KidsEverywhere

I saw an article last night where the USC football coach Steve Satkisian is taking an indefinite leave from his job midsession to address health issues. All signs point to him entering treatment. Apparently showed up Sunday at the school intoxicated and is said to not have been well all season. Embarrassed himself at a booster event a month or so ago- got up to speak and was hammered. Word is he was drunk while coaching the Arizona state game a couple of weeks ago.
He is in the middle of a divorce as well. Here is a young guy making more than $4 million a year coaching a top team with the world at his fingertips. He will likely lose his job, divorce, etc. just goes to show this thing we share called addiction doesn't care who you are. Good luck to him.

ScottFromWI

Yep, addiction is everywhere. Athletes and celebrities are human beings just like everyone else.

GnikNus

No one is immune to it. It can be even harder to quit if someone is in a high profile (and high pressure) lifestyle. Add to that loads of money and I bet it's easy to get pulled into alcoholism. Hope he makes it.

dcg

Nothing shocking or surprising to me about this (other than a college coach brings in $4 milli a year).

Sleepbetteray

I've been following this story. Sark was the coach here at Washington before talking the SC job a couple years ago.
Last April he and his wife divorced. They have two young children.

I feel for the guy. He won't coach at Southern Cal again. Hope he can recover and salvage his career. He's a hell of a football coach. Most importantly I hope he gets sober.

SoberLeigh

Prayers that he will beat his addiction and take all steps necessary to recover.

dcg

If the team was rockin' he'd still coach at USC. That's the one thing consistent in sports; if the money is coming in, people will overlook pretty much anything, and drunkenness is pretty low on the scale.

Wife beating, felony jail time etc., they all come back and fans are fed a bunch of garbage about repenting and such. If those guys can come back, then a former drunk will have no problems landing a lucrative job somewhere else.

KidsEverywhere

It was a controversial hire at the time from what I remember. And this year as been a disaster from the pre season expectations. That is why he won't be back- not because he is an alcoholic. As you say, you can get away with about anything in sports if you are winning.

Sleepbetteray

Yeah. That's a great point. Look at Greg Hardy in Dallas. It almost killed his ex. But, he's got talent so he gets another opportunity.

PurpleKnight

Addiction is an equal opportunities employer!! . . . hope he gets the treatment he needs!!

Fluffer

I hope he finds his way to sobriety and makes a full recovery! Somebody who can't manage to show up to critical functions sober is obviously out of control in their addiction and deserving of sympathy in my book.

hopepraylove

As a UCLA Bruin, God Bless him and I pray he gets the help he needs.

thomas11

I've followed this story as well. It must be pretty bad. Those top tier high revenue programs have the resources to provide a lot of "cover" for issues with players and coaches. Apparently, this spiraled too far and they couldn't hide it any longer. Feel bad for the guy, but I'm guessing that if he will accept it, he could go to the recovery center in the country for however long it takes him to get straightened out.

courage2

The guy seems to be having problems, but I'm not comfortable with diagnosing anyone else as an alcoholic or addict. That's for him to come to, if he will.

Fluffer

I've heard that AA says that only the drinker can decide if they are an alcoholic, and I've always been perplexed by that statement. Because of denial and self-deception caused by the AV, the alcoholic is often the last person to realize they are addicted. If it is perfectly obvious to everyone around you that you suffer from a destructive addiction to alcohol but you don't agree, then does your decision really trump objective reality? Seems like an enabling belief to me.

KidsEverywhere

I didn't mean to speak for the guy. But unless there is some elaborate hoax, this guy is struggling with the same thing I do, I call it alcoholism. He might call it something different.

48heath

I agree courage,this forum is to help newcomers, inappropriate to discuss this person on here.

thomas11

He just dug his hole a little deeper. He was fired, effective immediately.

KidsEverywhere

I apologize. I brought it up because his situation was unfolding and came to a head Sunday morning. I could relate to his struggles that are clearly documented in the newspapers and he, like the others on this newcomer board, are just beginning the road to recovery. I wasn't trying to sensationalize a public persons struggles, just thought it was relevant in that he is obviously struggling like we are and is just starting the recovery process.

courage2

kidseverywhere, I wouldn't put it as strongly as to say it's inappropriate to discuss the person's behavior. It's an interesting thread, really.

I just hesitate to talk about other people's alcoholism. I have a hard enough time understanding my own problems LOL!

Really, I'm not trying to be critical of the thread. It was just a comment.