Glanville's life turned by Iraq visit

[PapaG]

The story on why Glanville went back to coaching college football.

Meehan: Glanville phones loved ones of U.S. soldiers

Like some character out of a Joseph Conrad novel, Jerry Glanville journeyed almost 7,000 miles from his suburban Atlanta home to the deserts of the Mideast to find his second calling as a football coach.

And the message was delivered by thousands of young- American soldiers.

In March 2004, Glanville had not coached an NFL game in 11 years. It had been 30 years since he coached in college. Portland State's new head coach had a jaundiced view of a younger generation that favored baggy jeans, earrings and hip-hop music.

But this would change during a weeklong tour of U.S. bases in Kuwait and Iraq. Glanville joined a group of NFL alumni that included Deacon Jones, Bud Grant and Randy Gradishar.

"I think it changed everybody's life," Glanville said Tuesday. "Deacon Jones said for the first time in his life, he knew what terror was."

--SNIP--

Glanville filled a book with names of soldiers. He asked they include the phone number of a loved one. When Glanville returned home, he spent weeks phoning family members to tell them that their son, husband, wife, daughter was doing just fine. Glanville made 70 calls a day until he got through the thousands of numbers he had collected.

--SNIP--

Riding in a Humvee caravan on a lonely road that pierces the desert between Kuwait and Iraq, Glanville read words that changed his life. They were written on the wall of the last latrine along this treeless sand anvil.

"I would rather live one day with the lions than 1,000 days with the lambs. Signed: The American soldier."

"We were over there to help boost their morale, but it was the 19-year-olds of today who gave us the right morale," Glanville said.

--SNIP--

The Army wouldn't send guards so Glanville's friend sent several vehicles. The vehicles, manned by Kurdish guards, roared at high speeds, six feet apart, weaving a serpentine pattern down the "highway of death."

When they arrived, there were 14 machine gunners on the roof the 18-story Palestine Hotel. Glanville and company were urged to sprint for the doors. Once inside, the Kurds lined up vehicles in front of the main entrance to deflect any suicide bomber.

While Baghdad is dry, the host laid out beer and liquor.

"All of us were consuming heavily," Carolin said, "because we knew we'd have to drive back to the base on that highway of death."

Huddled on the floor of a battered Toyota, Glanville and Carolin were scared during the ride back. Glanville said to Carolin, "If we are lucky enough to get out of here, I'm going to go back to coaching in college."

--SNIP--

"I used to think, like a lot of old guys, 'Who is going to run the country when we're dead,' " Glanville said. "Well, I found about 5,000 young people and I am not going to worry for one minute more about the future. They can do everything better than me."

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregon ... thispage=1

[PapaG]

60-odd views and no comments.

I thought this piece was a positive for Generation Z (or whatever label they have been given by the media).

As a Portland local who is a Bobcat, I can't help but think Glanville will be a postive for the Big Sky. He has sold me at this point. Time will tell...I know.

[Cat Grad]

60-odd views and no comments.

I thought this piece was a positive for Generation Z (or whatever label they have been given by the media).

As a Portland local who is a Bobcat, I can't help but think Glanville will be a postive for the Big Sky. He has sold me at this point. Time will tell...I know.

He meant a great deal to Atlanta while he was their coach. I was really struck by how fiercely loyal he is to his employer, players, staff and how grateful he is is to MSU. I wouldn't be surprised to see PSU fulfill all the potential under him. I look for him to positively impact the conference in many ways and help correct some of our poor officiating crews.