the moment, but I told my kids at the time, Hey, 219 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 3: I'm going away for It's like a camp, you know, 220 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 3: because they understood camps, right, they had gone to a 221 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 3: week camp or something. I'm going to go away for 222 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 3: camp to you know, to. 223 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 2: Make myself better. And that was a really good time 224 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 2: of healing for me. 225 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 3: But it was just the beginning because that was just 226 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 3: the first time I went to rehab. 227 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:57,199 Speaker 2: I've gone and done three sins in rehab now. 228 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 3: I've had I've had relapses and setbacks, that's what they're 229 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:01,679 Speaker 3: called now. 230 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 2: Setbacks. Yeah, you can't say relapse because people get mad. 231 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 3: But I've had multiple setbacks and I've had two years 232 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 3: of sobriety. I've had you know, at one point, it 233 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 3: was really white knuckling it and that was really tough 234 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 3: for my wife and my family. When I was really 235 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 3: struggling to stay sober. I had no peace, no comfort. 236 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 3: It was a battle every single day. But this time 237 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:33,079 Speaker 3: I'm about to hit two years next month, so in 238 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 3: like twenty days, I'll have two years. But this time, 239 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 3: I feel like my recovery has been so much easier, 240 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 3: so much better. I'm happy to be in recovery. I 241 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 3: enjoy the life I live today. I enjoy what I'm doing. 242 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 3: But just going back to the family peace. You know, 243 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,319 Speaker 3: this thing's hard sometimes. Sometimes you know, family members need 244 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 3: to make a decision to cut the addict off and 245 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 3: that's okay, and sometimes you know it's good to stay 246 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 3: in the fire, like my wife did, you know, But 247 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 3: it's on the addict to reach out for help. It 248 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,199 Speaker 3: is not on the spouse. It's not on the family member. 249 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 3: They have to The best way I can tell family 250 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 3: members is treat this like cancer. If your family member 251 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 3: that's struggling with addiction, if they had cancer, how would 252 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 3: you treat them every time they relapsed, every time they 253 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 3: they fell down, every time, So you know, cancer goes 254 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:41,959 Speaker 3: into remission, right, and then sometimes it comes back right. Well, 255 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 3: this is the same deal. It's a disease. It's proven 256 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 3: scientifically that it's a disease, you know, and there's there's 257 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 3: no magic pill to fix it. That's the coolest part, 258 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 3: which makes me you know, which which makes it really. 259 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 2: Difficult in the beginning. 260 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 3: But once you find that piece and that freedom and 261 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 3: you start getting honest with yourself. 262 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 2: It is just a beautiful thing. 263 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 1: Got to take a quick commercial break more with Scott 264 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: Cochrane on the other side. What role did faith in 265 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: your faith play in finding that peace and that freedom? 266 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 2: Ooh, here we go. It was everything for me, you know. 267 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 3: The first time that I went into the rehab that 268 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 3: I went to, they didn't believe in giving you any 269 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 3: kind of medication to go through withdrawals. They didn't believe 270 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 3: there's there's a ton of medications now you can take 271 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 3: that are very helpful to get through withdrawals, especially opiod withdrawals, 272 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 3: because they're so they can't they won't. It won't kill 273 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 3: you like alcohol withdrawals can kill. You can get seizures, 274 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 3: but opiate withdrawals you want to die, but you literally 275 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 3: it's hard to actually die from it. So the place 276 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 3: I went to didn't believe in giving any of those meds. 277 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 3: So I had about a twenty day period where I 278 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 3: felt like I had the flu. My stomach was torn up. 279 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 3: I was kind of a dead man walking as how 280 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 3: it felt. And I remember not getting any sleep. I 281 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 3: had a fit bit at the time, and I looked 282 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 3: at my sleep and in like a five day period, 283 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 3: I had like eight hours of total sleep. 284 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:19,119 Speaker 2: So I was a zombie. 285 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 3: And you know, I'm Catholic, so I'll throw some hell 286 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 3: Mary's out there, and I'll throw some of our Fathers 287 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 3: and stuff like that. 288 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 2: Well, I was. 289 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 3: I was in still getting no sleep, no relief, and 290 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 3: then probably about the sixth night, I decided to just 291 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 3: talk to God a little bit, like, Hey, this is. 292 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 2: Where I am. 293 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 3: I really need you right now. There's no pill that's 294 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 3: going to fix my sleep. There's no medicine I can 295 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 3: take to get me some sleep. If you could just 296 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 3: give me a couple of hours tonight, you know, I'd 297 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 3: be grateful. 298 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 2: And I got like thirty minutes. 299 00:15:57,480 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 3: I was like, Okay, there's something to it, and I 300 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 3: just I kept doing it, and each night it just 301 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 3: got a little bit better and my body started to recover, 302 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 3: you know, And so that was one of the first 303 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 3: kind of miracles in my mind. 304 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 2: The second one, I. 305 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 3: Was I went to rehab for the second time, and 306 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 3: there was no getting around it. I had to tell 307 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 3: the head coach, my boss at Georgia, I had to 308 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 3: tell him, Hey, I'm in rehabit I can't come back 309 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 3: to work. We had like a meditation at the recovery 310 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 3: at the wellness center, and I was freaking out. I 311 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 3: was like, man, these people want me to stay here 312 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 3: for six months. I've never missed a day of work. 313 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 3: I was just going to come here on vacation for 314 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 3: a couple of weeks, but they want me here for 315 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 3: a long term. 316 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 2: There's no way I can do that. 317 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 3: And in that meditation, this just peace came over me, 318 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 3: and it was like God kind of put his hand 319 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 3: on me, and just basically all I heard was I 320 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 3: got you. Just trust in me. I got you. I've 321 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 3: led you this far. I'm not going to stop now. 322 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,679 Speaker 3: And this complete peace came over me, and so I 323 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 3: felt his presence more than ever in that moment, and 324 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 3: I was able to wake up the next morning, call 325 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 3: up coach Smart and tell him, Hey, I'm in recovery. 326 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 3: I need to step away from football until I can 327 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,919 Speaker 3: get my hands on this. And I think God jumped 328 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 3: in right then in that conversation, because listen, he's running 329 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 3: an organization, he's trying to win games. You know, at 330 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 3: the time, he had not won a championship, so he 331 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 3: wasn't on the hot seat, so to speak, but he 332 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 3: was still like trying to prove that he's he. 333 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 2: Is as good of a coach as he is. 334 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 3: And when I called him, like, you know, I said, hey, 335 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 3: I'm about to drop a bomb on you. 336 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 2: His first response was, would you lose a recruit? Do 337 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 2: you lose a play? And I was like, oh my god, 338 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 2: I wish that was the problem. You know, the problem 339 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 2: is way bigger than that. I'm in rehab right now. 340 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 3: You hired a drug addict And his first response was, 341 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 3: how can I help you and your family? Like? 342 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 2: What? Who does that? In this world? No one? 343 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 3: You know? 344 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: Well, do you feel like, you know, obviously he was 345 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 1: there for you and you know, supporting you in recovery 346 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:35,479 Speaker 1: and now as a head coach of West Alabama, how 347 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: do you think all of this has helped you as 348 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: a coach? And I would imagine that a lot of 349 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: these young guys feel comfortable coming to you with sort 350 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: of challenges, right because like when you see someone with 351 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: a redemption story. It makes you feel okay, it's okay 352 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: that I have problems too. You know, it's okay that 353 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: I'm working through things. Right. So it's like, how do 354 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: you think that's shaped you as a coach and like 355 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: being able to mentor some of these young men. 356 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 3: I think it's it's helped in I mean exponentially. I 357 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 3: mean the amount of guys that I have counseled through 358 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 3: something since this has happened has spen. I mean I 359 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 3: couldn't count it on all my hands and all my 360 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:18,439 Speaker 3: fingers and toes. And you know, a lot of times 361 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,679 Speaker 3: it's a family member, like hey, my aunt or my 362 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 3: grandfather or my uncle or my brother or whoever, and 363 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 3: sometimes it's personal to them. But what it's taught me is, 364 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 3: you know, empathy, which in the past, I don't know 365 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 3: if I had much of that because there was no 366 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 3: time for all that. 367 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 2: In my mind. There wasn't right. 368 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 1: Well, competitive, you know, like it's like you're focused on 369 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: the game, you. 370 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:47,199 Speaker 3: Know, so I am, And so when somebody's going through something, 371 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 3: now I can I can literally I'm able to try 372 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 3: to drop all of the things that are going on 373 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 3: and kind of get in the mud with them right, 374 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,640 Speaker 3: get in the ditch, get in that hole with him, 375 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 3: and say, hey, this is I do the feel Felt 376 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 3: Found method. You know, I tell them, hey, I feel 377 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:13,880 Speaker 3: where you're coming from. I have felt the same way 378 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 3: when such and such happened to me. 379 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 2: I found that this works better than that. 380 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 3: So I've always I learned the feel Felt Found through 381 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 3: coach Saban. Really, he always talked about this method, and 382 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 3: so I really use it now more than ever. When 383 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 3: a player comes to me stressing like, I can easily say, hey, 384 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 3: I feel where you're coming from. I have felt the 385 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 3: same way in a little different situation. I found that 386 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 3: doing this helps. Doing this hurts. But you have to 387 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 3: create your own way. You know, you have to give 388 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 3: you know, these kids don't just like myself, very hardheaded. 389 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 3: You're going to learn the lesson your own way. You know, 390 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 3: it's all in God's time, not ours. But yes, I 391 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 3: feel like because of my recovery, because of the scars 392 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 3: that I have, I'm able to really help guys and 393 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 3: walk them through life. 394 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: You know, the title the book is Skull Sessions. 395 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 2: It walk us through a school session, So a skull session. 396 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 3: You know, in football, you have all the workouts, you 397 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:25,880 Speaker 3: have all the off season training. It's it's the conditioning 398 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 3: to you throw up, it's the lifting weights till you 399 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 3: can't walk. A skull session is a classroom setting where 400 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 3: you bring in the players and coaches and you discuss 401 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 3: how to get from where you are now to your 402 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 3: ultimate goal. 403 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 2: So you know, one of the lessons is how to 404 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 2: write your goals. 405 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 3: You know, everybody's got their method of writing their goals, right, 406 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 3: but I give two really good examples of how to 407 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 3: write your goals and how to make them actually pop. 408 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 3: Because everybody wants to be great, right, every organization, every 409 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 3: CEO of every organization, they want to take their company 410 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 3: to a new level. 411 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 2: Shoot, New Year's New Year's is coming. 412 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 3: Everybody's going to have these New Year's resolutions, right, and 413 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 3: how many of those actually work? 414 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:20,679 Speaker 2: I think ninety percent fail? Right. Well, one of the 415 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:21,920 Speaker 2: skull sessions is. 416 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 3: About how to set those goals, and it's called smart goals, right, 417 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 3: how to set smart goals and how to set long 418 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 3: term visions so that you can accomplish things. You know, 419 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 3: because everybody that plays football the ultimate dream, the ultimate 420 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 3: goal is to get to the NFL. Right, Well, the 421 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 3: NFL stands for not for long. Yeah, you know, and 422 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 3: so and I'm at D two level, so I really 423 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 3: it's about teaching them how to set a goal right, 424 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 3: How do you even do that right? Another different part 425 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 3: of a skull session would be sitting there and learning 426 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 3: how to talk to yourself right, positive self talk. You know, 427 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 3: they're very simple things, but in each lesson right, I 428 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 3: give a little story of how it worked right, and 429 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 3: then I give the exact example of how to use 430 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 3: it with your team, right, whether it's an organization or 431 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 3: a sports team, either one. 432 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,479 Speaker 2: So, so that's really what a skull session is. 433 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 3: It's taking the brawn out, it's taking the er out, 434 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 3: and it's opening up the mind. 435 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 2: That's why we call it the skull session. 436 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 1: How much do you think you know, I never played 437 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: football obviously, but I played, you know, feel like in 438 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,479 Speaker 1: lacrosse very competitively. How much do you think sort of 439 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: having that background in football, that like competitive nature, the 440 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 1: mental fortitude, how much do you think that has helped 441 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:53,440 Speaker 1: you in fighting this addiction? 442 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:59,440 Speaker 3: And that's really why I wrote the book, because as 443 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 3: I was going through my recovery, I was like, wait, 444 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:08,400 Speaker 3: every single lesson in you know, some of these meeting. 445 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 2: Rooms in recovery. 446 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,159 Speaker 3: Every single lesson is basically a skull session that we 447 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 3: do with the players, and so I basically just bridged 448 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 3: the gap, right, the same stuff that I've been teaching 449 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 3: since my days when I coached at LSU, when I 450 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 3: coached at Alabama, when I got to Georgia, those same 451 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,399 Speaker 3: exact lessons that we're doing in the classroom. We just 452 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 3: called them skull session or mental development. They were in 453 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 3: line with my recovery. So it was perfect to say, okay, 454 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 3: let's do this a little bit easier. Right, there's an easier, 455 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 3: softer way through recovery. 456 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:54,200 Speaker 2: Right. You know are long, but the years are short. 457 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 3: So how do we maximize the day right the moment, 458 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 3: Because when you're first getting into recovery, those days are 459 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 3: really really long and they're very difficult. So if you 460 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 3: can find some form of faith or some way of helping, 461 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 3: that's where a skull session can come into play. And 462 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 3: the same exact lesson you learn in recovery, those same 463 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 3: lessons could be used for a team of executives for 464 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 3: another sports team trying to achieve greatness. 465 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:27,479 Speaker 2: Quick break, stay with us. 466 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 1: If you like what you're hearing, please send it to 467 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: your family and friends, or maybe share it on social media. 468 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: You've worked with a lot of elite talents and football. 469 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 1: What trait like, What mental trait would you say that 470 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 1: a lot of these champions possess. 471 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 3: Obviously, grit would be the first thing that comes to mind. Grit, 472 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 3: and it's almost a self doubt when you're training. 473 00:25:56,480 --> 00:26:00,399 Speaker 2: It's almost a like, I'm not good enough, so I 474 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:01,920 Speaker 2: have to work harder. 475 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,640 Speaker 3: If you have that mindset of like, there's no way 476 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 3: I will be good enough to do this until you 477 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 3: build the confidence through reps, through repetition, through you know, 478 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 3: going through investing your time into your your craft right. 479 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 3: But grit would be the first thing. And then then 480 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:27,919 Speaker 3: there's also that there's a piece that just I have 481 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,239 Speaker 3: to do extra because I'm not as talented as the 482 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 3: next guy. 483 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,199 Speaker 1: You know, you spent a lot of time building some 484 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 1: of these major college dynasties. 485 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 2: You talked a little about Kirby. 486 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:42,199 Speaker 1: Smart and how he was so helpful to you and 487 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:45,360 Speaker 1: your recovery and really encouraged that. Let's also talk about 488 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: Nick Saban, but to. 489 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 2: The University of Tennessee. 490 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,679 Speaker 1: But I can recognize, you know, I'll let people I 491 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: see one which Nick Saban Alabama or previous at Alabama. 492 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: Obviously a massive legend. Now we watch him on you know, 493 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: college game day on e UESPN. 494 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 2: I give us a. 495 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: Little bit behind the scenes, maybe a little story, or 496 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: give us a little bit of color from your time 497 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 1: with him. 498 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 3: Oh for sure, that's that's always my favorite. I want 499 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 3: to tell you this though, before I do as a coach. 500 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,439 Speaker 3: I'm twenty two and oh against Tennessee. Just wanted to 501 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 3: let you know, I'm gonna drop that. I'm gonna leave 502 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 3: I'm gonna leave that. I'm gonna leave that. I'm gonna 503 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 3: leave that to the side, and I'm gonna tell you 504 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 3: how it's unnecessary. 505 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 2: I had to put it out there. 506 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:37,919 Speaker 3: So my favorite story is when I was so I 507 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 3: worked with him at LSU and then we won a 508 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:47,400 Speaker 3: national championship at LSU, and the next year I went 509 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,640 Speaker 3: to the NBA. I coached for the New Orleans Hornets 510 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 3: at the time, so I'm there for two and a 511 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 3: half seasons. Coach Saban went to the Dolphins during this time, 512 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 3: so he gets the job at Alabama two thousand and seven. 513 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:08,360 Speaker 3: The next day he calls my phone and says, hey. 514 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 2: I don't know if you know, but I just took 515 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,160 Speaker 2: the Alabama job, and I'm like, yeah, no kidding. 516 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 3: In the coach you're all over ESPN, like come on, 517 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 3: no doubt I got it. And he said I need 518 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 3: you to come over here and run my weight room 519 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 3: and do what you do as a coach. 520 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 2: And I was like, heck, yeah, I'm all. 521 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 3: You know, I have one problem and he's like, there 522 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,159 Speaker 3: is no problem, just get your butt here. And I 523 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:37,359 Speaker 3: was like, okay, you can't cuss me out yet because 524 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 3: I don't work for you yet. And so we were 525 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 3: playing the Hawks that night. We were in Atlanta, and 526 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:47,479 Speaker 3: all I had was a Valure sweatsuit, and so I 527 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 3: told coach. I said, Coach, I don't have like, I 528 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 3: don't have a proper attire. I need to go back 529 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 3: home and then I can come to you. And he's like, look, 530 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 3: just get here as soon as you can. So I 531 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 3: was like, man, this guy's impatient. So he's like, look, 532 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 3: I'm not hying you to be my banker. I'm hiring 533 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 3: you to be my strength coach. I was like, yes, sir, 534 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 3: Yes sir. 535 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 2: And so after the game we play the Hawks, we 536 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 2: whoop them. 537 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 3: Uh. And then after the game, like I grabbed Chris Paul, 538 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 3: and I'm like, hey, let me try your suit on. 539 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 2: It didn't fit. 540 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 3: Bobby Jackson was another guy on the team. Hey let 541 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 3: me try your suit. It didn't fit. 542 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:27,400 Speaker 2: And so. 543 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 3: I get to the hotel, team leaves. I'm going to 544 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 3: drive over to Tuscaloosa in the morning, and I just 545 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 3: can't sleep. Obviously I'm about to interview with the Goat, 546 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 3: and I'm just restless, you know. So I go to 547 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 3: Walmart at two am and go spend ninety six dollars 548 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 3: on a white shirt, red tie, navy blue sports coat, 549 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 3: khaki's belt. 550 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 2: Shoes, total of ninety six bucks. 551 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,400 Speaker 3: I walk in the door coachabs like, I thought you 552 00:29:58,440 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 3: were going to be in the valor sweats. 553 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 2: What what are you? What are you some you going 554 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:08,760 Speaker 2: to some Catholic church. Sorry, but it just gave you 555 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 2: the example of who he is. 556 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 3: Like, of course he said I don't want you to 557 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 3: be my banker, but he also demands excellence, and so 558 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,240 Speaker 3: obviously it was a test, and he obviously said this 559 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 3: was part of the reason why you're perfect for the job, 560 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 3: because you understand even though I may have said it 561 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 3: was okay, I needed you in this sports code. And 562 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 3: so I got real lucky that I remembered the lessons 563 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 3: I learned at LSU. But that's just one good story 564 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 3: of his. You know, demand of excellence carries over not 565 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 3: just to the players but to the staff too. 566 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 2: But it's interesting to watch. 567 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 1: I love saying his dynamic on college game day with 568 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: Pat McAfee because you. 569 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 2: Know, he's shoulder yeah. 570 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 1: And then like I feel like Nick Saban, like I've 571 00:30:57,200 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: always looked at him as like very serious and you know, 572 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: like intens right, and so is it kind of like 573 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:06,240 Speaker 1: fun to sort of see him on college game day 574 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: and like, you know, having a little bit more fun 575 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: or did you get that behind the scenes? Like I 576 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: don't know what do you make of when you get 577 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: to watch him on college game day since you actually 578 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: know the guy, you. 579 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 3: Know, I think everyone gets to see who he really 580 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 3: is because that's who he is when you see him 581 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 3: up there. 582 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 2: When he was the head coach, the perception. 583 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 3: Was so important, like our brand, the A was so 584 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 3: important to him and to the organization that he would 585 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:40,640 Speaker 3: let loose with us. But it was very rare, right, 586 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 3: I mean I worked for him for eighteen years, so 587 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 3: I got to see a lot of it. But it 588 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 3: is so good to see him in his element because 589 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 3: when we had talked before about you know, people are 590 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,239 Speaker 3: saying you're going to retire, coach. People are saying, you know, 591 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 3: what are you thinking? And he's like, well, I tried radio. 592 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:00,440 Speaker 3: I tried TV because there was a game. I think 593 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 3: it was when Auburn played Oregon for the National championship, 594 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 3: or it was Florida State. I'm not sure which game 595 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 3: it was, but he went and did the college game 596 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 3: day and we all like pumped him up, like, coach, 597 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 3: go do that. That'll help us in recruiting. And he 598 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 3: came back from that and he's like, I hated it. 599 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 3: It's definitely not something I want to do. And so 600 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,000 Speaker 3: when he retired and did it, I was like, man, 601 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 3: that surprises me. But I see I get to see 602 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 3: coach Saban at church every every once in a while. 603 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 2: We are, you know, there's a few times you can 604 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 2: go to in the morning. 605 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 3: I catch him at Mass and I always catch him 606 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 3: afterwards and I'm like, yeah, coach, you're not good at 607 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 3: picking picking the winner when you're on college game, and 608 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 3: he goes, well, look, there's no accountability, so it really 609 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 3: doesn't matter what I pick. That's funny. 610 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 2: So it's always good before we. 611 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: Go obviously we're heading into playoff season for you know, 612 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 1: college football and for the NFL. What are you watching 613 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:00,960 Speaker 1: any predictions? 614 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 2: Oh? Wow, predictions. I predict that. 615 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 3: It's really cool because you know, I worked with Kurt Signetti, 616 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 3: I worked with Dan Lanning, I worked with Mario Cristobal. 617 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,479 Speaker 3: I work obviously with Kirby Smart, another close friend, you know, 618 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 3: So I have a lot of connections that are in 619 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 3: the championship run. And so Pete Golding, you know, Lane 620 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 3: Kiff and all those guys are close friends, and so 621 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 3: it's really difficult for me to pick who's going to win. 622 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:32,320 Speaker 3: I'm just going to say, I'm going to say this 623 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 3: Ohio State is probably this sarious team to play. And 624 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 3: if Georgia and Ohio State go head to head, whoever 625 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 3: wins that game is taken home to trophy, because that 626 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,239 Speaker 3: is going to be a war for the ages if 627 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 3: it all works out right, everybody's got to play somebody. 628 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 3: But I just I've seen Ohio State after they've lost 629 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 3: to Michigan. I've had to face them and they were 630 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 3: at sea. So I'm just I'm thinking that there's there's 631 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,080 Speaker 3: the team Ohio State is going to be hard to beat, 632 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:10,799 Speaker 3: and I don't know any of the coaches there, so 633 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 3: it thinks to say that I hope that Alabama and 634 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 3: Georgia are in the finals. 635 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 2: That would be a dream come true for me. 636 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 3: Or even if Oregon or Miami's in it, or Signetti, 637 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,280 Speaker 3: that would be great because they're friends. 638 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 2: But I know that. 639 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,160 Speaker 3: I see Ohio State and I see Georgia, and I'm like, 640 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 3: they are loaded with players, and if they can get 641 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:37,320 Speaker 3: their heads a little bit with a what we call. 642 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:40,759 Speaker 2: A mad on, it's like a mean on, they're going 643 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 2: to be really tough to beat. 644 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 3: So and it's hard for me to go against the 645 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:47,920 Speaker 3: Eagles in the NFL because They've got more players on 646 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:49,359 Speaker 3: that team that I've coached. 647 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:50,240 Speaker 2: And any other teams. 648 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:54,800 Speaker 3: Between Georgia and Alabama, guys, it's almost like the Eagles. 649 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:56,879 Speaker 2: Are the team. 650 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: I do have a bone to pick with your friend. 651 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 1: Of course you do it over Tennessee. We're not fans 652 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 1: of his, but that's a conversation for another day. Coach 653 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 1: Scott Cochrane, author of School Session Mastering the Mental Game 654 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:17,000 Speaker 1: and Sports Work and Life, appreciate you open up to 655 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: us and telling us about your story and the book 656 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 1: and your time coaching. 657 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 3: Yes, I appreciate you. Thank you for having me on. 658 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 3: Y'all have a happy New Year you too. 659 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:27,879 Speaker 1: Sir, Happy New Year, thanks so much. 660 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:28,719 Speaker 2: Thank you. 661 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:33,719 Speaker 1: That was coach Scott Cochrane, head coach at West Alabama 662 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,880 Speaker 1: and also author of the book the new book School 663 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: Session Mastering the Mental Game and Sports, work and Life. 664 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: Appreciate him for making the time. Appreciate you guys at 665 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,760 Speaker 1: home every Tuesday and Thursday, but you can listen throughout 666 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 1: the week. Also want to thank John, Cassie and my 667 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 1: producer for putting the show together. 668 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 2: Until next time.