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Steve Victory JOURNAL – Spring/Summer 2018
After a few weeks of feeling sorry for himself, Steve Victory finally snaps out of his funk. He faces the cold, hard fact that he dedicated himself headlong to a goal – win the NCT within 15 years of taking his first job – and didn’t succeed.
He comes to grips with the fact that while many others are making themselves into legends, he’s still only considered “competent” as a coach. Yes, his overall record is just barely over. 500 (237-236). And yes, there are media yips out there calling for his job and fans that have given him some not-so-kind nicknames (Steve Chokefactory is pretty funny, Astros).
But Victory finally takes the advice he gives so often to his players – learn from your failures, stop making excuses, get up off the mat and try again – even harder than before. He quickly finds his resignation letter to Alabama’s AD, still stashed away in his suitcase, and burns it (lest that too fall into the hands of Mr. Sheriff). Steve Victory, age 45, is going to keep coaching basketball!!
“Man, I’m only 45 – not 85,” Victory tells himself in a Tony Robbins-like motivational moment after a breakfast of Wheaties and grapefruit. “I’ve still got 20 or 25 more good years ahead of me. Heck, I can still win multiple national championships. Dean Smith didn’t win his first title until more than 20 years after taking over at UNC, and no one dares challenge his status as a legend.”
With his pout-fest now over, Victory turns his thoughts to another big question – is Alabama the right situation for him? He’ll be the first to admit he hasn’t always liked his time in Tuscaloosa. He’s gotten more gray hairs from a couple ‘Bama teams than from anything else in his life. Plus, Tuscaloosa likely will always be a football-first town...
On the other hand, Tide basketball has been on an upward slope most of the past five years. Victory has posted a 111-58 mark during that span, a winning percentage of 65.7 percent. His 2015 team won 29 games and three other squads have broken the 20-win barrier. His most recent team won the SEC championship and nearly knocked off #1 Utah in the NCT round of 32.
Plus, two of his players from the 2017-18 team – Alex Henry and Michael Slater – just got drafted by NBA teams. Henry went in the first round, and Slater in the second.
“We’ll just have to see what kind of offers come my way,” Victory muses to himself. “I still think we can win the NCT here or if an ACC school should ever want me – or even my alma mater Miami – that might be cool, too. Whatever the case, I’m not throwing in the towel on my coaching career. It’s time to write some new chapters…”
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