Daryl Robinson: Your word is your bond
2006-11-25 05:53:00
"I could not have been happier after Daryl
told me he picked Temple. Coach Golden is a great guy and a great coach and he is on the verge of achieving some really incredible things at Temple and I'm glad Daryl is going to be a big part of that."_ North Catholic head coach Chalie Szydlik By Mike GibsonWe can only guess what went on during the most recent phone call between Temple head coach Al Golden and North Catholic superstar Daryl Robinson
, who verbally committed to Temple in July....let's hope Robinson followsthe same heart that led him to Temple... in July and not the lowlifeslimeballs who are tryingto get him to change his mind ...Robinson de-committed from an oral to West Virginia, then said when committing to Temple that "my recruiting is over. I'm done."Yesterday, in a Ted Silary story, Silary quoted Robinson as saying "some schools want me on offense and some on defense."Without asking Robinson point-blank, Silary took it upon himself to interpret that Robinson's commitme
10 reasons why a recruit should attend Temple
2006-11-20 16:11:00
By Mike Gibson
A former big-time college and later NFL player, Beasley Reece has seen his share of pitches from the best recruit
ers.So Reece, the sports director at KYW-TV Channel 3, knew what questions to ask and what answers a prospective recruit would want to hear during a Christmas Night interview with new Temple
football coach Al Golden.Reece asked, then listened.When it was over, he took a deep breath and said"wow."That spoke volumes.What he did next in front of millions of potential viewers spoke even more."Coach, you sold me," Reece said, reaching out to shake Golden's hand. "Where do I sign?"Golden broke out into a big smile."We'd love to have you."Sold.One member of the crusty, mostly anti-Temple-football, Philadelphia media.Selling the kids should be easy by comparison.There are plenty of good reasons for a potential football recruit to attend Temple.Here are just 10:
10. Facilities. Without question, the top facilitiesfor a prospective football athlete in the Mid-Americ
Eagles offer Temple a whole lot of nothing
2006-11-16 04:41:00
By Mike GibsonWell, it was a great idea while it lasted.Approximately two weeks.Former Temple
football coach Wayne Hardin announced a couple of weeks ago, on the air with athletic director Bill Bradshaw, that he would personally spearhead a plan that would "guarantee" 66,000 fans in the seats for Temple's 2007 opening game with Navy.The lynchpin of that plan was to move that game from Saturday, Sept. 1 to Thursday night, Aug. 30.Hardin said on the air then that Bradshaw would "get to work" on moving the game on Monday.Bradshaw has since ran into an old nemesis: The Philadelphia Eagles.The Eagles are supposed to be "co-tenants" at Lincoln Financial Field with the Owls but treat the relationship more like a spoiled child, reluctant to share their new toy with their football younger brothers.They made the Owls wait until two weeks before a scheduled 2003 opener with Villanova to even sign the stadium lease, creating a nightmare for both the Temple promotions and box office people. The Ph
Temple beats Penn State
2006-11-09 05:00:00
By Mike GibsonUh, no.Just wanted to get your attention with that headline.Penn State
is just too big, too deep and too fast for the Owls.This year at least.Yet this won't be a 62-0 game.Or even a 63-9 game.You can book it.Not that Penn State
isn't every bit as good as Louisville, Minnesota or Clemson.The Nittany Lions just might be.It's just that the Owls were, in Temple
coach Al Golden's words, "trying to find our way" for much of this first season of his regime.The Owls haven't found their way just yet, but at least are pointed in the right direction.The Owls can at least be competitive and very competitive if they depart from their "motis operandi" established in games against Kent State and Bowling Green.In those games, the Owls played two tight ends, power-I, and pounded Tim Brown to set up the play-action passes of Adam DiMichele.That won't work this time, because of the physical line on the defensive side of the ball Penn State has.However, if DiMichele can roll away from
Temple vs. Penn State: 10-7, 31-30 and 26-25
2006-11-07 04:42:00
By Mike Gibson
Temple
vs. Penn State
wasn't always one-sided.When the Owls played the Lions during the Wayne Hardin Era, the games were often close.Penn State
won, 26-25, in 1975, 31-30 in 1976 and 10-7 in 1978.I was in the press box for the 1978 game."Hardin's outcoaching Joe again," yelled out long-time Allentown Morning Call columnist John Kunda in the Vet Stadium press box.Much laughter, followed by much nodding of heads.The assembled press corps knew exactly what Kunda was talking about. Those games often featured a football version of the shell game.Hardin would run when Penn State expected to pass, throw formations at Paterno that Penn State never saw before, run a shovel pass here and a flea-flicker there to keep the Lions on their toes.Largely because of Hardin, Temple had the deserved reputation of a school that was outsmarting the other schools during a football game.It made those of us traveling with the Temple party very proud.Yet a win would have been nicer.During the 1
The Wayne Hardin Project
2006-11-05 06:58:00
By Mike GibsonLet's start backward.The Post GameThe real news coming out of Central Michigan game day was by former Temple football coach Wayne
Hardin on the post-game radio show with Harry Donahue and Bill Bradshaw."I guaranteed (Temple athletic director) Bill (Bradshaw) that we'd have 66,000 fans for our opening day game with Navy," said Hardin, the only man to ever be the head coach at both institutions.Wow.Those who know Hardin know he tended to make grand pronouncements when he was Temple head coach that he mostly backed up.Hardin said the Owls were going to play Penn State and people snickered.They ended up playing Penn State.Hardin said the Owls would be in a bowl and more guffaws, yet the Owls were in a bowl on his watch.Then Hardin beat the drum for an Eastern football conference and folks got an Eastern football conference made up of exactly the same teams Hardin mentioned would be in it.More snickers.So many think Hardin can deliver this guarantee."When Wayne says he's go
Read more: Project
The bleeding has stopped and the wounds are healing
2006-10-31 08:50:00
By Mike Gibson
Last night there was an interview with Vince Papale broadcast over the Bravo Network.Papale, the former Philadelphia Eagles' walk-on, talked a little about the movie Invincible, made about his life.The more I watched, the closer I listened."This isn't a movie about me or about the Eagles or even about pro football," Papale said. "It's about everybody who has been told they couldn't or that they can't or that they won't or that they should just stop trying and give up."It's about Temple football, the movie Invincible is, in its own way.How many of us in the Temple family have been told to give up, to stop trying, that they couldn't or wouldn't be able to succeed?Just about everyone, I'd imagine."This is a story about underdogs," Papale said.That's what made Saturday so great _ not that a 19-point underdog rose up and won by two touchdowns, but that the same program people said wouldn't or couldn't win a game did just that.It's the first of many.The pain of b
Read more: bleeding
, wounds
Temple 28, Bowling Green 14: This one's for you, Karl Smith
2006-10-29 05:40:00
By Mike GibsonWatching Travis Shelton show his backside to the entire Bowling
Green
kickoff team, I thought about a lot of people.Most of all, I thought about Karl Smith
.And all of the other small-minded narrow-thinkers like him.Smith is the executive editor of PhillyBurbs.com.You need only read a few excerpts from this piece of crap he wrote about Bowling Green putting up 70 on the Owls.Things have changed a little since then, Karl. ..."how nice to have an extended scrimmage every year ...against an overmatched opponent that actually counts in the standings," Smith wrote ...A brief synopsis is in order. He went on to thank Temple
for this and thank Temple for that and then concluded by thanking Temple for accepting an invitation to the MAC so that the Owls can be Bowling Green's whipping boy for the next few years."... how nice to have an extended scrimmage against an overmatched opponent every year that actually counts in the standings," Smith wrote.Hmmm.I guess he doesn't know col
This week, anything less than a win is unacceptable
2006-10-25 17:08:00
By Mike GibsonIn about six weeks, Al Golden will be on the job as Temple University's head football coach for a year.In the time since Dec. 6, Golden has said and done all the right things.He's talked about changing the culture of losing, about pounding that rock until it cracks, about even coaching the pre-game warmups.In less than two months, he's recruited the top incoming football class in the MAC.All signs so far that this current class, which includes North Catholic superstar Daryl Robinson, will be off the charts as far as recent MAC recruiting classes go.Now Robinson is recruiting fellow Philadelphia superstars for the Owls.All good signs.At some point, though, Al Golden is going to have to do what he's been brought in to do:Win games.This would be as good a week to start as any against a Bowling Green team that scored 70 points _ twice _ against recent Bobby Wallace teams. If fact, anything
less than a win against Bowling Green is unacceptable
.Consecutive 62-0 losses to Lo
Now the Eagle fans know how we feel
2006-10-24 05:21:00
By Mike GibsonI'm a fan of the Birds, both Eagle
s and Owls.Over the years, though, my No. 1 team became Temple because of the abuse Temple has taken nationally.It's been a burning desire of mine for some time to dish some of that abuse back and I believe we're getting closer to that day.Being an Eagles' fan is different, though, because in the time of Temple's greatest distress, the Eagles have become winners. In days of great Eagle distress, the Owls were, mostly, winners.So I know the pain the Eagle fans have felt the last two weeks because I've felt it, too.The loss at New Orleans was like a punch in the stomach.The loss at Tampa was like a kick to the groin after a punch in the stomach."What do you think? Will he make it?" the young lady in her 20s asked me when Matt Bryant lined up for the 62-yarder."Logically, no chance," I told her. "It would be the second-longest field goal in NFL history, plus this guy hasn't been good from beyond the 40."My gut tells me the way this ga
Temple recruiting: The best is yet to come
2006-10-18 04:30:00
By Mike GibsonThe sign is on the wall at the Edberg-Olson Complex for all to see:"HUNTING A MAC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH LOCAL TALENT."If you know anything about Al Golden so far in his almost one year on the job, it's this:Allie G. means what he says and says what he means.It's evident in the verbals so far.One, Daryl Robinson, might be the best player in North Catholic's long and sometimes glorious football history.Another, Kit Anderson, scored three long touchdowns in a big Neshaminy win last week.There is a school of thought that there isn't enough talent in the Philadelphia area and Eastern Pennsylvania to support a winning Division IA football team.The Headmaster of that same school likes to say there's more talent in a five-mile square area of Florida than there is in Southeastern Pennsylvania or South Jersey.Hogwash, Phooey and any two-syllable word you can think of that begins with a B and ends with a T.Wayne Hardin and Bruce Arians proved you could field WINNING football teams
Read more: Temple
, recruiting
Four reasons why Temple football will succeed
2006-10-08 05:18:00
From left, Ann Weaver Hart, Dan Polett, Peter J. Liacouras, Al GoldenBy Mike GibsonThere was more power under one tent at the pre-game Temple
vs. Kent State tailgate than can be found at the Limerick Nuclear reactors.At least when it is the power provides the fuel for the Temple athletic department.First, there was Chancellor Peter J. Liacouras, still looking vigorous and young and still Temple football's biggest backer and still wlelding a lot of influence.Then there was new Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dan Polett, Howard Gittis' successor, and another familiar face at Temple sporting events.Last, but certainly not least, was Ann Weaver Hart, the new president of Temple University.That's right.A Temple president and BOT Chairman were in attendance today and visible.And, I might add, approachable.A friend of mine, Nick, and I saw her under the tent and said, "what the hey, let's go up and say hi."President Weaver Hart could not have been more gracious.We exchanged some small
Surprisingly, there is some buzz for Kent State
2006-10-06 05:26:00
By Mike Gibson
On my day off Wednesday, I stopped at my neighborhood LA Fitness Club in the Andorra Shopping Center.(Well, it's not my neighborhood but it's the closest LA Fitness Club to Center City.)Since it was in the middle of the afternoon, there were only a couple of other guys in the locker room. Both of them were in their mid-to-late 20s.After they exchanged some small talk about their kids, I overheard this exchange:First guy: "I've got some tickets to the Kent State
vs. Temple game on Saturday. I think I'll go."Second guy: "I'm going, too. Where are you sitting?"First guy: "I don't know. I'll go back and check and let you know by email."Second guy: "I was thinking about going up to Penn State to see them play, but I decided on the Kent game instead. I really think they have a chance to win."First guy: "Those 62-0 scores were getting old, but I think they competed at Vanderbilt and I think they are going to get better. I want to see them play at home."By this time, I w
Tribute to Steve Bumm
2006-10-05 05:08:00
By Mike GibsonThis Saturday, Temple will play Kent State at Lincoln Financial Field.Like so many other Saturdays, I will be looking over my shoulder, anticipating Steve
Bumm tapping me on the shoulder to talk some Temple football. Steve always flew up from Fort Myers, Fla., for the Temple games or at least a couple of Temple games every year.Most of the time we'd talk about the old days, the way things were when Temple won all the time, seemingly, and bemoan the more current era where the opposite was true.Steve was always the greatest guy to talk to because he was at Temple before me and could connect the dots when we compared, say, Temple quarterbacks of the 70s with Temple quarterbacks of the 60s.Or the 80s.Or the 90s.We saw most all of them.My favorite was Tim Riordan for his toughness, smarts and leadership.His was Marty Ginestra for many of the same qualities.I was looking for Steve Bumm on the Saturday of the Louisville game, but he wasn't there. I knew he died almost a year a
In this case, silence is Golden
2006-09-25 16:49:00
By Mike Gibson
Richard Nixon was elected president on the campaign pledge of having "a secret plan to end the war," meaning, of course, the Vietnam War.One of the things Al Golden
promised Temple fans is that they will see a program with a plan.It's not a war, but Golden's plan to end the suffering of Temple fans certainly is a secret one.And that's fine with me.
Just ending the suffering will suffice.Key players disappear for a game or two or three or four and the silence
coming from the Edberg-Olson Football Complex is deafening.No one knows if they're injured, stolen cookies from the Coaches' Lounge or disabled the cookies on one of the coach's laptops.And that's fine with me.However Golden feels it needs to be done is the way it's going to have to be.Yet he's offered enough clues along the way about why he's doing what he's doing and it makes sense."I've learned when I was at Boston College that it serves no purpose to talk about injuries," Golden said.The rest of the
What a well-recruited and well-coached Owl group can do at Western Michigan
2006-09-23 20:28:00
Or should do at Kalamazoo.Or did do at Kalamazoo.Once .....OWLS ROLL TO 49-17 VICTORYPALMER'S RUNNING RIPS W. MICHIGANSep 14, 1986By Chuck Newman, Inquirer Staff WriterKALAMAZOO, Mich. _ Midway through the first quarter of yesterday's Temple- Western
Michigan
football game, a passenger train passed alongside Waldo Stadium and sounded its shrill whistle.However, the warning blast was too late for Western Michigan , which already trailed 14-0 en route to a 49-17 shellacking.The Owls' easy victory was a morale-booster in the wake of their opening- game pounding at Penn State. The Broncos' two touchdowns came against Temple's deep subs in the second half.Temple quarterback Lee Saltz ran his career passing yardage to 3,957, bettering the school mark of 3,913, set by Doug Shobert (1970-72).But it was Paul Palmer who provided the bulk of the offense, collecting 175 yards in 20 carries before retiring from the game late in the third period.Palmer may not be one of the leading Heisman Trop
What is, versus what could have been .....
2006-09-19 05:44:00
By Mike GibsonOne of Al Golden's strengths as Temple University head football coach is the expertise that comes with his sports psychology degree.After a pair of 62-0 beatdowns, it helps that your head coach has some knowledge of the fragile pysche young people can have.There are a couple of classic "Golden-isms" already."I'm going to build a house of brick, not straw," or "we're going to keep pounding at that rock until it cracks."Surely, there will be more.From what Golden says and what he has done so far, it seems pretty apparent that Temple athletic director Bill Bradshaw picked the right guy to build that house and pound that rock.You can't tell by looking at the house or the rock because it's not built or cracked yet.There's a lot of building and pounding to do.It'll take time.If you are looking through the prism of consecutive 62-0 losses, that's probably not the right way.Yet by looking at what Temple could have had, it seems clear that they got the right guy.It's hard
Read more: versus
Minnesota: A good model for Temple to follow
2006-09-14 05:51:00
By Mike GibsonTemple
University head football coach Al Golden likes to say he "knows what's around the bend" and it's encourgaging for the program and its fans.No one can actually see what's around that bend, but if you look at the University of Minnesota
you might get a clue.Temple fans who make the trip on Saturday for the 2 p.m. game will get a close-up look.Both Minnesota and Temple have a lot in common.Both are large state-related universities.Both have established national reputations of academic excellence.Both are located in relatively cold-weather cities.Both play their home games in large pro stadiums.Both are located right in the middle of fertile recruiting areas.Both offer what a lot of the young athletes are looking for today: Four years of a big-city experience.Both struggled before their current head coach arrived on campus.Take that last point.When Glen Mason arrived on the Minnesota campus, the Golden Gophers were coming off a string of losing seasons.Prior coach J
Read more: model
Get ready to yell "incoming ....."
2006-09-11 02:55:00
By Mike GibsonOne of my summer friends also serves in the Pennsylvania National Guard.That requires her to be away a weekend a month and two weeks a year.When she signed up, she didn't figure on the PNG being used to guard a country 8,000 miles away but that's how it turned out so she served a tour of duty there, too.The air base in the Sunni Triangle was secure by day, not so much at night.When it got dark, that's when the bad guys started to lob low-caliber mortar rounds into the base, primarily because they didn't have the stomach to take the turbans off and slug it out in the daytime."The sirens would go off and we'd yell INCOMING," she said. "We had about 25 seconds to go down to the shelter. It was pretty safe down there, but we didn't get much sleep."I thought of what she said during the late stages of Louisville's 62-0 thumping of Temple on Saturday. I really didn't care about the score at the time or the grumbling some seats away that Louisville was rolling it up. My f
Read more: ready
, incoming
Some big men on campus this weekend
2006-12-10 05:59:00
By Mike GibsonIt's been less than a month since the most important first season of Al Golden's head coaching career.We're not talking about the football season that recently ended.We're talking about recruiting season.This time, a full one.Golden has hit the ground running and, in this race, he's got Travis Shelton-type speed.If the best recruiters in the country run a 4.5, Golden runs a Shelton-like 4.27.Or at least a Daryl Robinson-style 4.31.Despite recruiting for a school that has won zero and one game in successive seasons, Golden is recruiting with a zeal that produces impressive results.Collegefootballnews.com named Temple's 2006 class the No. 1 recruiting class in the MAC.All signs are that this 2007 one will blow that one well off the charts.Golden is Temple's "Big Man on Campus" and he was escorting as many as 16 recruits around Temple Town this weekend, almost all larger in stature than the former Penn State tight end who will be their head coach.From all the informat
Temple's creative way to keep Al Golden
2006-12-14 05:44:00
By Mike GibsonThe subject was broached to a high-ranking Temple
official in the hallway of the Liacouras Center recently."How are we going to keep Al Golden
?" a man asked the official. "I mean, not necessarily now but in the next year or two when he has some success?"The guy in the know winked."We've got that taken care of," he said."You mean his salary?" the man said."Although he is well-paid, no. I can't get into specifics but it's taken care of ..."One member of the search committee who shall remain nameless for obvious reasons filled in the blanks for us.We've been told that Golden's contract states that he must not have any contact with any other school for most of the length of the current contract. At least five of the six years.Golden's not only cool with that, he and his agent suggested it. They felt they could not achieve the level of success they wanted to achieve at Temple with any speculation about his future over the formative first few years.Golden alluded to it as
Read more: creative
Welcome to the newest Owls
2006-12-21 06:01:00
From left, Wallace Bates, Amara Kamara, Marcus MinorBy Mike GibsonGo through the list of the latest Temple University football recruits and there is a common thread to almost all of them.They either initially signed with or were recruited by Bowl Championship Series (BCS) schools.That's important because no Mid-American Conference recruiting group lists as many athletes with BCS pedigrees as Temple does. You win with good players and good coaching.Temple got the coaching part of the equation solved when it jettisoned itself of Bobby Wallace in favor of Al Golden.It is now taking care of the player end, getting the No. 1-ranked MAC class in, when all is said and done, two straight seasons.Getting the best players two straight years certainly doesn't hurt your chances of posting the best record soon.The newest Owls, Amara Kamara, Morris Blueford and Marcus Minor, not only have that kind of pedigree but heap as much lavish praise on the Temple program, coaches and players as have been h
Read more: Welcome
Temple No. 1 in the MAC for two straight years
2006-12-24 14:22:00
Al Golden's message is a compelling one.By Mike GibsonWe're No. 1.How's that?Temple
football was at the top of two interesting lists this weekend.One was a NBC-TV list of important games of the 2006 season, where the Owls' 28-14 win over Bowling Green on Oct. 28, 2006 was listing as one of the "11 top games" in the top 10 games of the season. The writer indicated that he was adding the Owls because so many groups of 10 (see, Big 10) now include a No. 11.The more important list where the Owls currently are No. 1 is the Scout.com recruiting list. Even though Scout.com rather incorrectly lists the Owls as a "1A independent", Temple's official list of 13 recruits rates it as No. 1 in the MAC.Since Temple is joining the MAC as a full-fledged member in 2007, its recruiting class probably deserves to be listed with the MAC teams now.Whatever, Temple is No. 68 overall in the country and No. 1 in the MAC with 12 recruits left. The next MAC school, Miami (Ohio) is No. 75. Evidently, Al Gold
Welcome to the newest Owls
2007-01-17 06:01:00
From left, Elisha Joseph, Amara Kamara, Marcus MinorBy Mike GibsonGo through the list of the latest Temple University football recruits and there is a common thread to almost all of them.They either initially signed with or were recruited by Bowl Championship Series (BCS) schools.That's important because no Mid-American Conference recruiting group lists as many athletes with BCS pedigrees as Temple does. You win with good players and good coaching.Temple got the coaching part of the equation solved when it jettisoned itself of Bobby Wallace in favor of Al Golden.It is now taking care of the player end, getting the No. 1-ranked MAC class in, when all is said and done, two straight seasons.Getting the best players two straight years certainly doesn't hurt your chances of posting the best record soon.The newest Owls, Amara Kamara, Morris Blueford and Elisha Joseph, not only have that kind of pedigree but heap as much lavish praise on the Temple program, coaches and players as have been
Read more: Welcome
Golden: 2,000 at Temple Fan Fest
1970-01-01 00:59:59
By Mike GibsonMoving forward.If Temple
University head football coach Al Golden
said it once yesterday, he said it 20 times.It probably should be the team slogan, Golden says it so much these days.Temple University's football program moved forward with a successful media day/fan fest at Lincoln Financial Field that drew a lot of people on Wednesday.A lot of people.Media Day isn't quite practice.Not a game, not practice, but an impressive crowd nonetheless.According to Golden, 2,000 Temple football followers came out to see the Owls. To borrow a rant from Allen Iverson, we're talking about Fan Fest. Not practice.Not a game.Fan Fest.Perhaps even more important than the estimated 2,000 there, Golden got a good 12 minutes on Comcast during the Fan Fest and made it into the living rooms of about 100,000 more Philadelphia area fans on Daily News Live Wednesday. Some highlights of the interview follow below. Michael Barkann, the host of the show, started by saying this: "By 2013, the Templ
Ten things to take from the Buffalo game
1970-01-01 00:59:59
By Mike GibsonI'm a bottom-line kind of guy and I'm not happy unless Temple University wins in football.Unfortunately, in a city with so many entertainment options, Philadelphia fans demand results and not promise.The worst thing about losing to Buffalo
is that a crowd of 25K for Louisville might drop below 20K, perhaps to as low as 15K.A win over Buffalo, even in overtime, might have meant 30K.Temple fans are not going to support a loser.It just ain't happening.The best thing about a 9-3 overtime loss at Buffalo might have been that new Temple coach Al Golden appeared as ticked as I was, something you could never say about his predecessor.I've got to hope Buffalo is better than the 118th team in the nation.Ten things
to take from Thursday night: 1. Golden yelling at the team and the team all pumped up for the hoped-for touchdown drive.2. Awful offensive line performance in pass protection. It would have be nice to see new quarterback Adam DiMichele with a four-second look at the s
Golden: Holt will be back in the lineup
1970-01-01 00:59:59
By Mike GibsonOn the first-ever Al Golden
Radio Show Monday night, the first-year Temple University head football coach wanted to talk about the positives of his team's overtime loss at Buffalo.That didn't mean he was ready to gloss over the negatives.At the South Philly Taproom, Golden talked about both the good and the bad and fielded questions from athletic supporters Fred Altenberger and Bob Morrison during his first half-hour radio show.He also mentioned that starting running back Tim Brown might have been suffering from a lack of conditioning due to having missed about 23 of the 29 practices coming into the game and, almost as an afterthought, said "(Keith) Holt will be back in the lineup
" for Saturday's game with Louisville.The highlights, using Golden's words:"The positives are that we competed. We knocked two of their players out and hit their quarterback a ton. Our kicking game, which we placed a great emphasis on, we did a great job and (punter) Jake Brownell did a great
First games meet with mixed success by Temple coaches
1970-01-01 00:59:59
By Mike GibsonMost people think Temple
University's football association with the Mid-American Conference is something relatively new.Judging by the first games of the last five Temple University head football coaches, though, opening against MAC schools is the norm, not the exception over a period of 36 years.Only Bruce Arians, who opened his career in Sept. of 1983 with a 17-6 win over Syracuse at Franklin Field, played a first game against a non-MAC foe.Al Golden, the 24th head coach in the history of Temple football, opens against Buffalo in two weeks.Here's a brief look at past first games by Owl coaches, some with quirky milestones:BOBBY WALLACE _ The last name of the first player to score in an Owl game coached by Wallace? Wallace, of course. Toledo quarterback Chris Wallace scored on a 1-yard TD run with 4 minutes, 50 seconds left in the first quarter of a 24-12 Rocket win on Sept. 5, 1998. Current Philadelphia Soul and former Philadelphia Eagle Todd France kicked three extra
Read more: First
Chris Harris' courageous rant against Bobby Wallace
1970-01-01 00:59:59
By Mike GibsonIn the late stages of Bobby
Wallace
's tenure as Temple coach, a player named Chris
Harris
stepped up and went public in a very courageous
way. What Chris Harris did below might have saved the program. It certainly led to the hiring of Al Golden ....The signs have been there all along.Even the casual Temple football fan knows there is something seriously wrong with the leadership of the program.From suspect recruiting, to suspect execution (false starts abound), to suspect discipline (laughter on the sidelines during losses), something is seriously wrong.Then there is the story of Chris Harris, former Temple football player.In all my years of following Temple football, I have never seen a more courageous and situation-specific treatise on what is happening behind the scenes.His grammar may be rough, but his points seem to be well made.Some might dismiss the following diatribe as the rant of a disgruntled former player.I don't.I think the following post deserves a wider a
Read more: against
Super Bowl to have a Cherry (and White) flavor
1970-01-01 00:59:59
By Mike GibsonQuick.Name the only school with projected starters on both teams in the upcoming Super
Bowl.USC?Nah.Notre Dame?Nice try.Ohio State?Getting closer.Penn State?Still getting closer.Rutgers?Nah, you went too far.Temple?Got it.Temple is the only school in the nation with projected starters on both teams in this year's Super Bowl
.Raheem Brock (pictured) is listed as a starter for the Indianapolis Colts at defensive end.Jason McKie is listed as a starter for the Bears at fullback.And even Colts' utility man, an all-time pass rusher at Temple like his dad, is getting some props."Who would have thought (Dan) Klecko would be our leading touchdown receiver in the playoffs?" Indy quarterback Payton Manning said after the Colts beat the Pats, 38-34, in the AFC championship game.Who would have thunk it?Temple players are no strangers to Super Bowls.In the past, Anthony Anderson (running back) and Randy Grossman (tight end) played for great Steeler teams and Dan Klecko himself has bee
Read more: White
, Cherry
|
Recommend Site To A Friend
