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Spotlight on Aggy women's basketball coach Gary Blair - not a troll - this dude is awesome
Posted on 6/16/21 at 2:45 pm
Posted on 6/16/21 at 2:45 pm
75 years old and still coaching
wiki - a 128-pound center fielder at Bryan Adams High School, he received all-city honors in 1963. Following his high school graduation in 1963, he enrolled at Texas Tech University, where he failed out of architecture, and moved to California to become a restaurant manager.
He got a U.S. Army draft notice in 1969, and decided to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, completing a two-year tour of duty. He was stationed in Okinawa during his duty. After his tour, he lived in the Los Angeles area, running a restaurant in Costa Mesa and Culver City. At age 27, he used his G.I. Bill to earn a bachelor's degree in health and physical education with a minor in journalism from Texas Tech.[4] He also played a year of baseball for the Red Raiders—he was a defensive center fielder with self-described poor hitting skills
I love this guy
wiki - a 128-pound center fielder at Bryan Adams High School, he received all-city honors in 1963. Following his high school graduation in 1963, he enrolled at Texas Tech University, where he failed out of architecture, and moved to California to become a restaurant manager.
He got a U.S. Army draft notice in 1969, and decided to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, completing a two-year tour of duty. He was stationed in Okinawa during his duty. After his tour, he lived in the Los Angeles area, running a restaurant in Costa Mesa and Culver City. At age 27, he used his G.I. Bill to earn a bachelor's degree in health and physical education with a minor in journalism from Texas Tech.[4] He also played a year of baseball for the Red Raiders—he was a defensive center fielder with self-described poor hitting skills
I love this guy
5
Posted on 6/16/21 at 2:48 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
After his graduation from Texas Tech, Blair hoped to find a high school baseball coaching job in Lubbock, but he was offered the physical education coach gig at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, a predominantly African American school. South Oak Cliff had just started its women's basketball program, and Blair became the team's first coach in 1973.[7] He was initially the boy's P.E. teacher, while waiting for an offer to coach the baseball team, but when asked to coach the girls' team, he accepted.[7] He also started the boys and girls golf team, and served as its first coach as well. He made $7,000 annually coaching all of these sports.
Posted on 6/16/21 at 2:49 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
In his seven seasons at South Oak Cliff, he set a state record with five consecutive state tournament appearances and a 239-18 record. His teams won three state Class 4A championships, in 1977, 1978, and 1980, and finished as the runner-up in 1979 by only two points. For his efforts, Blair was inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame.[3] At South Oak Cliff, Blair coached Debra and Kim Rodman, Dennis Rodman's sisters. Blair used to play ping pong with Dennis.[8] After winning the first state championship, he was offered the head baseball job he had been waiting for, but he turned it down to remain coaching the women's teams
This post was edited on 6/16/21 at 2:50 pm
Posted on 6/16/21 at 2:52 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
In October 1980, Blair was offered an assistant coaching job at Louisiana Tech by then-head coach Sonja Hogg. At the time of the offer, Blair was making an annual salary of $22,000. The Louisiana Tech position paid $22,500 and also provided a six-year-old brown station wagon. Blair initially rejected the offer, but upon his wife's encouragement, he accepted it.[4] He would coach under Leon Barmore, who replaced Hogg.[2] During his five seasons there, Louisiana Tech reached the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament four times, winning two national championships.
then he went to HC at Stephen F Austin, then Arkansas, then Aggy
He won a natty at Aggy
then he went to HC at Stephen F Austin, then Arkansas, then Aggy
He won a natty at Aggy
Posted on 6/16/21 at 2:56 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
quote:
At the time of the offer, Blair was making an annual salary of $22,000. The Louisiana Tech position paid $22,500 and also provided a six-year-old brown station wagon.
This post was edited on 6/16/21 at 2:58 pm
Posted on 6/16/21 at 3:02 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
I don’t know if that’s funny or more sad. I know this much, that’s when men were REAL men.
Posted on 6/16/21 at 3:44 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
When he was forced out at Arkansas, I heard he said I’m being let go because they want a skirt to take my spot, so that’s where you should start your coaching rumors.
Does anyone know if that’s true?
Does anyone know if that’s true?
Posted on 6/16/21 at 3:54 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
Blair is legit awesome. I don't think I ever heard anyone not love the dude.
Posted on 6/16/21 at 4:47 pm to FayetteNAM
quote:
Does anyone know if that’s true?
What I heard is A&M made him an offer, not an amazing "OMG" offer, but an offer with a slight raise from what he was making at the U of A. He went to the suits in the AD office... and they basically asked him if he needed any help packing his things up.
The women's team imploded and has only shown signs of life recently and Blair won a natty at A&M that he was probably on track to win at Arkansas (he recruited Texas well and was able to keep in state talent in Arkansas, well, mostly in state).
I don't know if they forced him out in favor of a female hire or if he rubbed people the wrong way in the AD's office but I do know that it was an unmitigated disaster to the women's program to let him go at that time.
Posted on 6/16/21 at 4:50 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
Posted on 6/16/21 at 4:56 pm to Arksulli
women's AD Beverly somebody screwed it all completely up
Blair was 100% gold and this Beverly somebody idiot was 100% idiot
Blair was 100% gold and this Beverly somebody idiot was 100% idiot
Posted on 6/16/21 at 4:58 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
quote:
At South Oak Cliff, Blair coached Debra and Kim Rodman, Dennis Rodman's sisters. Blair used to play ping pong with Dennis
I want to know more about this part of the story lol
Posted on 6/16/21 at 5:12 pm to MrWalkingMan
quote:
1980, Blair was offered an assistant coaching job at Louisiana Tech by then-head coach Sonja Hogg. At the time of the offer, Blair was making an annual salary of $22,000
Y'all do know that $22K in 1980 is like $72,000 now, right?
It's not like the guy was destitute like this article makes it out. He was actually making a great living, but especially for an f-ing women's assistant bball coach 40 years ago.
Posted on 6/16/21 at 5:17 pm to Jack Ruby
quote:
Y'all do know that $22K in 1980 is like $72,000 now, right?
bullshite
22k then was like 45k now
Posted on 6/16/21 at 5:22 pm to MrWalkingMan
Rodman had a huge growth spurt from 5'11" to 6'7" after high school. He had given up on basketball and was bagging groceries in a Dallas grocery store when a junior college coach found him.
Here is a story from a Chicago newspaper that writes about his move from junior college to a small four year school in Oklahoma, just across the Texas/Oklahoma border.LINK
Here is a story from a Chicago newspaper that writes about his move from junior college to a small four year school in Oklahoma, just across the Texas/Oklahoma border.LINK
This post was edited on 6/16/21 at 5:27 pm
Posted on 6/16/21 at 5:34 pm to agswin
SE Oklahoma in Durant
Posted on 6/17/21 at 4:12 am to Harry Rex Vonner
Posted on 6/17/21 at 6:33 am to Jack Ruby
quote:
around 225% from 1980.
Joes america
Posted on 6/17/21 at 10:23 am to Harry Rex Vonner
quote:
He also started the boys and girls golf team,
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