The 100-Yard Journey
Page 25
It got serious a few months later when a few writers and publishers began asking if I was interested. My first move, as it was in any career-related decisions, was to call my friend, attorney, and agent for the last 25 years, John Caponigro. John and I developed a great friendship over the years, and I am thankful for his wisdom and advice throughout my career. So now writing a book got serious.
Dave Matter, writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was the first person who came to mind. I’ve known Dave for many years as a part of the avid sports media crew that followed the Tigers throughout the years. I always admire his professionalism, talent, and integrity.
Dave and I would meet weekly for almost seven months. He took me down memory lane of game history as I shared my most personal thoughts and feelings. He met a side of me that wasn’t the usual press conference disposition of Head Coach Gary Pinkel. My sincerest appreciation and heartfelt thanks goes out to him for taking on this challenge while spending enormous amounts of time dealing with an old football coach.
There have been so many people who have touched my life, career, and heart. From the greatest mentors, coaches, support staff, and bosses to the many special friends who stood with me on and off the field, and those who never failed to send me an encouraging message win or lose.
And finally, a special love and appreciation to my entire family. From my parents, sister, and brother to my family and extended family, your support and dedication has allowed me to be on the playing field for more than 57 years. I will forever be grateful. Your sacrifices and commitment to Team Pinkel has been instrumental in making my dream to coach football come true. Thank you for sharing and being a part of each and every day of My 100 Yard Journey. You are my blessings and forever my greatest W.
—Gary Pinkel
Photo Gallery
My first grade class photo.
My eighth grade class photo.
Christmas 1963 with my sister, Kathy, our maternal grandmother, Nana, and my brother, Greg.
Here I am in 1965 with my grandmother, Nana, and younger brother, Greg.
Me as a teenager. I attended Kenmore High School.
I was fortunate to play for a couple great coaches, including Dick Fortner, who coached Kenmore High School to the Akron city championship in 1969, my senior year.
Kenmore High School didn’t have a great football tradition, but under coach Dick Fortner we captured the 1969 city championship in Akron with a victory over rival Garfield. I played receiver before moving to tight end in college.
I served as a co-captain as a senior at Kent State in 1973.
I earned All-MAC honors as a senior at Kent State and was named honorable mention All-American.
I joined Don James’ coaching staff at the University of Washington in 1976 as a part-time assistant coaching tight ends, and after a detour through Ohio I was back in Seattle two years later. I returned as a full-time assistant and would become the Huskies’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach through the 1990 season.
I like to say I got my doctorate in coaching from Don James, shown here after one of his many wins at Husky Stadium. This one happened to come at my expense: in 1991, my first season as the head coach at Toledo, we lost to Coach James and his Washington team that would go on to win the national championship.
In the early 1980s, the Washington football coaching staff was coined the James Gang, and sometimes we looked the part. Here’s our staff, led by head coach Don James (on horse), including myself (far right) and offensive coordinator, and former Mizzou head coach, Bob Stull (right in red)
I landed my first head-coaching job at the University of Toledo in 1991, back in the state of Ohio, back in the Mid-American Conference. (Photo courtesy of the University of Toledo)
Frank Lauterbur, here visiting one of our practices, was a valuable source for me during my time at Toledo. Coach Lauterbur won three conference championships as the head coach at Toledo and stayed engaged with the program and our staff after he retired from coaching. (Photo courtesy of the University of Toledo)
We opened the 2000 season with a game I initially opposed to putting on our schedule, but the 24–6 victory at Penn State in front of a national TV audience was the start of 10-win season and delivered some national attention to our program. (Photo courtesy of the University of Toledo).
There was nothing easy about the challenge we faced at Missouri when we arrived from Toledo for the 2001 season. It took three seasons to reach a bowl game and seven to win our first division championship. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
Brad Smith, our quarterback from 2002 to ’05, was the catalyst of our program at Mizzou. When Brad played his final home game, here against Baylor on November 12, 2005, I knew we were losing a great player and leader who played a pivotal role in our program’s success. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
We needed the biggest rally in team history to secure our first bowl win, a 38–31 comeback win over Steve Spurrier and South Carolina in the 2005 Independence Bowl. It was Brad Smith’s final game in a Mizzou uniform. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
Led by two senior captains, Lorenzo Williams (99) and Martin Rucker (82), we finished the 2007 season with a huge victory over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, the final touches on a 12-win season that included a Big 12 North Division championship. We finished ranked No. 4 in the AP poll. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
We had so many great players come through our program, including these three offensive stars from left: receivers Danario Alexander and Jeremy Maclin and quarterback Chase Daniel, a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2007. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
Here’s a rare smile in my postgame press conference. It must have been a victory. From 2005 to ’11 there were many, as we went to bowl games seven straight seasons. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
Winning our home games became a priority at Mizzou, and from 2006 to ’11, we won 31 of 37 games at Memorial Stadium. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
We played in 11 bowls at Missouri and nine in a span of 10 seasons, including this one, a Cotton Bowl victory over Oklahoma State after the 2013 regular season. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
Me and my Harley Davidson Road Glide motorcycle, which often served as my recreation when there was time. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
We needed a win badly on November 10, 2012, and we got one at Tennessee, a four-overtime thriller and a 51–48 Mizzou victory, our first SEC road win. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
Our 2013 team had great leadership and character, including senior receiver L’Damian Washington (No. 2), here smiling for the team photo at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, where we’d beat Oklahoma State for our 12th victory of the season. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
I was blessed to have a group of hardworking, loyal assistant coaches throughout my career. Here’s our 2008 Missouri staff.
I had been diagnosed with lymphoma in the spring of 2015 but decided to coach that season, here in our season-opening win over Southeast Missouri State. (Photo courtesy of the University of Missouri)
In what turned out to be my final coaching win in 2015, we rallied to beat BYU in Kansas City the day after I had to tell my players and coaches about my plans to retire.
Our team celebrated what would be my final coaching win in 2015, a comeback victory over BYU at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
On November 16, 2015, we held a press conference at Mizzou Arena to discuss my retirement plans. It was an emotional day for me as I was surrounded by family and colleagues.
On June 27, 2015, Missy and I got married in Naples, Florida, joined by family and close friends. Here I am with all eight of my grandchildren on our wedding day.
Missy and I on our wedding day, June 2
7, 2015, in Naples, Florida.
My first home game and first time watching the team from a press box suite. My entire family by my side (missing from photo: Baby Chace Pinkel). 2016.
Taking time to vacation in New York City’s Time Square with my new blended family Mira, Jace, and Missy. July 2016.
My children. From left, my son Geoff and his wife, Jen; my son-in-law, Josh, and my daughter, Erin; and my daughter-in-law, Jenny, and son Blake. Fall 2016.
Retirement brought me opportunities to speak to multiple groups, one of the most special being the Toledo Rockets football team before practice.
The MAC Hall of Fame award was very special. I’m pictured here with some of my dearest longtime friends and former teammates.
A pre-game good luck to my old friend Nick Saban at the 2015 Cotton Bowl, Alabama vs. Michigan State.
Mike Alden, former Mizzou Athletic Director, recaps my head coaching career at the launch party for the newest ZOUNation publication. Spring 2016.
At the Legendary Coaches wall in Toledo.
On the set of the SEC broadcast of the SEC Championship Game as announcer.
Copyright
Copyright © 2017 by Gary Pinkel and Dave Matter
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, Triumph Books LLC, 814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request
This book is available in quantity at special discounts for your group or organization. For further information, contact:
Triumph Books LLC
814 North Franklin Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
www.triumphbooks.com
Printed in U.S.A.
ISBN: 978-1-62937-465-9
eISBN: 978-1-63319-842-5
Design by Sue Knopf
Photos courtesy of the author unless otherwise indicated