Minnesota’s most treasured coach, John Gagliardi of Saint John’s, started coaching college football in 1949 at Carroll College in Montana. Since then he’s won more games than any college coach ever but he doesn’t pay much attention to his wins (461 total), number of years coaching at Carroll and Saint John’s (60 this year), or other numbers including his age (82). He’s a live in the moment guy.
“I have spent my whole life with 18 to 22 year olds,” Gagliardi told Sports Headliners. “I can’t wait to get to work each day.”
Gagliardi (Guh-lahr-dee) was presented the prestigious Amos Alonzo Stagg award by the American Football Coaches Association earlier this month. The award, which honors those “whose services have been outstanding in the advancement of the best interests of football,” is the highest honor given to football coaches by their peers.
Often quoted locally and sometimes nationally, including for his quips, Gagliardi has been at Saint John’s for 56 years. In the January 26 issue of Sports Illustrated, he said: “The monks give me a lifetime contract. But if we start losing games, they can give me the last sacraments and declare me dead.”
Talking by telephone last week, Gagliardi answered questions for Sports Headliners and what follows are his answers (edited for brevity).
Question: You recently attended the American Football Coaches Association convention and for the first time met Penn State coach Joe Paterno, another 82-year-old Italian coaching legend. You and Paterno were called up on stage to meet each other. What was that like?
Answer: Gee, Joe acted like we were long lost friends. It was wonderful the way he treated me. He said, “Oh, boy, I’ve been wanting to meet you.” I didn’t even know if he had even heard of me to be honest with you. He’s sure got a good set of hair. I am practically bald.
Question: It’s been 60 years since you entered college coaching. Will you coach another decade or more?
Answer: (Laughs). That’s a line I always use, you know. I have to face reality. There’s no way I can coach for another one, well, maybe two more decades. I would like to coach as long as I can. I’ve been attending too many funerals to be honest with you. It can’t go forever, unfortunately.
Question: Any secrets to your longevity as far as how you take care of yourself? What do you eat and drink? I know years ago coaches were expected to drink at social gatherings.
Answer: Nothing special. There are certain things that I like. If you ask me what I prefer, right up on the top of the list (is) my good Italian spaghetti. Those days (years ago) you couldn’t say give me a nonalcoholic drink. That wasn’t acceptable. I used to have to dump a lot of my drinks in the nearest flower pot.
Question: What do you think has kept you going all these years?
Answer: I don’t look much at the past very far, or the future very far. I just kind of live every day and that’s it. That’s the way I function. My day is filled all the time. It’s wonderful.
Question: Doesn’t sound like you’re much of a worrier?
Answer: I am concerned about the next game and always worried that anybody can beat us. I’ve been through it a lot (though). As I always say, “Ah, we’ve been through this back in 1902.”