EAGLES’ PRIDE
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2015-2016
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December 2014 at Down House on
Yale Street in the Heights
What was meaningful about your
1964 state football champions
returning to what is now Granger
Stadium for a 50th anniversary
reunion?
Netzel:
That was one of the most
impressive nights I’ve seen at St.
Thomas. District title at stake ... more
than 4,500 in attendance ... the game
televised both over-the-air (KUBE57)
and through our Eagle Broadcast
Network .... plus the Legacy Sports
Network ... Alumni Weekend ... Bill
Joplin revealed as our $6 Million
Dollar Man ... just an amazing evening.
And that ’64 team really brought that
sense of history. Incredible turnout ...
31 players ... plus (head coach) Burr
Davis and the Coach Joe McDonald’s
widow. Fifty years later ... that’s a long
time. And those guys have maintained
those St. Thomas relationships
their entire lives. Doctors, lawyers,
bankers, restaurateurs ... wide range of
professions ... very successful men. I
talked with a good number of them ...
their STH years remain vivid.
I’ve always believed that one of our
most important obligations as a
school is to slow our student-athletes
down in this warp speed-flavor of
the month society they’re in and
let them see the tradition and what
they’re a part of. I’m convinced it
adds to the fabric of their athletic
experience. We started this when I
first came on board as athletic director
when we recognized our 1958 state
championship basketball team. Sends
the current guys the message that
all this didn’t start with them ... that
they’re developing those same kinds of
lasting relationships ... with teammates
and the school.
Speaking of champions ... what’s
the verdict from the award-winning
Down House kitchen.
Netzel:
Going with the grilled chicken
sandwich. Roasted red peppers.
Avacado. What puts it over the top
is the smoked paprika aioli. Side of
sweet pepper soup ...tempura fried
okra.
Tasty. Can never go wrong with
smoked paprika aioli.
Netzel
: Nor with chicken and waffles
... any time of day. Maybe next time.
February 2015 at Gatlin’s BBQ in
the Heights with owner and rising
restaurateur Greg Gatlin ’98.
Greg, what’s still vivid about your
time at St. Thomas.
Gatlin:
It’s a big ball of relationships.
The guys I went to school with. The
guys who I didn’t go to school with
but feel as though I know them
because I’ve heard all the stories about
them. My older brother (Tim ’95) went
to school there but I didn’t want to go
because there were no girls. I was like,
‘Do I really have to go?’
Netzel:
Big surprise, Greg. We still get
a lot of that.
Gatlin:
Once I got to campus
I really enjoyed it. And looking
back ... wouldn’t change it for the
world. The academic foundation.
The brotherhood. The exposure to
guys from different walks, different
backgrounds. That was the beauty.
If every kid could experience that,
especially men, we would be living in a
different world.
You played on the last STH football
team to win the state football
championship. What do remember
most from 1996?
Gatlin:
State final against Dallas Jesuit.
Our home field. They’re on our six-
yard line. Third down. Our scouting
indicated they like to run a quick slant
play near the goal line. I’m in the
secondary. The quarterback eyeballed
the receiver. I jumped the route. Just
had to catch the ball. Ninety-six yard
touchdown.
pause
Gatlin:
Still have a black-and-white
photo framed at the house of me
running to the end zone.
Classic. Tim Fitzpatrick was on
that coaching staff. Your defensive
coordinator. Sixteen years before he
became the Eagles head honcho.
What kind of coach was he back
then?
Gatlin:
He was out there ... in your
face. He’s calmed down quite a bit
since then.
That would make for an interesting
conversation trying to convince
some of the current STH
constituents that Tim Fitzpatrick
has calmed down.
First Monday
With Mike
features St. Thomas athletic
director Mike Netzel on the
first Monday of each month
throughout the academic
year at
sths.org... providing
depth, background and
insight into all things Eagle
athletics.
And lunch.
The following are excerpts
from a wide variety of
conversations taking place
over the previous 12 months
at various culinary locations
throughout the city.
Continued on next page...
FIRST MONDAY WITH MIKE