Coach's Wife: NFL or NCAA?

Have you ever wondered what goes down behind the scenes in the world of coaching? I don't mean in the locker room or booth. I mean waaaay behind the scenes of coaching, say from the wives perspective?

 

I had the unique opportunity to share a car ride and discuss the "home" life of an NFL/NCAA coach, with a coaches wife. Why did she dish? Well we were stuck in a car together...and it was under the condition of anonymity.

This is a family friendly site, so we will keep it G rated.

Her husband has been an NFL or NCAA coach for nearly 30 years. He has been head coach for a bowl team, coached SEC, Moutain West, Big 12, NFL, back to the SEC, and now back to the NFL.

Really the biggest issue on my mind, was which did she prefer, NFL lifestyle or NCAA lifestyle? And was there much of a difference?

Of course initially she gave the canned politically correct answer of "We are a football family, and we are grateful to be apart of either." That wasn't really the answer I was hoping for...with a little pressing, she finally coughed up, "NFL wives have more fun, if you know what I mean...they like to have a good time, the players are the stars and we are in the shadows. We aren't scrutinized by the press over where we had dinner."

 Interestingly, I would have guessed that there would have been more scrutiny in the NFL then college. I was assured that there wasn't.

Naturally I assumed that meant their must be some sort of behavior policy in the NCAA, even for coaching staff's family, but she denied that, she said the real problem was at one particular school, the local press had a real knack for chasing them down at dinner time.

"We didn't have paparazzi by any means, but during football season it seemed as if I couldn't go out to eat without the local paper and sports radio reporting on it. In the NFL, nobody cares what I am doing, so in that respect I much prefer it."

I asked her to elaborate on what she meant by, "in that respect."

"Well in general NCAA is much better for family life, our kids are grown now, but on of the pro teams my husband worked for, gosh, his with meetings, then practices, then press, then more meetings. He wouldn't get home til midnight or later, then turn around to do it all over again. In THAT respect, the NCAA more favorable to me."

Sounds to me like we have a winner? NCAA coaching is a "better" job then NFL coaching. But she wasn't done..."Well here's the deal, when the kids were young, NCAA was the way to go, but now we are really enjoying the NFL and all the diversity and fun that it has to offer, NFL wives know how to party!"

So there you have it folks....it's a tie...wait is this soccer? :)

More candid interviews with family and friends within arms reach of the game, coming soon.

Follow Christie on Twitter @heartsfootball

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