Who would you want to coach your son?

by Blogger who came in from the cold on May 5, 2007 10:00 PM EDT

This brouhaha over Stafford got me to thinking. If my son were a Div I football prospect, who would I want to coach him? [a personal aside - my oldest is a 17 year old HS junior who may have a future in Div I track; my youngest is an exhausting 4th grader - so its too early to tell with him]

I would love it if my son went to Georgia to play football - for all the obvious reasons. But would that be best for him? Does Coach Richt discourae a boy's nature "lust for life"? http://www.dawgsports.com/comments/2007/5/3/183817/6498/3#3 Would my boy be better off at a school with an avuncular figure who allowed 'boys to be boys'? (FSU) Should he go to Penn State and plug into the nationwide network that is Joe Paterno?

Is the proper role of a football coach as a pater familias? Or should he primarily concern himself with X's and O's?

Since I suspect that most Dawgsports.com readers are male and are of age to have children, who would you want to coach your son?

When answering the question, leave out of the equation the school or its location. In order words, leave out of your calculus that it snows alot in State College or that southern California is a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.

Kyle, Thomas is a pretty tough looking kid. Where do you want him to go?

Poll

Who would you want to coach your son?

Mark Richt

33 votes

Nick Saban

1 votes

Terry Cullen

1 votes

Tommy Tubberville

0 votes

Mack Brown

3 votes

Pete Carroll

6 votes

Steve Spurrier

3 votes

Bob Stoops

1 votes

Bobby Bowden

1 votes

Joe Paterno

12 votes

61 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Cross posted on Front page

Ok -- I threw that in there to see who was paying attention. I forgot that there was a Terry Cullen that everyone would recognize.

The 'REAL' Terry Cullen is the head Coach of the Lightweight Football Team at Cornell. http://cornellbigred.cstv.com/sports/m-sprintfb/mtt/cullen_terry00.html He was my coach when I played in college.

Lightweight football (actually called Sprint Football) [formerly known as 150's Football] is a Div I intercollegiate sport played by 5 schools in the Northeast. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprint_football

The weight limit has changed over the years. When I played (late 70's) it was 158 lbs 48 hours before game time. Its now 172 lbs. A very quick hard hitting brand of football. http://www.cornellsprintfootball.com/recruiting.html

The league trophy is named for Robert Cullen, Terry's father. While I was at Cornell, the father and son were co-Head Coaches. I was fortunate enough to get to know both of these outstanding men.

While Terry Cullen of Cornell is not as well known as the others on the list (or even as well known as the car salesman from Jonesboro), he has an outstanding football mind, runs a great program and is one of the nicest men I know. My son won't play football in college; but if he did, I would be proud to have him play for Coach Cullen.

by Blogger who came in from the cold on May 8, 2007 10:48 AM EDT reply actions

FWIW

Since I have two daughters, this is a moot point, but I would either keep it old school with Joe Paterno or focused-but-loose with Pete Carroll. That probably seems slightly schizophrenic, but that's because of my internal conflict between my Calvinist upbringing (you're not here to enjoy yourself, now get it right) and adult sense that you should always achieve your utmost but it's easier if you enjoy the process.

I fully recognize that I am in the minority as regards the rest of what I am about to write, but here goes: I don't view the university as having the duty or indeed the right to act in loco parentis, and that extends to the coaching of sports. It's practice for the real world. Since I don't choose to share re: my faith in the workplace, I don't think it's appropriate in a college coaching relationship, and that would put me off someone like Coach Richt.

by DC Trojan on May 10, 2007 5:34 PM EDT reply actions

While we have a disagreement . . .

. . . you make a reasonable point in a sensible manner, DC Trojan, which is always both welcome and appreciated.

Also, not that this should be a factor, but, now that I have heard you on "EDSBS Live" a couple of times, I enjoy being able to read what you write and "hear" it in my head as though it were being spoken in your voice. The accent lends credence and gravitas to your argument.

by T Kyle King on May 10, 2007 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't fall for the accent...

I'm completely full of it, but the accent buys me 90 seconds to scope out the exits.

And, as I noted, it's an idiosyncratic preference. I've learned the hard way that the challenge of public discussions of religion or faith has less to do with the religion or faith in question as the character of the person or persons involved in the discussion. My general misanthropy takes over from there, but of course all other's mileage may vary.

by DC Trojan on May 11, 2007 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions

All else equal...

... I'd have to say Steve Spurrier. Of course, I would aim a little higher up the educational depth chart than South Carolina. Since we are fantasizing here, I'd say Steve Spurrier at Stanford. But if that kind of fantasy is out of bounds and I was advising a high school senior with scholarship offers from every D1 school, I'd recommend Jeff Tedford at Cal followed by Urban Meyer at Florida.

by 34hawk on May 10, 2007 11:15 PM EDT reply actions