The Garden City Telegram
Email this story | Add Your Comment
| Read (0) Comments
Snyder sighting: Re-hired K-State head coach meets Wildcat fans, alumni
Published 12/2/2008 in Sports
By MIKE KESSINGER
Since he retired from Kansas State University in 2005 as the head football coach, Bill Snyder has spent time enjoying life as a husband, father and grandfather to his family that had taken a back seat to a coach's career.
Click to Purchase Photo Reprints!
Laurie Sisk/Telegram — Kansas State University incoming football coach Bill Snyder addresses a large crowd on Tuesday morning at Samy's in the Clarion Inn. The stop was the first in a six-stop barnstorming tour for Snyder.
Click to Purchase Photo Reprints!
Laurie Sisk/Telegram — Kansas State University football coach Bill Snyder, left, signs an autograph for KSU fan Ross Miller during his stop at Samy's in the Clarion Inn on Tuesday morning.
In the last three years he's used much of that time attending his grandchildren's athletic events -- baseball in particular. A lot of it.
"I've seen more Little League baseball in the last three years than Casey Stengel," Snyder joked to a crowd of around 100 Kansas State fans this morning in Samy's Spirits and Steakhouse lounge at the Clarion Inn.
With the announcement of his return as the Wildcats head coach Nov. 24, time spent at Little League games will be less, but Snyder insists coming back to lead the program he built into one of the best in the country is something his family wanted him to do. Today, along with his son, Sean, Snyder and a small group from Kansas State, is making a whirlwind trip around Kansas becoming re-united with a fan base that is anxious to see the miracle man's return to the sideline. The stop in Garden City was one of six places he was to visit for a 45 minute speech and question and answer session. Other stops were to include Wichita, Kansas City, Topeka and Salina before finishing in Manhattan early this evening.
"My son Sean said to me 'Dad, if you choose to do this I'll be ecstatic. If you choose not to do this I'll be ecstatic,'" Snyder said. "When I called my daughter Meredith, who lives in Dallas, she was in tears."
As Snyder entered the Lounge, the Wildcat following that were there rose to their feet and applauded; he acknowledged the crowd with a wave and smile as he walked to the dance floor where he stood to speak. Snyder stopped and shook hands with the fans along the way. A coach, who at times in his final season at K-State appeared worn down, looked rejuvenated and spoke with the same fervor.
"The reason I'm back is that Kansas State is in a state of flux," Snyder said. "I need to smooth the waters."
While the program grew in dramatic fashion in his first 17 years, Snyder feels the program has slipped. He compared coming back now to what it was like when he first took the job in December, 1988. Not that the program is as dismal as it was in 1988, but that the environment around game day has become more that way. Watching the empty seats in Bill Snyder Family Stadium grow over the last few seasons is something Snyder became somewhat disheartened by. He sees this as an opportunity to build Kansas State football and its fan base back up to what it was during his first tenure. If the Wildcats are to build the program again, Snyder hopes to make it a more family atmosphere.
"I'd like to see Kansas State regain that environment," Snyder said.
Snyder shared the story about a man from Goodland who came to his office a few days after the Wildcats' first bowl win in school history at the 1993 Copper Bowl. The man told Snyder the bowl game was "the single greatest experience of my life."
"I couldn't respond," Snyder said. "That shocked me."
Such fans have always been a driving force behind Snyder.
"That really made me understand what the Kansas State family was all about," Snyder said.
Former players have called Snyder in the last week to tell their coach they would like to help in whatever way they can to help rebuild the program. He said there have been around 150 to 200 former players calling to say they want to be involved. Snyder said former K-State great and current Dallas Cowboy all-pro cornerback Terence Newman is one of those who has called.
"Terence called and said, 'Coach, as soon as I have the opportunity I want you know I want to come up,'" Snyder said.
After Snyder spoke for 35 minutes, he answered four questions before he had to leave to make the flight to Wichita. One question he was asked was whether he had hired any assistants at this point.
"I'm about two-thirds the way through my staff," Snyder said.
As he left the floor, the coach shook hands and received a couple hugs as he headed out the door.
The Garden City visit was over, five more to make.
Found 0 comment(s)!
Twitter Updates
