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Saban and Pinkel on Don James.

Passion
Passion Member Posts: 4,622
Saban: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Coach James’ family. He was a special man and meant the world to me. There aren’t enough words to describe not only the great coach he was, but how much he cared for people and the positive impact he made in the lives of everyone he came in contact with.

“Coach James was my mentor and probably did more than anybody to influence me in this profession. Like I’ve said before, I didn’t plan on going into coaching. He saw something in me and asked me to stay on at Kent State as a graduate assistant after my playing career was over. I really enjoyed it, got hired full-time and went on from there.

From an organizational standpoint, our program today is run much like he ran his program. He was very organized, efficient, and did an outstanding job of defining expectations for players, coaches and everyone in the organization.

He was always personal and inspirational to players and people around him. He wanted you to reach your full potential as a football player, but more importantly, he wanted you to do well in school and become the best person you could be so you would be successful in life. He was the same way when it came to assistant coaches or anyone who worked for him, you were a better person because of the time you spent with Coach James.”

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Pinkel: “It’s hard to put into words how much it hurts to lose a man like Don James. He was my coach, my mentor, my friend, and he had such an amazing influence on my life, both personally and professionally. The program we built at Toledo and here at Missouri is Don James’ program, it’s a tribute to how he developed men and built football teams. This is a tough, tough day, and I’m so sorry for his wife, Carol, and the James family, as well as the entire Washington Huskies family. Coach James was a legend, and if I’m remembered for anything, I hope that it might be that I helped carry his legacy forward.”

It makes me smile and want to punch somebody when I read Saban's comment: "From an organizational standpoint, our program today is run much like he ran his program. He was very organized, efficient, and did an outstanding job of defining expectations for players, coaches and everyone in the organization."

Link: collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/21/saban-pinkel-mourn-don-james-passing/
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Comments

  • RoadDawg55
    RoadDawg55 Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 30,521 Swaye's Wigwam
    Judging from both coaches comments, it would seem that Don James ran a tight ship with everyone involved in the program having clear expectations of what he expected to get done.
  • Southerndawg
    Southerndawg Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 8,358 Founders Club
    Swaye said:

    It is almost comical that we have turned the Don James' program over to a frat boy who is the literal antithesis of what built it. Well, it would be comical if it wasn't so damn pathetic.

    From tough, hard nosed discplined football where there were standards and expectations, to grab ass pregame goof-off-fests where magical 9-4 seasons are created off 7-6 scoreboards.

    I want to punch a kitten, or an Armenian.

    Punch the Armenian AND pet the kitten .... starting with the one on her calf. Damn nice sig once again!

  • creepycoug
    creepycoug Member Posts: 24,366
    Swaye said:

    It is almost comical that we have turned the Don James' program over to a frat boy

    nailed it.

    sig is nice, but I'm not a tat guy. still, I wouldn't kick her out of bed for eating crackers.
  • Homebrew_Dawg
    Homebrew_Dawg Member Posts: 1,652
    Wow. The comments from Saban and Pinkel should result in the immediate firing of Sarkisian and Woodward, who both lack the integrity and toughness to restore a winning tradition at WA.

    Will the death of James and eulogies about him from some of the most respected coaches in the country and national media attention cause the UW President and Board of Regents to see what was squandered and to commit to fixing the program?

    I am hoping for something very positive from all this news. James' death was announced so soon after Sark's most despicable and inexcusable loss to ASU. Hopefully the wide chasm between the program under Sark presently and James during his tenure will reveal the need to fire Sark.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited October 2013
    DaHouse77 said:

    Coach Pinkel is giving his typical Monday morning presser at this moment. As you well know, Mizzou is having a fantastic and completely unexpected year. Despite this success, Pinkel is completely melancholy and broke down discussing Coach James. It's obvious how much he meant to Gary. It's a testament to what football can do for a person -- it's a great teaching tool, and the lessons stick with you for life.

    Pinkel has been a savior for our program. I'm not sure there was a worse program than Mizzou in the 80's and much of the 90's. As of right now, Gary Pinkel is, I believe, four wins away from being the all-time wins leader at MU. (By the way, he's still Toledo's all-time leader in wins.) He's done things in Columbia that I never expected to see -- and I'm currently 32-years old. He gives all of the credit to Coach James' system.

    When you consider Pinkel, Saban, Mora, and the others to come from Coach James, that's pretty d@mn impressive.

    You can use coarse language here, pal.

    And welcome.