So Far From Buffalo

I wonder if, in his nine seasons as an NFL receiver, Don Beebe ever thought he’d be pacing the sidelines as a college head coach?  In any of his five Superbowl appearances, did Beebe ever sense he’d be spending a Saturday afternoon in Elmhurst with his Aurora University Spartans facing off against the Bluejays?  I wonder.

I can’t say I saw Beebe dominating the Aurora side of the field; he stands just 5’11”, a normal size like most of the Elmhurst players.  But his team definitely dominated to the tune of 48-22.  Does it help recruiting to have a former NFL player as your coach?  Are players more inclined to listen to someone who raced downfield in Super Bowl XXVII to strip the ball from the Cowboys’ Leon Lett before Lett could reach the end zone? I’d hazard a guess on both questions, Yes.

It was a day to appreciate small blessings—blue sky, steady breeze out of the west, an occasional sack or fumble recovery by the home team.  The company was nice, too, what with Assistant FBI Director Skinner sitting next to me for the second time in four days.  Clare mentioned that one of the softball teams pulled out of the National Pro Fastpitch League.  She doesn’t see how the NPF can survive.  The league will be down to five franchises, with two of them basically for members of the Chinese and Canadian teams.

Did Don Beebe ever think he’d be coaching a college game where two spectators were busy talking 12-inch softball?  I wonder.