A Second "Last Chance".
"I did some punching to see if there was some interest, but the way it ended at Miami made it sort of difficult for me," Coker said. "It also made it difficult for people that hire coaches at other places to go with someone who, to be quite blunt, was viewed as damaged goods."
Coker is quick to point out that he never lost confidence in his own abilities, and slow to discuss the stormy Hurricanes situation at all. He's a man of infinite patience, demonstrated during 22 years as a top college assistant before finally being promoted to head coach at UM in 2001. He figured his work ethic, as taught by a father who labored 50 years in the Oklahoma oil fields, would eventually win out.
There's nothing but horizon in some parts of Oklahoma, and nothing to do but trudge in any direction toward what figures to be an improvement. A few miles from the Coker family's rural home was a crossroads called Last Chance, with nothing but a church, a couple of houses and a run-down general store.
...
"It was probably time for me to go and time to make a change," Coker said. "You spend so much time trying to justify yourself and it's kind of a waste of time."
More than four years have passed since he left Coral Gables. Coker's Roadrunners are getting out in front of all those howling coyotes. He's wanted again, and even cheered wildly when pictured on the massive video screen at San Antonio Spurs games.
"We're undefeated now," he said, "but the honeymoon's almost over."
It'll only get tougher, but so will Larry Coker, the man from Last Chance.
Shutting down the blog here, for the next 40. Doubt if we'll resume posting after Easter, if it'll be worth it w/the time and talent investment, but never say never, eh?
Some day, those in power b/c of special privileges and gamings -- instead of truer talent and day-to-day merit -- will see their current reign end. History is telling like that. Choose up your sides wisely then? Still, there's not animosity in my heart either, just a prescient instinct, like with the Grizzly Tigers:
"People ask me, 'Are you bitter toward Miami and do you hope they don't do well?' " Coker said. "That's the last thing I want. ..."
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