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Some thoughts on the late Herb Mead

DerekJohnsonDerekJohnson Administrator, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 62,416 Founders Club
edited May 2018 in Hardcore Husky Board
I heard earlier today that Herb died in April. He was a longtime Husky booster.

Just thought I'd share some memories.

In the summer of 2007 I received a voice message from Herb. He said he had read my book on Don James and loved it. Kim Grinolds gave him my number and Herb wanted to talk to me about helping him with his memoir.

I called him up and introduced myself. He said he wanted to have a meeting to discuss his book. I said well okay how about sometime next week? Perhaps Wednesday?

Herb said, "Wednesday??? I was thinking more like ONE HOUR FROM NOW!!"

(That summed up Herb in a lot of ways).

I was in Herb's office one Sunday morning that fall after a very difficult UW loss. I want to say it was the 48-41 Arizona collapse, but I can't remember for sure. Herb said he wanted to find out what the hell happened. He picked up the phone to call UW OC Tim Lappano.

Mrs. Lappano answered the phone, and Herb began schmoozing and laying on the charm, winking at me from across the desk. A moment later, Tim got on the phone. Herb started gently probing with questions to find out why this odd play call happened, etc. I was quietly in stitches.

Herb also told me a couple years later about tracking down Steve Sarkisian to get answers to something. Sark answered the phone and said "Well Herb you've got me while I'm recruiting in Hawaii. I'm just about to knock on a recruit's door." Herb felt like Sark was feeling pressured by him, so Herb wanted to walk the fine line but still get answers to his questions.

I did help Herb on his book for awhile. But we would start discussing items on the book, and within ten minutes the conversation would switch over to the Huskies and their woes. Or we would reminisce on the good old days. Herb often said, "Johnson! When you and I get together to talk about the Dawgs, we're like a couple of alcoholics at a bar on a Tuesday morning at 10AM. We're hopeless I tell you!"

Over time I came up with something called "The Bullshit Bell". It was an old fashioned bell that Herb had on his desk for some reason. But whenever our discussions went deep into the weeds about the Huskies, I would shake the Bullshit Bell, meaning it was time to get refocused on the book.

Herb and I both knew Dave Hoffmann. I had told Dave about the Bullshit Bell. Hoff laughed and said, "some day the three of us are going to kick back around the desk to talk about the Dawgs, and we're tossing that Bullshit Bell out into the street!"

Unfortunately, that day never occurred.

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