TAMPA, Fla. -- About 400 former players, family members and
friends of John McKay gathered Wednesday in memory of the former
University of Southern California and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach.
McKay died Sunday of complications from diabetes. He was 77.
A private memorial service is planned, however, friends
including former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, Jr.,
and one-time Bucs coach Ray Perkins were invited to pay their
respects in a reception setting at St. Lawrence Church.
A stream of visitors flowed through Higgins Hall for two hours,
shaking hands and chatting briefly with family members. In a
corridor outside the room, highlights of McKay's college coaching
career played on one television and the high points of his NFL days
ran on another.
USC won four national titles and nine Pacific-8 championships in 16
years under McKay, who left the school to become the first coach of
the expansion Bucs.
Tampa Bay lost its first 26 games before winning the last two in
1977, the franchise's second season. Two years later, the Bucs made
the playoffs for the first time and advanced to the NFC
championship game.
"It was a struggle, especially the first 26. But it was an
exciting struggle," Val Pinchbeck, a former NFL executive, said,
recalling the team's formulative years.
"I've always felt that John's approach (was admirable). There's
a lot of guys who couldn't have handled that. With his sense of
humor, he was able to prevail."
McKay's youngest son, Rich, is the current general manager of
the Bucs and has presided over the club's re-emergence as a Super
Bowl contender.
The visitors Wednesday included other team officals and employees,
current players John Lynch and Dave Moore and former NFL players
Richard Wood, Freddie Solomon, Jimmie Giles, Dave Green and John
Cannon.
Wood, who played on two of McKay's national championship teams
at USC before playing his entire nine-year pro career under him,
remembered his fatherly attitude.
He could be stern one moment and a player's best friend the
next.
"We had some much fun together. The bad times, the 0-26, that's
just a passing thought. The good times definitely outweigh all of
the bad times," said Wood, who -- like McKay -- retired after the
1984 season.
"Coach was very quiet at times. But you could speak to him at
any time. ... He let you be a man and be your own man. But at the
same time, he'd kind of say: `Hey. I'm your dad, so don't go too
far."'
Giles smiled when he recalled the humorous, but sometimes harsh,
things McKay would say to get the attention of players during
meetings, practices and games.
"You really didn't want to feel his wrath," Giles said.
"I remember one time he cut a guy because (the player) said
(McKay's) cigar didn't smell good. There were moments like that
that we couldn't believe. But he told the guy to go pack his bags
and get out."
Above all, Giles said he'll always remember McKay for his
knowledge of the game and for opening doors for minorities on the
college and pro levels.
"He was an absolute genius on the football field," Giles said.
"He did exactly what he said he was going to do when he came to
Tampa Bay. Many people didn't believe it, but he did have a plan."
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