AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > July > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWalker’s death shakes a proud clique
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Whenever Georgia Tech baseball coach Danny Hall and I speak for more than a few moments, the old days live. The conversation returns to our stay in Hepburn Hall, a three-story, Georgian style dormitory at Miami (Ohio) University, where the future gave us no promises but wonderful dreams, and our youth was synonymous with invincibility.
Illinois football coach Ron Zook was one of us. So was former Braves pitcher Charlie Leibrandt, along with Randy Ayers, who coached at Ohio State and for the Philadelphia 76ers. Then you had Sherman Smith, the assistant head coach for the Tennessee Titans in his 12th year after a nice playing career in the NFL. You also had Bill Doran, a former All-Star second baseman for the Houston Astros, and Rob Carpenter, a former Pro Bowl runner for the New York Giants. Carpenter’s son, Bobby, was picked in the first-round of this year’s NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys after starring at Ohio State.
There was Randy Walker, too, the only football coach ever to lead Northwestern to three bowl games. He ranked with Ohio State’s Jim Tressel and Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz as the best in the Big Ten at their profession, but nobody surpassed Walker in terms of character and enthusiasm. Walker’s funeral is Thursday in Evanston, Ill., after he died last week of a massive heart attack. He was 52. Hall is 51. I’m 50, and I’m still in shock. The same goes for Hall, especially since Walker’s trim frame and easy smiles made him look much younger than his years.
“I was running on my treadmill in my basement, and I had ESPN on the television and saw the news, and I just about got sick,” said Hall, who, along with me, saw Walker, Smith, Carpenter and Zook play on those Miami (Ohio) football teams during the 1970s that were ranked 15th, 10th and 12th in consecutive years by the Associated Press. That’s because the Redskins (now the RedHawks) defeated Florida, Georgia and South Carolina in bowl games after each of those seasons to go 32-1-1. Walker was the superlative fullback, who could run, block, pass and inspire.
To have the ability to inspire is a good thing, especially if you’re Walker, and you’re destined to coach. It’s just that such an attribute is a bad thing if you become so obsessed with trying to help others succeed that your insides resemble a football pumped with too much air from self-inflicted pressure.
“Randy always was very competitive, and if you’re competitive, sometimes you can get stressed out,” said Hall, an acquaintance of Tech football coach Chan Gailey who watched his intensity evolve into a heart attack last year. Gailey’s predecessor, the highly combustible George O’Leary, suffered one two years before that after he took the Central Florida job. “You watch these situations take place, and it all becomes a reality check for yourself,” said Hall, entering his 14th year at Tech as one of the nation’s most successful college baseball coaches. “You just hope you’re eating the right things and doing the right things to take care of yourself.”
So far, so great for Hall, a consistently pleasant soul, who also makes you believe that time is standing still through his ability to remain fit. Unlike Walker and others, though, Hall keeps his explosiveness (both outwardly and inwardly) to a minimum. Which is some trick. Not only is Miami (Ohio) noted as the Mother of Fraternities, the birthplace of the McGuffey Reader and the school of President Benjamin Harrison, but as the Cradle of Coaches.
The majority of those coaches were a clogged artery waiting to happen. Woody Hayes. Bo Schembechler. Bill Mallory. Paul Brown. Ara Parseghian. I mean, Earl “Red” Blaik, who left Miami (Ohio) to build those Army powerhouses in the mid-20th century, was the first coach ever to view “off days” as satanic. He worked before sunrise until beyond midnight in search of eternal victory, and he established the bar for his Miami (Ohio) successors.
Just wondering: Did the old alma mater ever teach you guys to relax? “Oh, you know. I don’t think so,” said Hall, laughing. “You probably just watched how the people reacted that coached you and some of that is going to rub off on you. Even the guy I played for in college (Bud Middaugh), he was the Bobby Knight of college baseball.”Hall laughed again. So did I. It kept us from thinking about lost innocence lying in a coffin, and crying.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech / ACC, Terence Moore, UGA / SEC
Comments
By Me
July 5, 2006 10:51 PM | Link to this
Terence - In 10 years, this is your first good column. Very solid writing. Now that it took you 10 years, could you please forget all that other crap you write?
By Chris Brown
July 6, 2006 10:24 AM | Link to this
Terence great article puts life in perspective…. Makes one wonder how you continue to be unfairly called a racist having been friends with so many guys that are a shade or two lighter than you after so many years. It just goes to show that they are the ones with the problem (sad, but true) Keep writing and continue enlightening! GOD bless you!
By Steve Bitto
July 6, 2006 01:05 PM | Link to this
Terence read your column off Bucknuts.com. I spent 4 very special years at Miami University (73-77) thanks in large measure to the friends I made down there. People Like my roomates Carl “Mad Stork” Wintzer, John Barnes, Steve Stackhouse. I’ve always taken great pride in saying I was at Miami with the likes of Randy Walker, Randy Ayers, Billy Doran, Charlie Liebrandt, Rob Carpenter, Sherm Smith, Steve Sanna and others. Hell, who would have thought the tall lanking kid living two doors down from me in Morris Hall 1 South would be enjoying such a great coaching career first at Kent State and now at Georgia Tech! Although I didn’t know Randy Walker personally, his death has touched me … . It should remind us all that our time on this earth is very short and we mustn’t waste of moment of it. May God Bless Randy’s soul and comfort his family and friends as they try to cope with their loss.
Steve Bitto Cleveland, OH Miami Grad - Class of ‘77
By Nate
July 6, 2006 01:19 PM | Link to this
It is never easy when a loved one passes away. Our prayers are with the Walkers and their friends.
By Woody's Nephew
July 6, 2006 02:13 PM | Link to this
The Big Ten and MAC Fraternities lost a good man and a great coach. All of us know the tradition that is Miami REDSKIN football.
When the Bucks missed out on Jeff Backes in the late 90’s I had no worries because I knew he would get a wonderful education at Northwestern and have a good mentor in Coach Walker. To think that he is gone just hurts. It will be a tough job for whomever tries to fill his shoes for the Wildcats, but one that will deserve our support and respect.
We will truly miss you Coach Walker. Go BIG TEN!
By Joe Pequignot
July 6, 2006 03:00 PM | Link to this
Terence read your article and usually not one to respond, however certain people in our lifes changes us forever.I to am a Miami alum(77/81) as well and had fortune to play football at Miami . As a freshmen I was regulated to the scout team. Our job was to try to emulate the opposing teams game plan. It was a thankless job and required a tremendous leader to motivate us to give our best. Our graduate assistant, Randy Walker, was all of that and more. I feel very blessed that for a short part of time that Coach Walker share his values and philosophies on life with us.His lessons are timeless and remain with us long after our grid iron days are done . Thank you Coach. May god give your family and friends the strentgh and courage to endure thourgh these challenging times.
By Joe Pequignot
July 6, 2006 03:02 PM | Link to this
Terence read your article and usually not one to respond, however certain people in our lifes changes us forever.I to am a Miami alum(77/81) as well and had fortune to play football at Miami . As a freshmen I was regulated to the scout team. Our job was to try to emulate the opposing teams game plan. It was a thankless job and required a tremendous leader to motivate us to give our best. Our graduate assistant, Randy Walker, was all of that and more. I feel very blessed that for a short part of time that Coach Walker share his values and philosophies on life with us.His lessons are timeless and remain with us long after our grid iron days are done . Thank you Coach. May god give your family and friends the strentgh and courage to endure thourgh these challenging times.
By Ryder
July 6, 2006 03:24 PM | Link to this
Great tribute to a great man Terence.. thanks