Worried About My Equipment

While watching the NFL playoffs with my step-son, the conversation turned to the equipment worn by the pros…and how it had changed over the years.

So much has changed in the game since I had a short and somewhat undistinguished high school football career at Civic Memorial High School in Southern Illinois. Even the coaching has dramatically changed.

Our coach at CM during my years was Gary McMillen, a longtime CM assistant coach who was elevated prior to my sophomore year to head up the program. I truly love Gary. We became close friends after my high school career and I would never do or write anything that would disrespect him. But boy, we were bad from 1972-1975 which just happened to coincide with his three year career as head coach.

Because of an injury to our top receiver, Gary Bruening, I was pressed into service as a sophomore. I was designated as the guy who would run in the play for the offense. Coach was trying to install a pro type offense and it just wasn’t working. I would stand dutifully next to Coach when we would get the ball and after the first play, which was predetermined, he would tell me a play and a formation and I would run it in to Johnnie Mike Bast, our quarterback. Johnnie Mike was a very good athlete and had his own opinion concerning the plays that we needed to run.

So, when the first play of the series was complete….McMillen would say to me “Wing T formation…38 sweep.” I’d nod, and run into the huddle. Remember, all of the offensive players were seniors and juniors. I’d get to the huddle and Johnnie Mike would look at me and I’d say, “Wing T formation, 38 sweep.”

Bast would look down, shake his head…..and say…..”Let’s throw a pass. Passing formation….Z pass left on one…..Break.”

Who was I to contradict the quarterback?

I could hear McMillen screaming the moment we would break the huddle and get into the passing formation. After the play, I’d run to the sidelines and Mac would scream----“I wanted 38 sweep! What the Hell is going on out there?” I assured him I was delivering the message as per his instructions. But when the series was done and we would punt, Mac would make a bee-line for Johnnie Mike and ask why he was not following orders?

Bast would look at him with big puppy dog eyes and say----“Honest Coach, I’m just running what Dreith told me to run. I’d never make my own play up……honest.”

After about a half of football, I became the ex-play-calling-runner.

There are a couple of very memorable stories about Coach Mac that spring to mind. One of which was on a bus ride to Highland, a conference foe. We were losing and groping for an identity which meant we changed the offense every week. I was a junior and started on both sides of the ball. But because we had changed the offense again prior to the game, we were all cramming on the bus ride.

“Who do I block on the 27 counter?” I would ask the other members of the backfield…..and they had their own questions. We were really confused and primed for another ass-kicking….

About halfway there, the bus lights came on and Mac was standing at the front of the bus.

“Attention…..I need your attention please,” the coach yelled.

“I have a key…..I’ve been reviewing my notes and this is very important,” he said in a stern tone.

“When Highland gets into the full house backfield formation……they are going to either pass or run the ball.”

Dead silence.

I think we were stunned at the simplicity of the statement. For a moment----if Highland has the ball-----and gets into any formation------what else can they do? They are going to either pass or run…..or punt. But with that, Coach sat down and the lights were turned off. As it turned out, his key was right on the mark. Highland went into the full house backfield and ran and passed all over the field to win in an impressive fashion as we asked each other in the huddle our blocking assignments for the 27 counter.

Then there was the time we were practicing and a huge lightning storm boiled up and a bolt of lightning struck a mile or two off in the west.

“Everybody…..quickly……under those trees!” screamed Mac. We all knew it was a stupid thing to do….but we did it anyway.

While standing under an elm tree as the storm roared through, Tony Wahl, a senior, in a very understated way looked down at Coach. Tony was 6-5 and very quiet.

“You know Coach,” Tony started. “Lightening strikes one of these trees… We are all dead.”

McMillen rubbed his chin and shouted-----“Everyone out from underneath the trees!”

We won seven games in three years and Coach Mac got a pink slip from the superintendent of schools. He probably didn’t deserve it.

I didn’t help him keep his job. In fact, we all should have known that I was not going to be the reincarnation of Ricci Stotler, Dennis Jones or Kenny Hammons…..three Bethalto football greats….when I was told to put on my practice gear for my first practice at the junior high.

Standard gear included a girdle that had two side pads….and one big pad for our ass bone.

I’m sure I am not the first young man to have made this mistake…..but I might be the most remembered in Bethalto football history for how I wore my girdle pads.

I put the butt pad in front.

Wasn’t worried about my tailbone……