How many points did we put up on DC Collins when we played NLU last time?
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How many points did we put up on DC Collins when we played NLU last time?
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X3
Last edited by LT; 05-05-2011 at 12:14 AM.
This conversation is spinning me through a time warp. Pat Collins was a year behind me at Fair Park High School and was at Louisiana Tech the same years I was because he went straight to college while I did a stint on the Coast Guard Reserve active duty.
He was probably one of the hardest-working players because he wasn't tall like is brother, a year ahead of me in high school. He had to lift weights to compete in a time when the largest players could get by on natural strength and reasonable talent.
I still remember Pat walking around campus with Bonnie Slemmons, who was in my high school class and had been in my Sunday school classes at Mangum Memorial Methodist Church in Queensboro since grammar school!
He always appeared focused on success in athletics. I never took a class with him, so I don't know his academic ability. Having been in many Lakeshore Junior High and Fair Park classes with Bonnie, I suspect she made sure their courting days were mostly studying days and likely made sure Mike grew up with his nose to the grindstone as well.
It is difficult to imagine beautiful blond child Bonnie with a grandson in high school!
Like a few others here, however, I do know that over a lifetime few men manage to stay on the path to success all the way and everyone makes mistakes. What people learn from their mistakes and those inevitable moments of bad judgment is the important thing.
Hogdog is on track with his whatif....Pat Collins had become head coach and stayed and might be athletic director now or retiring and Mike might be a candidate for head coach.
The lack of a longterm successor to Joe Aillet has been Tech's weakness for decades. People come and go and not all because they didn't make the grade in many ways.
We lack stability but we can't prop up someone from the outside and force them to grow roots in Ruston.
Growing up in Shreveport in the 1940s and 50s, going to Ruston for college was the first choice of many, a natural place to go. I happen to have been born there and had happy memories of visiting my parents' friends there.
At age 21, my mother contracted polio. I was less than a year old. For medical care, my parents had to move back to Shreveport. Their dream of college was transferred to seeing that I could go to college.
And Tech was the natural place for me to go in their minds.
I wouldn't want Mike Collins commit himself in an interview to any obsession with Louisiana Tech because he has to be a company man wherever he goes to coach, but I strongly suspect he grew up thinking about Tech as most people on this board do.
So I would say that Bicknell ought to invite Mike to interview if any opening occurs.
I suspect he would have a better chance of success than most of the people who have come and gone from Tech over the past few decades. And he might turn out to be the next long-term leader in the athletic department.
When managers talk about hiring people, I usually suggest they interview and analyze potential employees as though they were interviewing their own future boss. If you don't think you could work for a person, don't hire that person. Not only will other good employees find it hard to work for that person but also that person may rise to be YOUR boss someday.
Simplified: Try to hire people smarter or more talented than you are. They'll make you and your operation look better. If they have real character, they won't set out to displace place you but to make your job easier!
Gee HD... I find myself agreeing with you again!!!Originally Posted by HogDawg
Seriously, I, too, think not hiring Pat as HC was the single most stupid thing we did in the history of our football program. Regardless of what anyone thinks about Pat's lifestyle, he was a winner on the field. His tenure at NLU speaks for itself. Just think what he could have done with the talent that Tech (still) had when he left.
I agree. I remember it well. Man, it depresses me to think "what could have been".
Go Tech!
There was a lot of us who thought it was a mistake when it happened. Unfortunately, history has proven that line of thought correct. I think he could have been our "Leon" for football. :bigcry:
I remember when the senior Collins was made to leave NLU, but I don't really remember why? Why was it?
My, how time flies that you can't remember the reason.
This should jog your memory-
wife, clock, police.
I remember now.
They started dating in 1955 ot 56 so an occasional spat might have finally turned to real anger. Not too unusual.
She forgave him, who are we to judge?
Forgot "Bus Driver"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!
We're not. I think it's great they were able to work it out as well as Pat working out the underlying personal problem. Being able to overcome that problem shows immense strength of character.
This proves my point about coaching. We hired a coach from a big time program and it was a big disaster. That's why I'd rather have a proven head coach from a 1-AA or D-II program.
I figured that someone would post exactly what happened back then. I was only 9 years old when Beightol was hired, but I remember going to the games with my Dad even back then. I also remember that '79 season, only beating USL and even losing to NSU, (although I think we managed to beat NLU with Gravy at the helm in the last game).
Anyway, enough of a trip down memory lane..........Give Mike Collins a chance. People make mistakes....it is how they learn and recover from the mistakes that they should be scrutinized.
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