Editor's Note I: This blog orginally ran in August of 2016. 

 

You have to forgive Darletta Stout for occasionally rooting for the Alabama football team. Sure, she loves her West Virginia University Mountaineers, but her connection to the Crimson Tide – or rather Coach Nick Saban – goes way back.

 

Seriously – like 1960s back.

 

At that time, Darletta Stout was Darletta Barth and her mother’s hometown was the same as that of Saban. Granted, Saban was seven years older so even in a small town that didn’t mean you would automatically be best friends or have a relationship with everyone in the community.

 

Stout, though, had an in through her babysitter. The babysitter’s name was Joyce Lipinski and she watched Darletta roughly during a time period where Stout was 8-, 9-, and 10-years-old.

 

Lipinski was more than just a babysitter. She happened to be Stout’s cousin. And she also happened to be dating a guy that was a pretty good football player on some of those former Monongah teams that happened to be arguably among the best the state has ever produced.

 

Yep, young Darletta Barth was being baby sat at times with the previously mentioned Nick Saban right there with her.

 

“I had the thrill of actually watching all of his high school games; one championship after another,” said Stout recalling her time growing up in Monongah. “Even back then I remember him quite intense as a teenager with just an extremely strong work ethic. You could tell his father has instilled in him the importance of physical labor and working hard.

 

“When he came over when I was being watched by Joyce, he was always polite,” Stout continued. “The other thing I remember was that he loved the Rolling Stones and would sing a lot of their songs.”

 

Just knowing that would be pretty cool and make Stout the envy of a lot of sport-a-holics. But, the story didn’t just end there. In fact, it had a new chapter added to it in recent months in New York City.

 

In December, while visiting with her daughter Natalie, she had an opportunity to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Being a sports fanatic, Stout knew it was too good of an offer to pass up.

 

Understand that you just can’t go to the Heisman Trophy presentation. If you’re like most of us, you watch it on television.  If you’re daughter Natalie works for Boomer Esiason Foundation as the events coordinator and directly with Boomer, occasionally a unique door opens. When Natalie secured the access, Darletta Stout decided she better put her foot in the door – and she’s glad she did for numerous reasons.

 

“Natalie and I actually walked in with some of the candidates. It turned out to be the start of a pretty magical evening, especially for a sports fanatic like myself,” said Stout.

 

And it was only going to get better.

 

“There were 25 former Heisman candidates there and a whole lot of sports personalities, including the people from ESPN and a lot of college coaches. What was unique about it was that you were in there mingling and it wasn’t stuffy. Everyone was relaxed and you could just talk to about anyone,” said Stout. “I just took a deep breath and soaked it all in.”

 

Those in the room included Marcus Allen, Archie Griffin, Desmond Howard, Stanford Coach David Shaw and, eventually, Nick Saban among others. For the first time in nearly 50 years, Darletta Stout there was a possibility she was going to have a mini-reunion with the individual who was often in the same room while she was being babysat.

 

Of course seeing Nick Saban at any venue and getting a chance to talk to him are two entirely different things. And that was where daughter Natalie stepped into the mix.

 

“He was one of the last ones in and it was like a politician coming in because he was just surrounded by everyone. The only difference between him and a lot of politicians was that everyone was glad to see him,” said Stout with a laugh.

 

In short order, Natalie Stout – no stranger to the celebrity sports crowd due to her work as Boomer’s right-hand woman – maneuvered next to Saban. In equally short order she got his attention and mom said her Natalie simply said “Monongah” and “Joyce” and Nick Saban turned and saw Darletta.

 

“It’s five to 10 minutes before the start of the presentation and he recognized me like he had seen a blast from the past and we were able to talk briefly. He was really kind. First thing he wanted me to to do is to be sure to send my regards to Joyce and (husband) Donnie (Evans),” said Stout. “He mentions Donnie in his book and they played together on those Monongah teams. They still have a very strong connection.”

 

For a few minutes, the conversation went on as Stout said people pulled at Saban in every direction. His attention, though, was back in Monongah, on West Virginia and friends from year’s past even if for just a brief few moments.

 

“He smiled when I told him about the Rolling Stones and I thought later how ironic it was that he loved the song ‘I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.’ He’s never satisfied with how much he wins and that’s why he works 365 days a year because that’s always been his personality,” she said. “For whatever reason, that stuck in my head.”

 

Eventually, the conversation ended as Saban was informed that his talented player Derrick Henry – one of the Heisman finalists – wanted to see Saban before the presentation started. It was a presentation that ended with Henry being named the 81^st Heisman winner and Saban joining him on stage.

 

“Looking back, it was just a wonderful evening, particularly to see Coach Saban again after all of those years,” Stout said. “To think back that I was with my cousin who was babysitting me at eight-years old and there was a person there with me who would become a national phenomena kind of made seeing him again surreal.”

 

Editor's Note II: Top photo shows Darletta Stout with Nick Saban,while she is with former Heisman winner Marcus Allen in the middle. Below, Stout is shown with Desmond Howard.