Dan Dakich on Fatherhood

by Kent Sterling

Being a good dad is not always easy.  There is no blueprint.  Kids don’t come with a manual.  Dads decide what’s important and work like hell to instill those traits in their kids.  Some dads shrink from the challenge and work to feather their own nest.  Others micromanage their kids – hovering and determining the course of the kid’s life in every way.  Still others abandon the home because the pressure is too great.

1070 – the Fan and ESPN’s Dan Dakich has the advantage of having, as he describes him, the “greatest guy I know” as a Dad, and two kids who are very bright and athletic.  Who better to talk about fatherhood than Dan?

Dan’s dad is a smart guy – a really good people person, and very good at dispensing advice.  I spent a couple of hours with Mr. Dakich when he came into the studio to watch Dan host.  I shanghaied him, and peppered him for parental advice, which he was generous enough to share.  Who better to ask about how to deal with college athletes and their relationship with a coach than a guy who trusted his son’s future to Bob Knight for 16 years?  He was extremely helpful and honest.

Honesty is a trait that Dan clearly values.  Listeners to his show get three hours of honesty each day, and people Dan knows have a good idea what they are going to get when they ask Dan a question.  They might like or dislike what they hear, but they are going to get a dose of what Dan believes.

Here, Dan talks about what he has learned from his dad:

The flipside of dealing with your dad is being a dad yourself, and Dan talks about what he hopes his kids learn from him:

Being a dad is tough sledding.  The balance between giving kids structure but allowing for mistakes is a tough one to strike.  Honesty is a great place to start.  With honesty there is trust, and with trust comes respect.  Success comes in a lot of forms, but respect is right near the top of the list.

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