High school coach blazed same trail as Smith and Dungy

Before there was Lovie and before there was Tony, there was Bob.

More than two decades ago, Bob Shannon became the first African-American head coach to lead a high school football team to an Illinois state championship game. And he not only got his East St. Louis players to the big game, he coached them to a victory.

“The thing that helped us [was] nobody thought we were as good as we were,” Shannon said.

Some discounted the all-black team as nothing more than undisciplined speedsters, but Shannon showed critics otherwise.

“We proved that we were a well-coached team,” he said.

That’s what Shannon during the conference championships: two well-coached teams.

While many nationwide have become absorbed in the race of the coaches in this year’s Super Bowl, Shannon has focused on the coaches’ defensive strategies that, in his opinion, have helped the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts make it this far.

Shannon said he can relate to the media scrutiny the coaches are going through -- he endured something similar when he took his first team to the state championship.

“We weren’t that different than Lovie [Smith] or Tony Dungy,” he said. “The spotlight was on us and, if we could get it done, [we knew] it would bring pride to East St. Louis and the state.”

Shannon, now 62, was the head coach at East St. Louis High School for 19 years, where he had to contend not only with opposing teams, but with the lure of gangs and the city’s crime-ridden streets.

“You give [the kids] an opportunity and you get them to understand that they have to take advantage of it,” Shannon said. “[We told them] simply because you were poor and black and from the ghetto it didn’t mean you couldn’t succeed.”

His players listened, to the tune of six state titles.

Turns out six is an interesting number. It’s the same amount of African-American head coaches in the National Football League after the Pittsburgh Steelers hired Mike Tomlin last week.

That two of them will square off at Super Bowl XLI has Shannon excited.

“This will prove that African-Americans and other minorities, when given the opportunity, can get the job done,” he said.

Now the head coach at Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis, Shannon still remembers when the Bears gave him Coach of the Week honors after his 200th victory a decade ago.

“I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for the Chicago Bears,” he acknowledged. “I’m going to have to root for the Bears."

Dumb do definite don't, Senior Sammy and Ali another year older, wiser

Dumb do definite don't
The Hot Corner has one question for Warriors small forward Michael Dunleavy, Jr. (above): Seriously?

Senior Sammy
One-time slammin' sensation Sammy Sosa just inked a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and got an invitation to spring training. Sosa started his bigs career with the Rangers some 22 years ago. No word on how much the deal is worth.

Ali another year older, wiser
Happy 65th birthday to the one and only Muhammad Ali!

1 for 2 and Bears and Brady advance

1 for 2
The Hot Corner feels slightly redeemed with the demise of Jeff Garcia and the Eagles. There is such a thing as too good to be true and Garcia was just that for Philadelphia. But perhaps the Saints aren't too good to be true and will cap off an inspirational season in Miami. They'll have to get past Brian Urlacher and the Bears first...

Bears and Brady advance
It all came down to field goals today for the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots. The Bears pulled of a playoff win over the Seahawks with an overtime boot while the Patriots escaped San Diego after Chargers Pro Bowl kicker Nate Kaeding duffed a 54-yard field goal try with 3 seconds left.

The playoffs heat up next Sunday when the Saints march into Soldier Field and the Colts play host to New England. Truth be told, I'm tired of seeing games come to the long snapper, holder and field goal kicker. I'd like to the next week's game be decided in the trenches and through the air.

Place ur bets

Chicago

Betting isn't presumably allowed in the Mayor's office. But Mayor Richard M. Daley made an exception Thursday for his beloved Bears.

Daley placed a friendly wager with Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels on the Bears’ NFC divisional playoff game with the Seahawks.

And what Daley anted up could be a foreshadowing of the game.

There's a bottle of Mike Ditka Kick Ass Red wine, Kruncher's chips and Goose Island Brewing Co. root beer. He hopes the Bears kick and crunch while fans "root" for the home team.

Other Chicago delicacies at stake are Vienna beef hot dogs and sausage, pizzas from Gino's East and the popular product from Garrett Popcorn Shop.

Daley said Seattle’s mayor will be disappointed when the Bears win.

“Mayor Nickels was born in Chicago, so he knows that we eat well in this city,” he said.

Nickels offered a bevy of Seattle staples in return including espresso chocolates, Washington wine and cheese, two pounds of Starbucks coffee and smoked king salmon.

"I enjoy salmon," Daley said.

The mayor also announced that the city has been sprinkled with Bears support.

A “Go Bears” signs adorns the entrance of the Art Institute, banners were installed on a number of utility polls and all 22 bridge houses along the Chicago River have changed their lights to orange and blue.

The mayor will be at Soldier Field Sunday and expects the Bears to take one step closer to the Super Bowl.

“Once they get by the Seahawks, I think they can go all the way,” Daley said.

Asked whether his bet is an ethics violation, Daley quickly replied, “No.”

Then he paused for a moment.

“I don’t think so,” Daley said with a hearty laugh. “That’s an interesting question.”

Can I get a mulligan? and Cooperstown corral

Can I get a mulligan?
The Hot Corner humbly admits being utterly wrong when it comes to Florida. The Gators made the two quarterback system look genius, and their entire game plan totally stunted anything Ohio State could do on the field.

I'm going to stand strong with my assessment of the Eagles and Jeff Garcia...until proven otherwise.

Cooperstown corral
Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn got the nod to head to Cooperstown, but Mark McGwire fell far short of getting selected.

McGwire, marred by steroid accusations, was picked by only 23.5 percent of voters.

By contast Ripken received the third-highest percentage of votes (98.53) in Hall of Fame history. He nagged 537 votes out of a possible 545 by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, which begs the question, "Who were the eight morons who didn't vote for Ripken?"

Gwynn received 532 votes for 97.61 percent.

I'm thrilled to see Ripken and Gwynn get the call up to bigs, and glad that McGwire has to take a backseat until he clears up his past that may or may not have involved juicing. Until that happens, I say the Hall should keep its doors closed to Big Red.

Pigskin predictions

Bang for the Bucks
With the college football National Championship just hours away, it was officially time to place my bet, not with a bookie, but with my grandma.

Five bucks is on the line, so I took Ohio State and gave my grandma the Gators plus seven.

There's not a doubt in my mind that the Bucks will hand Jim Tressel another national title.

Ohio State is just too strong for Florida in every sense, and if Troy Smith gets hot, watch out.

Plus, I can't stand Florida's two quarterback system. Why? I simply find it annoying. Do I need a better reason?

And while I'm on the subject of UF, I don't think they deserve to be in this game to begin with. Why? I simply don't this they're that good. Do I need a better reason?

Florida's inability to compete with Ohio state will become blatantly clear when insane, and perhaps inane, OSU fans start flipping cars in Columbus after the Bucks take down the Gators. Although, they'd probably flip cars anyway. Buckeye loyalists never need much of a reason to do that...

Eagles will land
Jeff Garcia was able to lead Philadelphia to a wild-card win today, but I don't think his success as the starting QB will last much longer.

This week Sports Illustrated featured the balding Eagle on its cover, though the SI jinx won't be to blame when Philly's season ends next week. It's the fact that Garcia has done nothing in his career.

He always came up short in San Fran, went to Cleveland and did zip and has now bounced his way around the league to the City of Brotherly Love.

But the Eagles won't find any love in the playoffs, just heartache. Because, mark my word, Garcia ain't the man and he'll show that come this Sunday.

In with the old

Well, NBA Commissioner David Stern must read my blog because he followed my advice (Leather be! Oct. 23, 2006) and ditched Spalding's microfiber composite ball and announced the league will go back to using the old leather basketballs.

Stern made the switch amidst complaints from players that the composite balls bounced differently than the old ones and even cut up their hands.

Now, I normally would take this opportunity to point out yet another instance of NBA players acting more like babies that ballers, but I do have to side with them on this one. Composite basketballs have no place indoors and should be regulated solely to playgrounds. Basketball is a game of touch and the ball has to be leather - enough said.

The leather balls were put back into use as of Jan. 1.

Thanks for listening, David. Glad to help out.