Eulogy For A Guy I Didn't Know--With An Update

Randy Walker, head football coach at Northwestern, dead at 52.

I didn't know him as an actual human being, only as a sideline presence, so I can't talk about the man he was. However, looking back, he was a better coach than I gave him credit for being. In many ways, he was the exact opposite of his predecessor Gary Barnett--he expressed hopes instead of guarantees, desires instead of demands. He always let the school and its alumni community know that Northwestern was where he wanted to be. And the guy won.

Under his stewardship, Northwestern was able to maintain a Division I football program that is not only NOT a national joke, but seems to be able to make a splash once every few years. There's only one guy alive now who can make that claim, and he's completely burned through the good will of Northwestern alumni, Colorado alumni, and the entire female gender.

So here's to Randy Walker, who died way, way too young.

AN ADDENDUM:

Talking to my friend T this morning, he reminded me that Randy Walker coached the single greatest college football game in yours or my lifetime--the 54-51 win over Michigan in 2000.

It so happens that I attended that game. It was a total freak coincidence--I hadn't been back for a game since graduation and T offered me a couple of tickets, so what the hell? I flew back and happened to see history. 650 yards of offense for NU alone. Anthony Thomas--All-American, future NFL back--fumbling the football with 46 seconds left. Sam Simmons in a play that lives forever, crossing from the 11 yard line for the winning touchdown.

I'm not kidding you when I say that day, in total, is one of the ten best of my life. And it sure wasn't just the game that made it a great day, but the game is what puts it on the list.

Thanks, Randy.