My old coach in action..........

[LousianaHorn]

Patriots vs Raiders 1960............far right #64 Tony Sardisco..........1961 All Pro with the Pats..........All-American at Tulane in 1955 (they were still in the SEC).

 

[Horn6721]

Was it cool to have an NFL player as coach?

 

[Horn2RunAgain]

Was it cool to have an NFL player as coach?

Our varsity HC my freshmen year (1970) at fw wyatt was Tommy Runnels. Great coach, great man. Couldn't wait to play for him. Different philosophy for the era, no pads after Monday. Made you hungry for contact on Fridays. Very sharp coach, always prepared. I think we went 9-0-1 his last year

I didn't know he played in the NFL until recently. He was that modest. Led the nfl in punt returns one year.

After the 70 season he was hired on at tcu, Jim Pittman's staff. Our program never got off the ground without him

 

[LousianaHorn]

Was it cool to have an NFL player as coach?

Yes it was, and esp. me as a lineman when he told you something you listened...........and 10 years after the fact he still had a badass forearm (or flipper as he called it)..........one of the few weapons an OL had back in those days!

 

[WorsterMan]

Our varsity HC my freshmen year (1970) at fw wyatt was Tommy Runnels. Great coach, great man. Couldn't wait to play for him. Different philosophy for the era, no pads after Monday. Made you hungry for contact on Fridays. Very sharp coach, always prepared. I think we went 9-0-1 his last year

I didn't know he played in the NFL until recently. He was that modest. Led the nfl in punt returns one year.

After the 70 season he was hired on at tcu, Jim Pittman's staff. Our program never got off the ground without him

H2RA / The Dude - Interesting.

I remember Tommy Runnels. Wow, liked no pads after Monday! Impressed your JV went 9-0-1!!

He went on Pittman's staff at TCU and terribly, Pittman had a heart attack and died fall 1971 or 1972. Remember it well, very sad.

What happened to Runnels after that?

 

[Horn2RunAgain]

H2RA / The Dude - Interesting.

I remember Tommy Runnels. Wow, liked no pads after Monday! Impressed your JV went 9-0-1!!

He went on Pittman's staff at TCU and terribly, Pittman had a heart attack and died fall 1971 or 1972. Remember it well, very sad.

What happened to Runnels after that?

Our varsity went 9-1 (looked it up after my post). I think you were on the swhs varsity in 70? I was on the frosh team coached by coach Runnels successor, and we sucked. Mauser wasn't the coach runnels was by a long shot.

After tohill sent TCU far down the drain coach Runnels went into private business soon thereafter. Shame because he truly was a great coach. Excellent leader, you'd follow him thru fire.

 

[WorsterMan]

^^^ Interesting - thanks for sharing. I love history and timelines. Sad Runnels fuse ran out under Tohill. Sounds like a coach I would have loved to play for.

I was JV at SW fall 1969... we were 9-1, only lost to Paschal. We loved our JV coach.

Various attrition took a toll on our skill players Jr. and Sr. years at SW....

Jr. & Sr. year - HC @ Southwest was James Cox - asst. under HC Bill Allen at Paschal for many years. He was a good man and respected, but not a coach that players liked. He was
FAR more critical than complimentary. A coach MUST offer praise and he rarely did. It built up unhealthy negative team mindsets.

My family was friends with Coach Allen and family. My mother had class with him at Paschal. He was not only a VERY good man but a coach you wanted to play for and do your best for - not let him down. I so wanted to play for him coming along in Jr. High. He retired in 1968 before I got to HS. Southwest HS was built at the same time due to overcrowding at Paschal.

1970 we tied with W. Hills as co-champs. Think we were 6-4.

1971 our Sr. skill guys were mostly gone with a bunch of injuries, including me after game 4. We struggled to reach 4-6. We did upset Heights but that was about the only highlight.

Sorry, this got long.

 

[Horn2RunAgain]

H2RA / The Dude - Interesting.



He went on Pittman's staff at TCU and terribly, Pittman had a heart attack and died fall 1971 or 1972. Remember it well, very sad.

Pittman died a few games into the 1rst year at tcu (71). Baylor game I think.

Pittman was an asst for DKR and by all accounts had tcu on the right track, from bottom up. Had a 4 yr plan, unfortunately couldn't see it thru.

 

[WorsterMan]

Pittman died a few games into the 1rst year at tcu (71). Baylor game I think.

Pittman was an asst for DKR and by all accounts had tcu on the right track, from bottom up. Had a 4 yr plan, unfortunately couldn't see it thru.

Yes, I remember Pittman and the respect he had. Agree most thought he could get TCU competitive again.