Football Simonini and Bellard

In 1974, after the Horns beat the Aggies again, Ed Simonini saw very little good in the Longhorn team. He said, “Earl Campbell was the only guy I’d shake hands with because he’s the only one I think is a man-coaches included.” Marty Akins admitted to bantering with Ed during the game. Marty said, “he was just bat-mouthing me. I just told him to look at the scoreboard.” In 1975 the Aggies won, and Ed got back on his soap box and showed his lack of class as a winner. Ed only shook hands with Earl Campbell, Wyatt, and Jackson. Simonini said, “now I’m going to shoot off my mouth, I don’t think Marty Akins would have made any difference (in the game), and I don’t want to read that he would in the paper tomorrow.”

That is a far cry from the gentle and kind-spirited email he sent to me in 2019 celebrating the life of Coach Emory Bellard.

Ed begins by saying

Dear Billy,

Though we’ve never met and went to “opposing” schools, we share a love for Emory and how he “coached” his players. Next to my father, no one influenced my thinking or development as a young adult more. I was privileged to be one of several former players asked to speak at his funeral and to tell 2 stories that reflected who Emory was.

#1 You may remember the undefeated 1975 A&M team that played Arkansas in Little Rock at the end of the year instead of the “traditional” game versus T.U. Total fiasco for us, the “pigges” just kicked our butts. No National Championship, No SWC Championship, No undefeated season, lots of we should have never changed the traditional schedule” and second-guessing. You’ve been there and know what I’m talking about. Afterward, all the reporters are hammering Emory with their typical “well, coach, how do you feel right now” type questions. Instead of cutting them off, getting angry, or refusing to answer, Emory is answering every question. Soft spoken, head down, but never once losing his temper or acting out. They must have grilled him for at least 20 or 30 minutes, and he answered every question!! Then he travels back to College Station, deals with a new group of reporters, alumni, students, and fans. Not once did I see him lose his composure or blame anyone but himself for our loss. Take away – Do your job. No matter the circumstances, it’s your job and your responsibility.”                                                                  

ED’S #77

#2 Remember your off-season conditioning, lots of running stairs, 40’s, weights, etc., right? At A&M, someone had the bright idea to have players by position run 220s, walk across the football field, then run another, walk across, etc. We’d run 10 or 15 220s, and it was okay because we were all grouped by position, and nobody could or would run much faster than anyone else. It’s all good, right? And then Lester Hayes gets recruited and signs with A&M as a LINEBACKER!! This is the state 220 champion, and all of us slow, dumb LBs are chasing his ass while he’s laughing, practically running backward. Of course, the coaches are yelling at the stragglers (everyone but Lester) to stop “dogging it”, run faster, etc. So now we’re all running like crazy, and my foot is kicked by another player, I go down, stick my arm out to break the fall, and pop my elbow out the opposite direction, OUCH!!  Well, the 1st person to reach me was Emory. He sees my elbow, and he gets on his concerned frown face. He takes my elbow, moves it back and forth, and tries to push it back in place, DOUBLE OUCH!! I tell him it’s not going back in, but damn if he doesn’t push on it again, YIKES!!! Thankfully, Billy Pickard, our trainer, arrives and takes over. But now, as Emory starts to stand up, he gets that goofy smile on his face, looks right at me, and says, “Gosh darn it, Ed. You’d do anything not to have to run those 220’s”!! Take away – No matter how much it hurts, never lose your sense of humor.

 Ed Simonini