The lead article in the sports section of the Dispatch today was about the Glory Days of Ohio State basketball. I found this quote from Fred Taylor quite a contrast to what we have today.
"As much as any coach, ever, (Taylor) put his players first," Caryer said. "When he recruited you, he said, 'What I have to offer is this: You'll get a college education and you will compete for a Big Ten championship.' That was it. He didn't think there anything else that mattered.
Yes, I realize times have changed but for those of an age and/or belief that what Taylor said was/is enough, it's a very difficult time to be a coach and a fan. (Time for me to go watch Andy, Don and Opie). :)
Well, Alan, we have a point of agreement here. Gentleman Jim was even more of a players' coach than Weeping Fred as we used to call him. He got that moniker by my group of friends because win or lose he'd be on his weekly TV show weeping about last week's games. If they had lost a game, he'd weep about the poor officiating, or some other reason they'd lost (never because the other team was better). If they'd won, he still find something to complain about. The crying towel was the biggest prop on his show.
That being said, Snyder and Taylor were very good friends and Jim spoke highly of him. I just liked Jim's style better.
One of my fondest Bobcat memories was being in St. John's Arena the night OHIO beat OSU for the first time in basketball. That game only occurred because of the friendship between the two coaches. That kind of thing seldom happens these days. It was a different era, and in some ways a better time.
Now it's time for me to time travel back to Mayberry with you, Alan!