The Golden Touch

Many football players will give you fifteen different answers when describing the ideal football coach, however there is no ideal football coach. Every coach can briefly detail stories of badly coached games, and how the loss is completely their fault. Truth is no one is ever perfect, not even the almighty, overweening Kanye West. Never the less, with outlandish coaching styles and “the golden touch”, as he would say; Coach Jeremy Gold was the closest thing to a perfect coach. “Jeremy has an infectious personality that people naturally gravitate toward. He is very intelligent which allows him to adapt and succeed in all types of work environments” — Brian Kelly, Head Coach, University of Notre Dame. A retired Central Michigan linebacker, and Division II National Championship coach, Gold took over the head coach job at Morgan Parks prominent football program in 2012. Assuming, Gold had big plans on feeling the shoes of the long time legendary football coach Lexie Spurlock. However Gold was released as a new host of deans occupied the position with their own plans. Where is he now? Getting the chance to interview an old coach, to capture his thoughts and feelings toward being a coach and everything that comes with being a head coach of an almost famous Chicago Public High School football program was perhaps the most electrifying interview ever. As the barbershop on Chicago’s south side begin to fill, in walked a huge man baring a laptop and newspaper. Shaking his as hand felt like shaking the hand of a grizzly bear, but it was only big Coach Gold invading the shop for a quick trim and unusual interview. Headed to small corner directly under a flat screen TV broadcasting March Madness games, Gold started the interview by asking simple “how are you doing” questions. You know, small talk. It was quite weird seeing Gold not sporting a Morgan
Park Football sweater; finally getting past the small talk and on to the interview the barbershop was pretty much occupied by high school athletes of every sport. Before any questions were asked, Gold begun non stop babble about the whole season of 2012. “WE GOT SCREWED”, said boldly. He talked as if he were venting, as if the shop was turned into a group therapy session. There was really no need for any note taking or recording, it was a simple conversation between player and coach about everything football. About how sports is all politics in Chicago, about how the season should have ended with at least a City Championship, last but not least; the interview was mostly gossip about what was going down inside of MP (Morgan Park) that year of 2012. I mean, hearing things that a student wouldn’t think twice of hearing a couple years after graduating. The assignment quickly transformed from a 1 on 1 interview to pure “barbershop talk”. Suddenly almost every barber and customer had something to say about IHSA football, and dropping ideas of how it can be changed, and what they would do if they were an athletic director. With that being said this assignment was sterling fun. As rapper Drake would say, the interview “went 0 to 100 real quick” After a fresh cut Gold still seemed open minded about the interview, however there was no need for any more questions. “That was one of the most exhilarating coaching years of my career” Gold stated as we walked out of the door into the frigid Chicago wind. After a firm handshake and overly strong pat on the back, Gold open his car door to begin his journey and out plunged a bag of footballs. “Always ready” shouted Gold with a grin. That alone makes him unique and a real football coach. The passion for the game and the passion for teaching kids who love the game, makes him a brilliant coach. Not perfect, but as good as close.