Phillip Rivers
The Gulf Coast Athletic Club opened its November 8, 2021 meeting at Woodside Restaurant in Gulf Shores. President George Autrey welcomed our biggest crowd of the year at 7:00pm. Members introduced their guests and we were off and running.
El Presidente gave the Gulf Shores High School concluding football report for 2021. GSHS certainly had a banner year! Under new and dynamic leadership, the Dolphins went 6-4, their best record in many a moon. Sadly, all four losses were against area teams, so no playoffs this year. A redeeming factor is that each of those four teams won their first-round playoff games. GO, DOLPHINS!
The Prolific Pigskin Prognosticator Football Pool is winding toward its season end, with Bulldog Billy stubbornly clinging to the top spot in our polls. George noted that HiYield, AKA Cynthia Tunnell, has won or tied three of the last four weeks and is moving up the charts, currently in third behind Bulldog Billy and Geronimo. Our Fearless Leader, after a flash of greatness with a 11-1 week just a few weeks ago, is pushing for DAL, along with your Editor. Only about three weeks left in the fight for the trophy!
Dec McClelland returned in rare form, using some new material – probably since his wife and some guests were there. He gave a rousing salute to the World Championship Atlanta Braves, who ended up hosting three All-Star games! He noted we had NFL Royalty in our presence this evening. He moved through the Top 25 and then scoured the room for more team reports of those less fortunate. With only 5 SEC teams in the Top 25, it went pretty quickly.
CRYING TOWEL – who to pick? Underperforming were Kentucky, Auburn, LSU, Alabama, but in the end, the “Committee” chose Linda Martin’s Mississippi State Bulldogs to receive the coveted linen, captioned ‘Hog Tied’ 31-28 for the loss to Arkansas.
Taylor Means handled the introduction of our very special Guest Speaker, Philip Rivers, certainly to be chosen for membership into the NFL Hall of Fame at some point in the very near future. In your Secretary’s opinion, he handled the crowd like he played football, errorless, confident, and entertaining.
A few stats – from Decatur, Alabama and attended Athens High School where his Father was his Coach. A devout Catholic, he and his bride, who married while in college, have nine children, 2 boys and 7 girls and currently live in Fairhope where he is the Head Football Coach at St. Michael’s Catholic High School. He was a 9-time Pro Bowler and started 252 games in his lengthy career with the San Diego/LA Chargers and spending a great last year with the Indianapolis Colts.
He always wanted to play Quarterback, but, when scouted by Auburn his Senior Year, they talked about Tight End, so he ended up signing with North Carolina State, who did want him to play QB. Philip started 57 games for the Wolfpack, including the first game his Freshman year. Ironically, he never played an SEC team and, almost amazingly, never beat Maryland!
He was drafted by the New York Giants, although he never heard from them prior to the Draft, and was watching on TV when he learned about it. That didn’t last too long, since the Giants traded him 40 minutes later to San Diego in exchange for Eli Manning. Evidently, that worked out pretty good for both teams.
He talked about his awesome teammates in San Diego, wasn’t crazy about the move to LA, and finished a great last year with Indy where his children first saw weather seasons for the first time. He retired in January 2021. He had 431 Touchdowns, almost 100 of which were to Antonio Gates, a basketball player who never played college football. Would he go back? Maybe with the right situation.
St. Michael’s had a great season since the team had lost 18 straight Region games in a row. They won the second game of the season and ended up 6-4, missing the playoffs. He said he still thinks like a player, but growing as a coach. He could have coached at any level, but now is coaching his 7th grade son, like his Father did for him.
Three things he always wanted: 1) Play in the NFL, 2) Be a Coach, and; 3) Line the football field. Now he gets to do that, keep up with equipment, plus make the best out of his kids. Not every kid learns the same way, and he needs to mold them into good young men.
After vacationing here growing up, he and his wife bought a home in the Panhandle in 2014, and he just loves it here. He has a motto ‘Now I Begin” as you can always learn. He went on to talk about his throwing style, big hits, favorite TDs, and more. When asked who has the best shot to make it in the Pros, he said those who don’t feel entitled have the best shot. The teams do so much to help you make it. The average pro career is 2 ½ years. The future here for Philip Rivers is just beginning!
Upcoming programs:
11/22Bo Bounds: ESPN radio host of The Out of Bounds Show.
The meeting adjourned at 8:12pm.
