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Men's basketball: Alford says his job is high on stress, low on rest
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Like most of his college basketball peers, Steve Alford was affected by the death of Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser two weeks ago.
What could have contributed to Prosser's death, however, makes Alford think about what it's like to spend four hours sleeping in a Chevy Malibu.
Prosser's death from a heart attack at age 56 took place during the hot month of July, which is also one of the hottest times for sleep-deprived, stress-driven coaches to blaze the recruiting trail.
It's the same time of year that Alford watches Amateur Athletic Union basketball from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Las Vegas, catches a red-eye flight to Orlando that arrives at 5 a.m., then sleeps in a rental car from 5 to 9 a.m., when his hotel allows check-in.
He's usually watching basketball again by 10 a.m.
This is an annual ritual many coaches have come to accept, even if accompanied by a collective ugh! when looking at the flight itinerary.
"You're just sitting there in a car with nowhere to go," said Alford, laughing. "That's the glamour of the job. I've thought this has been out of hand for a long time."
Prosser has raised national awareness to the absurdly busy - though absurdly well-compensated - college coaching profession.
Or at least Alford hopes.
ESPN.com this week quoted coaches like Western Michigan's Steve Hawkins and Virginia Tech's Seth Greenberg on the stress coaching adds to themselves, their wives and kids.
Alford and many other coaches pile up bundles of cash to endure the 16-hour days. The University of New Mexico pays Alford $975,000 per year to coach the Lobos.
But he still eats on the cheap. Wendy's and Carl's Jr. are staples.
"Often you really don't have time for anything else because you're on the go all day," Alford said.
Alford started the job in late March, and his only real family vacation since then was in his home state of Indiana while he was conducting a weeklong Steve Alford Boys Basketball Camp. The gang stayed at an Indiana lakehouse all week, and Alford found a little time between work to fish with the kids.
The next vacation probably won't be until May, Alford said.
"You go from a season that ends in March, then April's a live recruiting period, June and July is recruiting, and August isn't down because school starts and you're trying to get kids on campus unofficially," Alford said. "Then you have the season. May's really the only down month, but you still have work to do because your school year is ending. It gets pretty crazy."
In the future, many Division-I coaches might lobby for a 10-day quiet period in June or room to breathe in July or beyond.
The motivation - to stay sane and maybe stay healthier.
"I'm sure the Prosser family hopes awareness is brought to this," Alford said. "Whether that will happen, I don't know."
