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Show Big Brandon Wants Another Pro Chance By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports - LAYTOiN Brandon Flint isn't one to take no for an answer, especially w hen it has something to do with playing professional football. ACTUALLY FOR Flint, who was a standout player at Layton High and last season was an selection, at Brigham Young University, the word from the NFL Dallas Cowboys was that Flint w as unfit to play professional football because of past in- C juries. In simple terms you could say Former Layton High football great, Brandon Flint, took off Monday for a tryout with the Chicago Bears. Dallas has already turned him down. I basically just didn't pass the Cowboy's physical. They did even let me run a 40 because they claimed the made my body look like a museum. They actually said that. After the y talk to Coach next morning sorry but that waiver forms. results went in to (Tom) Landry the and he said he was I'd have to sign the 1 EVEN THOUGH was disappointed in the results, the Cowboys team doctor sat down and talked to me seriously about my neck and told me that a big blow could paralize me for life. He was claiming that the gaps between my discs weren't big enough and more play could hurt me bad. "I guess once I got home I really started to question everything and called Dr. Brent Prattley, BYU's team doctor and my own physician and wanted to get their opinion. After both had checked and rechecked, I decided that I still wanted another chance at the 1 NFL. Both doctors said they couldn't see anything that wrong, said Flint. SO WITH his desire. Flint's agent contacted the Chicago Bears and they agreed to take a look at Flint. The former Layton and BY U lineman left Monday morning for the Bear's July camp. "I've first got to pass their physical," said Flint being realistic, "But I believe my chances are good. It will take a lot of luck and being healthy to make it. The camp lasts for six weeks but I could be home in two days." IN CHICAGO, Flint will renew friendships with two former Cougar placers in Jim McMahon who is the Bear's No. quarterback and Stc e Harper w ho signed as a free agent with the Bears after backing up Gordon Hudson as BYU's tight end last season. I The MdemBm Hem simple but true, Its when you demand excellence from your players and they give you everything they have, then it doesn't bother you if you w in or lose. Honestly over the past couple of years at Davis I've learned to cope with defeat because of the fact my players have worked their guts out. What more can a coach ask if his players do everything you ask? The area that might be the most difficult for a coach is when he comes home to his family. My wife Linda, and the rest of the family have learned how to cope with me during the basketball season, at least to the point where we could have a decent relationship. They realize sometimes I'm honry or depressed but they know' how to work with me and get me back to normal. Because of their ability to cope, that is the very reason Ive stayed so long. "MY DAUGHTER, Keri, who was elected a cheerleader this year at Davis heard me talk that I might get out of it this year. She pleaded with me that I stay because she wanted to cheer for her dad's team. When your family has that kind of reaction to your profession, you ow e everything to them. I'll stay in coaching as long as my family enjoys me staying in it. The Gardner home is often the By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports - KA YSVILLE The Coach ! It's a term in athletics that fits the tall and lean, short and stubby, men and women, black and white, the passive and more zealous and the hated and loved. NINETY-NIN- E percent of everyone knows or remembers a coach, whether they put on a uniform for him or not. Everyone has a mother and father and just about everyone has or had a coach. Little leaguers would give their left arm for their coach w hile some give up a professionals to see the coach canned. half-a-milli- HOW ABOUT this breed? Are they for real? What makes 'em keep coming back for more? Perhaps after 19 years of the stuff, maybe Kaysville's Mike Gardner knows whether the coach is as special a breed theyre made out to be. TO HEAR Gardner talk about the coach, it's apparent that the good ones love athletics like doc- tors love to operate or like meteorologists love their weather maps. "I don't recall a time since I was growing up that I haven't been doing some faction of athletics, whether it was playing, coaching or gathering place for several of Coach Gardners present and former players. The Davis High players have become the best friends to the Gardner children and that is whatever. ATHLETICS have become a very important part of our society and we in athletics see a real neat thing in athletics today. Athletes are more skilled, the exposure is Mike Gardner claims one of the big reasons why he has stuck it out so is long in coaching is the support his family gives him. Pictured here Kelli. and six his Five children. Brad, Keri, Michael, Quin Mike and of is Jodi and Mikes wife, Linda. Not pictured greater than it's ever been and players are spending more time at their game. In high school our players are more equipped than I've systems. think in the next 10 to 20 wanted to make a profession out of ever seen it and the people w ho are coaching. The first was my uncle years you're going to see a great Lincoln who was my ninth grade training them are more trained than decay in athletics. I do not believe ever before. Nutrition is better, evthe good people are coming into coach and who taught history. idolized him, enough in fact that I erything is better. athletics, at least as many good It's a neat time to be in athleused to be. as went into teaching history even people theyre tics. It's a neat time to be a coach. too. He got me thinking about BUT NONE the less, it's still coaching for a career. WITH everything to keep kids fun today to see players change involved today like television, NEXT IT was Grant Cullimorc over a period of years. Sometimes it can take 10 years to see the real and after him there was no question motorcycles and the like, the kids need the 'coach' figure. A hero is that wanted to be like him. Of all change in some kids, but eventualmaybe what you might w'ant to call ly it does come around. In our area my professional coaches. Grant him. And the coach can be the hero of a majority of LDS people, you probably holds the dearest spot. to them. see a great many of our high school "Another was Gerald Purdy But it's bad at the same time who influenced me a great deal. athletes going on to become good that our educational system is so The special thing now is that I work missionaries and they're good misfar behind on the pay scale. Many, with Purdy at Davis High which, sionaries because they know how means a lot to us both. to set goals and work hard." many great people who would make tremendous coaches and Who were Gardner's favorite THEN I played for the great great influences on our society are. coaches, the ones he'll remember character of all, Stan Watts of not going into coaching. till the day he can remember no BYU. He was a tremendous leader more. and a great person. He wasn't as RIGHT NOW young people strict a disciplinarian as Cullimorc arent going into coaching like they THE GREATEST coach in my' or Purdy, but he was a tremendous did when I started. A young person life actually wasn't a real coach, person because of the way he rewith ability and relations with kids yet he taught me everything imporspected you and treated you." and people are going into math and A coachs stomach must be tant about life. He taught me disciscience because they get paid made of steel. Gardner chuckled at pline, how to shoot a basketball, more. Our public is going to see a how to run, how to do everything, that and said, "You have to learn real, real problem develop because and that was my father. Fie by far to live as a coach, both w ith victory we're not attracting good people has made the greatest influence and with defeat. That is the key. another reason the veteran coach feels it's not time yet to get out. CAN HANDLING winning be just as difficult as handling losing? Gardner says that for him it's much more difficult to coach when he's winning. You work harder when you're losing and when you're winning the pressure is much greater because you're expected to win some more. Losing helps bond you together, especially with high school kids. We all enjoy wanning, but there are some great lessons learned from losing too. Teams that never lose certainly miss some valuable lessons. We all have our bad and good days and how we react to the bad is something that determines whether or not we will be suc- cessful." A COACH must live with the referees and Gardner has seen himself mellow out towards officials in recent years. "Referees are crucial situation. As a and are in a n coach I expect referees to work hard and be in position because my athletes do work hard. If hell work hard, stay in position and react with courtesy to the players and coaches. I'll sit dow n. A few years back I'd pick up four or Five technicals a year but now I've had only one in four years. Officials are getting better every year, Gardner said. no-wi- JUST WHEN docs a coach call it quits? According to Gardner he nearly did last spring but he decided to stick at it. "I've talked to some coaches who said they quit too early and others who said they stayed too long. It's an individual thing. Personally 1 never dreamed I'd stay as long as I have, some 19 years total and 15 at Davis High. I thought 10 years w'ould be enough but everytime 1 wanted to get out I thought I was still providing a service to some athletes. I guess we're on a year by year basis. The reaction of players and your family is purely the most important, you can't allow the fans to decide. I'VE ALWAYS said that as long as I was having fun and the players still respected me, I'd stick at it. If the players didn't respect me 1 guess they wouldn't come by my home like they do and as far as fun. I never had as much fun as I did last year in both basketball and football. "Again, it's a year by year thing. Next Week; Read about what Brent Hancock , Brad Hawkins , and Rod Brockwodlt hare in common. 1 1 1 into coaching. "Overall this is going to have a great influence upon our school upon my life as a coach. "Then there were three coaches who led me into deciding that I PERHAPS THE thing that has allowed me to keep my sanity is Coach John Naegle is boasting over his Kaysville Girls Softball Team who took the Championship on Tuesday The team has gone in their game with a score of include and season entire undefeated the girls from age 9 to 12. Members of the team are: front, Bonnie Wight, left, Emily Edwards, Eden Edwards, Stacey Rich, Joy Perkins and Cassie Naegle. Back, Martha Thompson, left, Melissa Wight, Periann Horne, J'mi Naegle, Amy Slade, Connie Burgcnmeycr and Coach Naegle. Two players who played all year and were absent arc Andrea Perkins and Tiffany Short. 15-- UNDEFEATED 2. |