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with Herm Edwards


NCGA Golf caught up with HERM EDWARDS after the Gene Upshaw Memorial Golf Classic hosted by Schaeffer’s Mill in Truckee. The Gene Upshaw Memorial Fund supports many causes, including research and treatment for cancer and traumatic brain injury. Edwards graduated from Monterey High, played at Cal-Berkeley and with the Philadelphia Eagles, and became the head coach for the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. He is now an NFL analyst for ESPN, but still lives and plays out of Tehama GC in Carmel.


HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE GENE UPSHAW MEMORIAL? Gene was a good friend. Every year I played in Tahoe in the American Cen- tury, I would actually play a practice round with Gene. It was a no-brainer for me when I was asked by his wife if I would participate in the tournament. + + +


HOW IMPORTANT IS THE BRAIN TRAUMA RESEARCH THAT GENE’S FOUNDATION FUNDS? I met a couple of doctors the first year. They’re really excited. The more we research, the better chance we have of finding a cure for people with traumatic brain injuries. + + +


DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR PLAYING DAYS AND WHETHER YOU SUFFERED THE HEAD TRAUMA THAT LEADS TO CTE? I’m 61 years old. My knee bothers me, and my shoulder bothers me, but I played football my whole life. I’m OK. I’m sup- posed to have a bad knee and shoulder. That comes with age. Your body is not made to play football for that long. + + +


WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO GET INTO TACKLE FOOTBALL? It’s a different age for everyone. There was no Pop Warner when I was grow- ing up. You just kind of played in the park. My son was involved in football, and I didn’t allow him to play Pop War- ner. I wanted him to play flag. Kids are intimidated from playing


Pop Warner. Physically and mentally they’re not read to play tackle football. And that’s not a bad thing. You don’t want to scare any athlete away because it might be too physical. High school is really the foundation for football. + + +


WHAT’S YOUR LASTING MEMORY OF PLAYING FOOTBALL? Being in the huddle. It’s very dynamic. The huddle presents trust. The huddle has no color. It has no religious preference. It’s a level playing field, and there’s a bond with 11 players under- standing their role. And that always was my favorite deal. There was a dependence on each other. You couldn’t do it by yourself. After the


play was over, you had to go back into that huddle, and there were no excuses. If a guy had a bad play, you had to lift him up. You might not associate


with guys once you leave the locker room, and you might have different opinions about politics or whatever, but the one thing that’s resound- ing is in that huddle, you respect each other.


WHAT DID FOOTBALL TEACH YOU? Every play there is a new emotion and new expectations. It’s a wonderful game. I’m indebted to football. I’ve been fortu- nate. I’ve really never had a job. It paid for my education, and I was fortunate enough to play professional football. And then I coached football. I was in profes- sional football for 30 years. And now I work for ESPN and I talk about football. + + +


DOES GOLF GIVE YOU ANY OF THE THINGS THAT FOOTBALL DOES? There’s a bond between golf and all athletes. We are all very competitive. Eventually father time steals a little bit of the gifts that have been given to you. The greatest thing about golf is you might not hit it as far as you once did, but you can play. It’s a game that every- one can continue to play. It’s a great escape. You learn a lot about a person.


+ + +


WHAT’S YOUR BEST ROUND? I’ve shot a 79, but I’m about a 13 handi- cap these days. I don’t worry about it. + + +


FAVORITE COURSE? I’ve been in Ireland, and that was an experience. We went to Ballybun- ion, and there’s a cemetery next to the first hole. (Former Tampa Bay safety) John Lynch is the godfather of my son Marcus. On John’s 40th birthday, his wife put together a surprise golf trip, and I met him at Bal- lybunion. John’s great- great grandfather and grandmother opened one of the first general stores in Ballybunion’s downtown. They are buried in that cem- etery. And we were just thinking, “What-


ever we do, don’t hit it right.” The greatest thing


about going over there is the caddies. The comments they have, the one-liners are priceless.


–K.M. FALL 2015 / NCGA.ORG / 21


PHOTO: AP


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