Sadly, it is true-powers outside the sports program or even outside the school itself can eliminate even the most successful of coaches. Coach Dobie was victimized in a simpler time. It is a cautionary tale you spun here, John... and it was done with precision and a clear love of history that many of us share. Appreciated your mention of names from the past that fascinated me as a lad.
John, yesterday I was whining about agents that don’t do the right thing, and then I read this from 100 years ago. It reminds me that people are what they are and do what they do. Some good, some bad. Thanks, as always, for reminding us we all have choices about how we live.
Apr 27, 2023·edited Apr 27, 2023Liked by John Canzano
I'm hoping you will do a sit down interview with Kalen DeBoer. Seems like a super interesting character, low-key, intense, when necessary, a composed leader.
Very uptown dresser. Great hat. Didn’t even have a logo attached, so it isn’t the outside, it’s what is in the inside. No matter a coach or just anyone of us, that’s wisdom. So what is the resource of the inside we ask ourselves even in our imperfections
Never underestimate the power of those that want to run stuff. A player cheats on an exam, the team backs him up, the coach tells them he will have none of it, the people that want to run stuff don't want to back the coach if it means losing - and then the coach who gets blamed wins anyway. So he is gone, no matter what the student body and the community feel about it. Modern lesson? Quit stewing about the Pac-10 +/- and how you can watch the games. We are lucky they even let us have teams to watch and the privilege of paying for it...
What a great history. Thanks for giving it light, even if it is about Washington ;-)
Coach Gil, my kinda guy!
Sadly, it is true-powers outside the sports program or even outside the school itself can eliminate even the most successful of coaches. Coach Dobie was victimized in a simpler time. It is a cautionary tale you spun here, John... and it was done with precision and a clear love of history that many of us share. Appreciated your mention of names from the past that fascinated me as a lad.
Leave it to UW to fire a coach that never lost a game......Must have been his similarities to Mike Leach.
John, yesterday I was whining about agents that don’t do the right thing, and then I read this from 100 years ago. It reminds me that people are what they are and do what they do. Some good, some bad. Thanks, as always, for reminding us we all have choices about how we live.
Coach Dobie is an unrecognized college football coaching icon, except in Husky circles One of legendary attitude and focus.
“Bow Down” 😎
Good on ya’, John
GO DAWGS
John, great article. You let us learn something new everyday!
If they make a movie, Benedict Cumberbatch is a dead ringer for this cat.
I'm hoping you will do a sit down interview with Kalen DeBoer. Seems like a super interesting character, low-key, intense, when necessary, a composed leader.
Dobie had to go East to win a national championship: 3 consecutive at Cornell. Obviously East Coast bias in the rankings. Laugh
But, during that period, there were several ranking entities.
From 1920-23, Cal was 36-0-2, four “national titles”, coach Andy Smith. Ever heard of him?
His first title team in 1920 was 9-0, outscored opponents 510-14, throttled Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
What a great story and why I subscribe I boy love history and football!! Thank you again for making reading stories fun again!!
Very uptown dresser. Great hat. Didn’t even have a logo attached, so it isn’t the outside, it’s what is in the inside. No matter a coach or just anyone of us, that’s wisdom. So what is the resource of the inside we ask ourselves even in our imperfections
Great story!
Fantastic stroll back in time. Thanks, JC.
Interesting that in today's world of college football, Don James never would have been forced out and Reggie Bush would still have his Heisman Trophy.
Never underestimate the power of those that want to run stuff. A player cheats on an exam, the team backs him up, the coach tells them he will have none of it, the people that want to run stuff don't want to back the coach if it means losing - and then the coach who gets blamed wins anyway. So he is gone, no matter what the student body and the community feel about it. Modern lesson? Quit stewing about the Pac-10 +/- and how you can watch the games. We are lucky they even let us have teams to watch and the privilege of paying for it...
Thanks for this story! That's wild. I'm a UW alum and had heard of Gil, but not much beyond his name.