Can one of the more seasoned citizens recant DKR's exit?

[RoyalCrowns]

A lot of good opines and I appreciate the dialogue. I was on the 40 in the late 80s and Dodds was not popular in the least. Regarding DKR and retiring because of the start of dimentia, I'd like to hear Ms. Edith confirm or deny that. This is the first Ive ever heard of that. Keep the stories flowing. This is good stuff!

 

[armadillo slim]

No doubt he failed to read the time frame.He might go back a delete his reply.

No doubt either for me that had Dodds stayed, Brown would still be the coach.

Dodd's, "we're the Jones'" certainly has left a Big 12 that resembles more of the last of the old SWC, then the original start up version.

But he's the genius.

slick, thanks for pointing that out. i did fail to notice the time frame and apologize for that. overall 30's post still fails though.

castigating dodds for his failures early on and then assigning his successes to others later is entirely disingenuous. since he brings up genius, that's like criticizing Einstein for failing algebra as a high schooler and then failing to note his theory of relativity.

the simple fact of the matter is that when dodds hung them up, patterson inherited the most valuable athletics program in the country--by a wide margin.

if you're going to criticize him for bob weltlich, you'd damn sure better give him credit for the good things he did to change things up and succeed. that sort of half assed critique just infuriates me.

 

[popdaddy]

I'm new, older than most, haven't figured out the aviator thing but I really like this site.

I graduated The University in 1971 so I really appreciate all Coach Royal and the Longhorns accomplished while I was there as a student and great fan.

As I recall, Coach Royal announced his retirement a week or two before the final game with the pigs. I was working in OKC at the time but already had tickets to drive back to Austin for what was to be DKR's last game. My recollection is Broyles announced his retirement prior to game week, after DKR, that was the national news, that Longhorn Legend Darrell Royal was retiring from football coaching to focus on the Athletic Director job he already had in addition to football coach and Broyles decided to hang it up as well.

All we had then was the newspapers, local TV newscasts and a weekly college football national broadcast that would never delve into sensitive situations. I probably had an almost insider conduit at that time because I was a friend of Jerry Scarborough who was an AP reporter in OKC, he had, at the time, immense access to information.

I believe to this day, the 1976 ou game was the straw that led to DKR's early retirement. UT fans and DKR hated the cheating Switzer was getting away with at ou. I remember driving down for the Texas/ou game from OKC, yakking it up with okies on the CB radio, we all knew the Horns had the talent to beat fricking ou and win back the culture. I've witnessed some great Texas/ou games and some horrible ones like Bad Roy smacking Chris Simms for the fumble but that '76 game had me puking my guts out in the stands.

I firmly believe Coach Royal felt he was just too tired to fight the cheaters, he was a better man than those who could get away with playing outside the rules. Coach Royal gave The University his best and we should never forget his contributions.

Coach Royal retired from football coaching but he was still the Athletic Director and had a plan. Now that plan got all screwed up by the then "friends of the program", not all BMD's, and that led to a whole other after football coaching experience for DKR you can read in the funny papers.

Coach Darrell Royal retired from football coaching in full control of his healthy mind and body, he retired because of integrity and principals.

I loved that man, God Bless him!

 

[thirtyand0]

The Big 12, Mack Brown and Ricky helped put Texas back on the national map.

Dodds wanted Gary Barnett. (Paid off 2, five year deals for coaches hired on his watch) His track record left much to be desired. He first 15 years up front and what 2? 3 years on the tail end? Those aren't opinions but over half of his total tenure.

I couldn't get away with that record for 1.5 plus decades in my line of work,

He also assisted in the decline of the Big 12.

I had several wishes. The first was his departure and the dominos that would fall. My last wish is an AD who will get us out of this Big 12 ditch.

But carry on at least you're reading through it now.

Jerry Jones made a lot of $ in 2013

too. We are the Jones' you know.

 

[SoTexHorn]

My brother played for DKR (injured while on freshman team and attack squad ending his career) and I was one of those kids hanging around the athletes in the early 70s and a freshman in Akers' 1st year. The cheating and ethics at the time played a big part in his leaving, but there was absolutely a lot of telegrams sent to the administration demanding he retire. Thank goodness for him there was no internet. He would have been destroyed on OB. Texas had close to 200 football players and way over 100 on scholarship. DKR would recruit the best passer in the state and turn him into a punter so UT didn't have to play against him. Scholarship limits starting in '77 would put a stop to that. Most complaints to the administration hinged around an offense everyone knew how to defend and a defense that could not stop a passing attack unless the D-line sacked the QB 1st. The football landscape was changing dramatically and all the BS (cheating, etc.) he had to deal with convinced him he didn't have the desire to rebuild the program. Akers came in with a TON of talent and did two great things: made Earl lose 20 pounds (the extra weight to play him as a fullback contributed to his habitual hamstring problems) and featured him in the I formation. DKR was a legendary coach and deserves all the respect, but time has smoothed the rough edges and criticism he faced at the end of his career. You can say he handled it with more class than Mack; but he was also handled with more class than Mack was. Class flows both ways.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Two games that stick out in my mind with DKR. When he turned Earl lose as a freshmen against Arkiesaw, Earl blocks a punt just before halftime in that game.

The second was the last game DKR coached, as documented well in this thread. I can tell you that even as a 14 yr old, I shed a tear at the end of that game because I knew it was his last.

 

[beevomav]

Sigh..

 

[doc longhorn]

No one ever forced Coach Royal to do a thing. The biggest factor in his retirement, I always believed, was that he was NOT willing to do the things Barry Switzer was to pad his win total. Royal was unwilling to buy players, bend or break rules, and I seem to recall from reading several articles back in the day that he might have felt that was the direction college football was heading. If that's correct, he obviously didn't want any part of it. There were some office politics going around back then involving Frank Erwin, but I never believed that was a big factor in Coach Royal stepping down. It was pretty awesome that he and his main rival, Frank Broyles, both coached their final game against each other. If my explanation is right, it's also why I was amazed (In a good way) by some things Barry Switzer said when attending the memorial service for Coach Royal.

Cool - You are absolutely correct. NOBODY forced coach Royal out. It amazes me every time I read where someone thinks he was forced out. HE.WAS.NOT.FORCED.OUT! Coach Royal left on his own terms - period. Erwin and Shivers did not approve of his friendships with the outlaws of music - that much is true. But he left primarily because of rampant cheating and particularly because of Barry Switzer - a notorious weasel. He and coach Broyles agreed to retire together and play more golf. Believe it or not, this was the crux of it.

LOL - I had to laugh at the poster that said he retired because of the beginnings of dementia. I played golf with him many years after he retired and he seemed pretty damned sharp to me.

 

[RoyalCrowns]

I was fortunate to get a chance to visit with DKR at a function in 2009. He was a kind, gentle man. Had my picture taken with him and it proudly sits on my desk in my office. In the short 5 minute window I spoke with him, he clearly still seemed to be able to converse. But I could see some signs of the hideous disease. Then again, he was 85 at the time. My father had early onset dimentia at the time of his passing, so I did recognize some similiarities. If he indeed Royal had some early stages in 1976, it was a very well kept secret. FWIW

 

[beevomav]

Cool - You are absolutely correct. NOBODY forced coach Royal out. It amazes me every time I read where someone thinks he was forced out. HE.WAS.NOT.FORCED.OUT! Coach Royal left on his own terms - period. Erwin and Shivers did not approve of his friendships with the outlaws of music - that much is true. But he left primarily because of rampant cheating and particularly because of Barry Switzer - a notorious weasel. He and coach Broyles agreed to retire together and play more golf. Believe it or not, this was the crux of it.
LOL - I had to laugh at the poster that said he retired because of the beginnings of dementia. I played golf with him many years after he retired and he seemed pretty damned sharp to me.

Laugh Out Loud to this: I was quoting an article which is obvious you didn't read. There is a link in my post, if you had took the time to look, but it is much more fun to pull thoughts out you ass. The author is a UT grad and was a reporter with the Atlanta Constitution and the Houston Chronicle for over 30 years.

You obviously know nothing of on-set-dementia or you would not use idiotic talk about playing golf as proof they are fine?

 

[Hiwood]

Slick and Doc are spot on....
Royal was tired of the rampant cheating of Switzer and the Sooners....Hint...Lacewell...

The most blatant cases were the recruiting of Billy Sims and later, David Overstreet....The story on Sims was that the Oklahoma staff put Sims up in a motel in a distant town the night before signing day....Thus he wasn't there to sign. He ended up at Oklahoma. Hmmm

BTW, Both Royal and Broyles showed up to sign Sims........I forgot a lot on the Overstreet story, but it was the straw that broke Royal's back....

Royal and Broyles at Arkansas were the best golfing friends....They would often play for days after the UT/UA game...Both had notified the NCAA of the recruiting shenanigans of Oklahoma, yet nothing ever done....Strange as Broyles, then Royal were presidents of the Coaching Association(like Mack last year)..

Royal had hinted to Cactus Pryor on his show just before the Arkansas game that he didn't know how much longer he could go on....Cactus, the ever sidekick, pressed him for more, but Royal didn't take the bait....There was long time feeling that Royal and Broyles decided that they would go out together...

Both true gentlemen with utmost respect for one another, but both went for the kill on the field.....They they would kiss, make up, and head for the tee at sunrise the next day...

Cactus was a very close friend of mine, I am the same age as one of his kids...and the way you tell the story is the way Cactus recounted it to me

a few other corrections...whoever stated that DKR wanted Tom Campbell, that is incorrect..he wanted Mike Campbell, Tom's dad..the Campbells lived down the street from me

also Alzheimers wasnt even a known diagnosed disease back in the 70's...trust me on this one...I did a lot of research on it because my mother had it, and ironically we also lost Cactus Pryor to the dreaded disease, and he was still pretty darn sharp at times till the end

 

[beevomav]

Cactus was a very close friend of mine, I am the same age as one of his kids...and the way you tell the story is the way Cactus recounted it to me

a few other corrections...whoever stated that DKR wanted Tom Campbell, that is incorrect..he wanted Mike Campbell, Tom's dad..the Campbells lived down the street from me

also Alzheimers wasnt even a known diagnosed disease back in the 70's...trust me on this one...I did a lot of research on it because my mother had it, and ironically we also lost Cactus Pryor to the dreaded disease, and he was still pretty darn sharp at times till the end

He retired because of on-set-dementia that later developed into Alzheimer disease. That's what the article stated that I quoted. The one you and it seems no one else read? I am sorry about your mom, but Alzheimer was first discovered in 1906. Here's another article for you not to read. The title is: 1906: Dr. Alois Alzheimer first describes "a peculiar disease" http://www.alz.org/research/science/major_milestones_in_alzheimers.asp

 

[doc longhorn]

Laugh Out Loud to this: I was quoting an article which is obvious you didn't read. There is a link in my post, if you had took the time to look, but it is much more fun to pull thoughts out you ass. The author is a UT grad and was a reporter with the Atlanta Constitution and the Houston Chronicle for over 30 years.
You obviously know nothing of on-set-dementia or you would not use idiotic talk about playing golf as proof they are fine?

Look, I'm not interested in getting into an internet fight with you. I'm sure the article you read was very interesting and I don't doubt someone wrote it and and you believe it. And why would I read something like this that I, personally, know to be incorrect?

Yes, I know a little about dementia and even though this is not my area of expertise, I have studied it and being a physician myself, probably know more about it than you. As far as coach Royal, I was not a running buddy of his, but I have played more than a few rounds of golf with him and knew him personally. I lost contact with him when he was no longer able to play golf, physically and mentally - in his mid 70's. Up to that point, he was as sharp and lucid as any human being I have known.

So, kindly refrain from accusing me of "pulling it out of my ass". It appears that neither you nor the author, that wrote the article, really knew what you were talking about. Particularly the assertion that coach Royal retired from football because of "dementia". That was and is simply incorrect.

 

[primal defense]

Switzer and his cheating was the reason I've always heard. As much as I hated losing to Stoops, DKR losing to Switzer was the worst. I still remember the OU loss in 1971 when Greg Pruitt ran for over 200 yards as one of my worst UT games.

 

[doc longhorn]

Cactus was a very close friend of mine, I am the same age as one of his kids...and the way you tell the story is the way Cactus recounted it to me

a few other corrections...whoever stated that DKR wanted Tom Campbell, that is incorrect..he wanted Mike Campbell, Tom's dad..the Campbells lived down the street from me

also Alzheimers wasnt even a known diagnosed disease back in the 70's...trust me on this one...I did a lot of research on it because my mother had it, and ironically we also lost Cactus Pryor to the dreaded disease, and he was still pretty darn sharp at times till the end

I knew Cactus myself, but I was unaware that he had Alzheimers. He was an icon of Austin and a very witty man.

If you lived down the street from the Campbells, there is a very good chance we knew each other - unless it was later in the years. I went to Austin High when there were only three high schools in Austin - Austin high, Travis and McCallum. And Travis and McCallum were built when I was attending University Junior High. So now you have an idea how old I am.

 

[doc longhorn]

Laugh Out Loud to this: I was quoting an article which is obvious you didn't read. There is a link in my post, if you had took the time to look, but it is much more fun to pull thoughts out you ass. The author is a UT grad and was a reporter with the Atlanta Constitution and the Houston Chronicle for over 30 years.
You obviously know nothing of on-set-dementia or you would not use idiotic talk about playing golf as proof they are fine?

Look, beevomav, there is no reason for you to be so angry when someone has an opinion different than you. Calling out this blog and it's posters is meaningless, actually. It's a discussion board and that's all.

You believe what you believe and I believe what I believe. Is that the end of the world?

 

[doc longhorn]

Switzer and his cheating was the reason I've always heard. As much as I hated losing to Stoops, DKR losing to Switzer was the worst. I still remember the OU loss in 1971 when Greg Pruitt ran for over 200 yards as one of my worst UT games.

Switzer was, also, a notorious womanizer and Royal detested this as well.

 

[POCKEY]

He retired because of on-set-dementia that later developed into Alzheimer disease. That's what the article stated that I quoted. The one you and it seems no one else read? I am sorry about your mom, but Alzheimer was first discovered in 1906. Here's another article for you not to read. The title is: 1906: Dr. Alois Alzheimer first describes "a peculiar disease" http://www.alz.org/research/science/major_milestones_in_alzheimers.asp

I've had to restrain myself from replying to this thread but this just sent me over the edge.

I've posted several times how I knew Coach Royal and my families relationship to Coach Campbell, I won't do it again here. Suffice it to say, I knew him and was around him both on and off the field before and after he retired.

What gets me to the point of wanting to punch the wall is I also know Alan. For all I know, you may be Alan. If you are then your next door nieghbor (Robert M.) friend says hi. Again, and I wish I had punched you in the face when I had the opportunity. You, sir, as I told you to your face, represent the worst of Sports Jounralism. I spent over 25 years in Broadcast Sports Media and I am aware of the few hacks that just make up crap for the sake of having a good story. Most of them are eventually run out of the business as you appear to have been. No? Tell me, who do you write for again? Oh, that's right, your own website. Great. No respectful rag employs you anymore. Got it.

I will tell you again what I told you several years ago, you have done a great man a disservice for making up this crap. You have also done a disservice to Earl by twisting his words to fit your agenda.

Beevomav, if you are not Alan then I apologize for calling you the cockroach that that man is. However, if you are not Alan then I beg of you to do better research next time. That was not a well written article and was not well researched. He came to a very unfair conclusion that NO, I repeat, NO doctor had come to at the time! Yes, he was diagnosed with Demintia later in life but Truex's conclusions were reckless and exposed a hidden agenda, I believe. Which begs the question whether you, in fact, share that same agenda.

However, if you are Alan Truex's, then I can tell you since our encounter I spoke to your former employer, Dan C., and I know the truth.

 

[beevomav]

I don't know the author of the article I referenced. The guy has a journalism degree from Texas and has worked over 20 years for two major newspapers, so he seemed credible. Now the other thing is I don't know you. Noting about you in your profile except the sports teams you favor.

You seem to know everyone, including the guys next door neighbor. If you want to know who I am, ask Aaron, he can at least tell you I am not a journalist living in Llano. I don't know anyone and am the only guy here who doesn't talk to the players at Texas on a daily basis.

I'm also 66, grumpy, and don't like be talked down to, in case we have a future conversation?

 

[primal defense]

Switzer was, also, a notorious womanizer and Royal detested this as well.

Especially when you sleep with your assistant coach's wife.