A big man in the football world, literally, spent a few days in Russellville recently.
Romeo Crennel
, who was head coach of the Cleveland Browns through 2008, was the house guest of former Western Kentucky University teammate General Jerry Humble and Jerry's wife Margaret, who has been hostess to some of the most powerful leaders in the world.
Speculation was that Crennel was in line to become the next coach at WKU, since his stay here was during the days after homecoming, when alumni
apparently helped convince President Gary Ransdell that Coach David Elson wasn't getting the job done and had to be replaced.
Crennel, however, made it clear he would not be a candidate to become Head Hilltopper. Instead he's interested in a return to the NFL, we're told.
He willingly showed fraternity members at WKU one of his five SuperBowl champion rings, which he earned as defensive coordinator for the New England
Patriots during their remarkable run. The offensive coordinator for those Patriot teams was Charlie Weis, who's about to end his days under the
shadow of Notre Dame's Golden Dome.
While he was here, Crennel met with the Russellville High School football team and said words of motivation to them. He seemed to help, since they
blasted Butler County on Friday night.
In addition to Jerry Humble, Romeo was a Topper teammate of Russellvillians Mike Humble, Brad Watson and Toby Nichols. He later
helped coach Watson and the late Larry Duffey.
President Ransdell
was a freshman at WKU when Crennel was a senior. Ransdell roomed with a Russellvillian, Dr. Jim Luckett, and Watson was in his wedding.
Ransdell's wife Julie did her first teaching in Russellville, and his first job on The Hill was working in University Relations, hired by former
Russellvillian R.D. Reynolds.
Shortly before his stay in R'ville, Romeo had been named one of the head coaches for the 85th East-West Shrine Game. Crennel will head the
East Team while Marty Schottenheimer will lead the West on Jan. 23 in Orlando.
Crennel spent 24 years as an NFL assistant coach and four years as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, from 2005-2008. Crennel led the Browns to a 10-6
record in 2007, including a franchise-best seven consecutive home wins.
In case you missed it, Western's new coach is former Topper great Willie Taggart, who played and coached on The Hill. He is currently an
assistant coach at Stanford under Jim Harbaugh, who was officially a WKU assistant too under his dad, national IAA champion Jack Harbaugh. Jim is now
one of the hottest coaching prospects around, following his team's impressive season. His brother John's success as coach of the Baltimore Ravens makes
the Harbaugh coaching bloodline look even better. Since Willie played for Jack and coached for Jim, that gives WKU fans hopes that these two seasons of
misery won't be repeated.
One of the coaches who worked with Elson this year was Adam Clark, who until this season was quarterback coach at Logan County High School.
Clark, who played quarterback for both LCHS and Bowling Green, was a coaching intern.
The LoJo
One of my earliest memories of my long-time friend Jim Nealy involved his teenage growth spurt. Early in his high school years, he asked his
principal, that same Roy Reynolds, how he could get taller. Although the Bible suggests you can't grow just by "taking thought," Mr. Reynolds
suggested that he grab hold the head of his bed every morning and stretch repeatedly. Jim did that and grew several inches. He turned into a pretty
good player for the Panthers. Reynolds should have patented that technique and made a fortune.
Jim Nealy, whose long battle with cancer ended last month, was more than "a pretty good" public servant. He had a long and distinguished career as
Logan Circuit Court after having served as Logan Trial Commissionwe, a position that was eliminated when the district court system began. In jobs that
had the potential to create enemies (after all, many of his customers often had run afoul of the law or at least were accused of it), he kept being
reelected for as long as he wanted befoire retiring on his own terms.
Jim was one of three county officials who had long runs in office with few serious challenges. He was a contemporary of the late Property Valuation
Administrator Karl Dawson and County Clerk Kenny Chapman.
Chapman's family, by the way, plays a role in Kentucky sports history. His nephew, Tom Wilkins, was captain of the last UK football team to beat
Tennessee way back in 1984. We had it driven into our memories recently that the 25 losses to the Vols every year since is the longest losing streak
currently among major college teams which meet every season. The game was winnable this year, but it wasn't.
Wilkins also undoubtedly had his memory bank stirred last week when Bobby Bowden was forced out as coach at Florida State. Wilkins was recruited
to play for the Seminoles in the early years of the Bowden regime. He stayed a year, didn't like it and transferred to UK where he became both a
two-time captain and two-time All-Academic SEC performer.
The man who recruited Tommy to Tallahassee was former RHS coach Jim Gladden, who was the only assistant coach from the previous staff that
Bowden kept when he came to FSU from West Virginia. Gladden rose to associate head coach before his retirement. It may be my imagination, but I think
the beginning of the end for Bowden's success came about the same time as Gladden retired to raise beef cattle in Tallahassee. He was here a couple of
years ago to help induct the late Garry Todd into the RHS Athletic Hall of Fame.
The LoJo
JerRon Smith
is looking forward to the Western Kentucky University Hiilltoppers visiting Freedom Hall Saturday, Dec. 19. The RHS graduate works for the University
of Louisville Sports Marketing Staff as a Promotions Coordinator as an intern. His full-time job is with Dish Netword Corporate Offices.
Smith holds the distinction of being the only guy from the Land of Logan to have been a player on a baseball team which competed in the College World
Series. He is a 2007 graduate of U of L with a degree in business management/marketing.
The LoJo
The featured WKU cheerleader in the November issue of TopperNation is Jordan Schafer, a 2009 graduate of Logan County High School who was
a starting outfielder on the Lady Cougars' district championship softball team this spring. Under a beautiful picture of her, the magazine describes
Jordie as a freshman from Auburn who is a Sports Broadcasting major.
"After graduation, Jordan hopes to become a sports broadcaster with a goal of working for ESPN interviewing players."
The LoJo
A former Logan County High School quarterback, Brian Holloman, is coach of the Anderson County High School football team which was state
runner-up in the middle school playoffs this year, losing in the finals to Bowling Green. His team pulled off a huge win, beating Lexington Catholic at
Anderson County. Then they beat Rowan County on the way to the finals, at LexCath's field.
Brian is the son of the man most responsible for the construction of the LCHS football field when it became a reality, Richard Holloman. Richard
and Brian's mom Louise continue to be avid and active supporters of Cougar football. Many parents who are important to a program tend to disappear
after their kids' playing days end, but not the Hollomans.
The LoJo
Long-time friend Fred Whipple tells me that Army's starting quarterback, Trent Steelman, is the son of Bob Steelman, who is a Russellville-based
Carpenter Co. salesman. Trent played for Bowling Green High School.
The LoJo
Whatever Happened To...?
The coach of those great Olmstead girls basketball teams when the Lady Rams were dominating local basketball, Lugene Rogers, has been living in
Longview, Texas since 1986. "Doesn't seem possible," she says. "I have an anti-aging/nutrition business and I market out of my home....been very
blessed.."
Among her blessings was coaching some talented athletes at OHS, including Miss Kentucky Lillie Mason, Lillie's sister Gracie and cousins Nancy
and Littie Jones along with Diana Grinter, Brenda Anderson, Kathy Maddux, Gayle McIntosh and others.