For Ehret, it's a wonderful one.

North has proven himself to be an exceptional individual in my short time here in New Orleans. Any time I've needed anything, be it a quote or a story idea or just a coach to bounce an idea or two off of, North always accepted the task with a smile and a good answer.

Some people may question why the 18-year Ehret coach decided in the first place to go to Thomas Jefferson. Even more might want to know why he changed his mind about two weeks later.

From talking with him, he sounded like the two-week down time that is the holiday season gave him time to think. And when you've been somewhere 18 years as the head coach - and longer overall - coming to a career decision is never easy.

The opening at TJH quickly came open, surprising North. He said he expected it to be a position available in a few years. The suddenness of the opening caught him by surprise, and he did only what he thought was best.

That said, he took the valuable time he had over the break and thought about his decision.

And what he figured out was that leaving Ehret was easier said than done. He has poured blood, sweat and tears into the school's football program, producing some extraordinary teams and superb athletes. He's surely produced better citizens, too.

The sweat equity - as you could certainly call it - that went into continuing the Ehret tradition would have been enough to bring anyone back.

But there was something else. North truly believes in teaching the players about more than the game.

After the storm, no one was required to come back. But, according to North, there were many, many of this years junior class that came back after the storm just to be and play at Ehret.

How could he deny them the chance to play under him as a senior class?

I think that really struck a chord with North. Yes, he certainly would have had a chance to make an impact on a new group of teenagers at TJH. But what about those who came back to Ehret to be with him?

Regardless of whether he took the job and turned it down, North is doing what he thinks is best for him. He's also doing what he thinks is best for his players.

That's the type of coach I would want my children and students to be playing for these days.

Winning and losing aren't as big a deal to North as teaching the game of life.

And that's something he's doing tremendously well at these days.