jackedaround
Junior
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2015
- Messages
- 4,341
I remember it as if it were yesterday.
On a brisk, and by brisk I mean 85 degree no wind, late November 2006 day in South Miami my friend and I decided to go to Taco Bell for "mexican food."
We had bought our food. On the way out I led the way opening up the rickety door with bag in hand. Perhaps it was the weight of the gordita supreme or the spice of the fire sauce but something felt different.
To my suprise coming out of a white Cadillac Escalade with a Maroone tag holder was a frail old white man. Big ears and white UM hat. Immediately I stopped in my tracks. I knew who it was, Ol Clappy. Big floppy ears, eyes sunken with bags as heavy as those held by some penny stock investor. Wrinkled polo shirt and khaki pants. Slouched demeanor. The man simply looked tired.
Now I was wearing a UM shirt of some fashion. As we approached he tried to not make eye contract but I willed him to. Our eyes locked for a second. He knew I knew who he was and he knew who I was even though he did not know me. The look in my eye was sympathy and in his eye was recognition. We uttered no words.
Looking back I wanted to say he got a raw deal or how I appreciated him. But neither were really true at the time. The man was defeated. He was fired for all intents and purposes yet still had to coach a meaningless bowl game. He was alone. He was a millionaire dining at the fine establishment of Taco Bell. One could get lower, but not in his position that day. He was simply low. I knew that no words would change that.
So we parted ways. He went on to win some poor excuse for a bowl game played in Siberia on a field that was blue. As much as the players tried to let him down they did not. On a last second interception the game was sealed and he went out a winner even though at that point he was a loser.
He moved away and did his best to coach UTSA to some minor success raising the program from nothing to something. To a slower pace. To one in which he was appreciated at least for a little while.
Miami went on to have the worst 10 years of football ever. Hiring terrible coaches with ineptitude. Quite frustrating. I still wonder if he reveled in our downturn or was saddened by it. I will never know but then again it does not matter. 12 years later I no longer frequent Taco Bell and Miami is on its way back to relevancy. But somewhere out there is a man with the willingness to clap for a good play.....
On a brisk, and by brisk I mean 85 degree no wind, late November 2006 day in South Miami my friend and I decided to go to Taco Bell for "mexican food."
We had bought our food. On the way out I led the way opening up the rickety door with bag in hand. Perhaps it was the weight of the gordita supreme or the spice of the fire sauce but something felt different.
To my suprise coming out of a white Cadillac Escalade with a Maroone tag holder was a frail old white man. Big ears and white UM hat. Immediately I stopped in my tracks. I knew who it was, Ol Clappy. Big floppy ears, eyes sunken with bags as heavy as those held by some penny stock investor. Wrinkled polo shirt and khaki pants. Slouched demeanor. The man simply looked tired.
Now I was wearing a UM shirt of some fashion. As we approached he tried to not make eye contract but I willed him to. Our eyes locked for a second. He knew I knew who he was and he knew who I was even though he did not know me. The look in my eye was sympathy and in his eye was recognition. We uttered no words.
Looking back I wanted to say he got a raw deal or how I appreciated him. But neither were really true at the time. The man was defeated. He was fired for all intents and purposes yet still had to coach a meaningless bowl game. He was alone. He was a millionaire dining at the fine establishment of Taco Bell. One could get lower, but not in his position that day. He was simply low. I knew that no words would change that.
So we parted ways. He went on to win some poor excuse for a bowl game played in Siberia on a field that was blue. As much as the players tried to let him down they did not. On a last second interception the game was sealed and he went out a winner even though at that point he was a loser.
He moved away and did his best to coach UTSA to some minor success raising the program from nothing to something. To a slower pace. To one in which he was appreciated at least for a little while.
Miami went on to have the worst 10 years of football ever. Hiring terrible coaches with ineptitude. Quite frustrating. I still wonder if he reveled in our downturn or was saddened by it. I will never know but then again it does not matter. 12 years later I no longer frequent Taco Bell and Miami is on its way back to relevancy. But somewhere out there is a man with the willingness to clap for a good play.....
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