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Saturday, March 8, 2008
A chat with Vince and Barbara Dooley
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you ever heard Barbara Dooley speak? She’s a stitch. She and husband Vince Dooley, the longtime UGA coach and athletic director, appeared Saturday morning as joint keynote speakers at Bosom Buddies of Georgia’s 25th anniversary Celebration of Life luncheon, themed “Stronger Together” and presented by the Georgia Cancer Foundation.
After each addressed the crowd Barbara led a sing-along to “I Just Called to Say I Love You.” Even the coach got into it.
We caught up with the Dooleys, celebrating 48 years together this month, for a brief chat during a pre-event reception at the Westin Atlanta North at Perimeter.
VINCE DOOLEY
On UGA coach Mark Richt’s recent bump in salary: “His raise is more than what I hired him for. I don’t think Mark is one that would [leave]. He’s been treated well [and deserves it]. He’s everything that you’d want in a coach.”
On the planned sculpture in his likeness: “It’s a nice tribute. I’m happy for the sculptor.”
On gardening during the drought [Vince is a master gardener with a hydrangea named after him]: “I have a couple of rain barrels. I may get more. I might put in [a cistern] underground. I have a garden for all seasons, I’m going to figure out a way to keep it alive.”
On appearing jointly with Barbara: “I’m going to talk first or I won’t get a chance to talk. She’s the main attraction.”
BARBARA DOOLEY
On her advice for the recently diagnosed: “The only way you’re going to beat it is to stay positive. You have to say, it’s not going to get me, and you have to say, I’m not afraid if it does. I had already prepared [Vince] for women bearing casseroles. I told him he’d need police directing traffic.”
On choosing which events to get involved in: “We promised each other we would not do speaking engagements on the weekends. The weekends are the only time we have to be together. But this was for cancer.”
On being approached by breast cancer patients and survivors: “I’ve probably seen 500 boobs. People literally undo their blouses to show me their scars. I’m thinking of calling my book [due out in August] ‘Tired of Talking [an alliterative synonym for breasts].’ ”
