There really hasn’t been much doubt over the last couple of years that Grizzly head football coach Bobby Hauck would have an opportunity to move to a higher level of competition.
And I have written extensively about both his recent accomplishments and those of the latest group of 19 seniors who won more games than any team in Montana football history.
But it is with mixed feelings that I say goodbye to a football coach who I interviewed for a couple of hours during the last seven seasons no less than three times a week.
Now make no mistake that Bobby and I didn’t always agree on things, but be assured that during the infrequent times we didn’t our differences were aired out behind closed doors and out of earshot.
And the differences really were minute in nature and never came close to affecting the close relationship that is required between a broadcaster and a coaching staff.
If you have listened to me during games, you have probably come to realize I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy and not one who spends a lot of time or energy reflecting on what some fans might believe are the negative aspects of a game.
That does not mean that I don’t tackle the difficult sports subjects on another level and in another forum, such as this one, but it does mean that I think second guessing play calling, personnel and officiating should be left to the people that spend some 80 hours a week dealing with it, not by this guy who just enthusiastically describes what is happening on the field.
I’ve seen Bobby Hauck grow tremendously as a coach, a man and a father in his seven years at the University of Montana. I’ve always maintained, though, that his wife, Stacy, is a saint for being married to him, as is any wife who chooses a sports coach as a mate.
It’s not an easy proposition and, as much as a coach rules his level of expertise on the football field, a football wife runs the roost when it comes to the everyday management of the household because coach went to work at 5 a.m. and won’t be home until midnight.
With Bobby, as with most coaches, his sport is his mistress.
Bobby is loyal, sometimes, as with all of us, to a fault. He is obsessive about details that most wouldn’t even know exists. He is as organized as a military commander readying for a key battle against the greatest of odds and ever-changing conditions.
While some of the criticism he receives is warranted and often not accepted or dealt with in the most of positive manners, he is steadfast in preparing his teams in every aspect of competition, then ready to assist them academically, personally and professionally.
As Frank Sinatra sang, he did it his way. And, in some cases, it was my way or the highway.
One thing you knew with Bobby was where he stood on anything and the political bantering between us is one of the things I enjoyed most about our relationship.
Over the last seven years, I’ve been with him in every situation and it’s been my pleasure to know him for some 20 years and to be comfortable telling him or asking him anything.
When I saw him stick around at the pre-game reception in Chattanooga this year and grab every hand, pose for every picture and take in every aspect of the ambience, and when I listened to him at halftime of Saturday night’s basketball game, I knew the inevitable was set to occur.
There are those who are glad Hauck has moved on. Those people don’t know him like I know him.
We were lucky to have him as long as we did and have him influence the number of student-athletes who played for him.
God speed my friend and go Rebels!