PHILADELPHIA STORY...

THE NFL PLAYOFFS brought one other Scholastic Coach clinic to mind--the football classic we introduced to Philadelphia in 1976. It featured John Madden, coach of the Oakland Raiders Super Bowl champions, and a half-a dozen big-name college coaches.

We had contacted all of these men and knew exactly who was going to be there. When we looked out into the crowd on the opening kick-off, we spotted a surprise "student." It was Dick Vermeil, the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

He had never informed us he was coming, but there he was in the front row talking amiably with the high school and college coaches all around him.

In his welcoming speech, our clinic director noticed Vermeil and introduced him. The audience gave him a hand and Vermeil responded with a gracious little speech on how he and all of the Philadelphia coaches were grateful to Scholastic Coach for bringing such a quality clinic to the area.

The clinic then proceeded in great fashion and ended with Madden delivering a two-hour lecture on the Raiders' famous vertical passing game. (John, as the TV football world would discover years later, was a magnificent articulator.)

When Madden asked for questions, Vermeil got up and popped one or two that added to the quality of the presentation.

Then a spectacular thing happened. As the audience also started popping questions at Vermeil, he moved up to the dais and began fielding every question tossed at him. He stayed up front for two-hours!

It was all totally spontaneous--a football man doing the thing he loved best (teaching football) to the people he knew appreciated it most.

We have never forgotten this wonderful happening, and that is why we were rooting for him in the NFL playoffs. Dick Vermeil has paid all of his dues and he rates good fortune.