http://www.ucfknights.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/053105aab.html
It must have been great to see the passion!
Here is an excerpt from an article on Torchy...............That would be an understatement. Clark is the school's all-time winningest coach with 274 victories, compiling 14 winning seasons and a trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1978. Along the way, he built a reputation as a man who adequately befit his nickname. "Torchy" burned brightly with plenty of enthusiasm, intensity and candor. It wasn't an act, but rather an approach that came quite naturally for Clark.
"A guy said to me one time `that was quite a show you put on tonight,'" Clark said. "I said `that wasn't any show. We were coaching.' I think when you're animated and you're involved, you don't really care and I really didn't. It makes a difference. Anyone who has a little tornado in them, their team is going to play better ball.
"There's such a passion in coaching, you could almost say `you're going to get the flu and you could die' and you'll say `well, we'll take care of that after the game.' Somebody else would say `I better go home and rest.' There's a passion in coaching."
Rocky Bleier experienced this passion. He is Clark's most famous former player, having suited up for Clark in football and basketball at Xavier High. Bleier went on to become captain of Notre Dame's football team and a decorated Vietnam War hero before winning four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The bond they shared in high school has grown stronger through the years with Bleier fondly recalling Torchy's method-to-his-madness stories that hold their impact today.
"We were 14, 15, 16 years old and he needed to get our attention and our focus," Bleier said. "He'd be sitting on that bench and he'd be yelling and screaming and he had this knack of kicking the bench with his heel and all of a sudden you'd hear `bam!!!' You knew something went wrong.
It must have been great to see the passion!
Here is an excerpt from an article on Torchy...............That would be an understatement. Clark is the school's all-time winningest coach with 274 victories, compiling 14 winning seasons and a trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1978. Along the way, he built a reputation as a man who adequately befit his nickname. "Torchy" burned brightly with plenty of enthusiasm, intensity and candor. It wasn't an act, but rather an approach that came quite naturally for Clark.
"A guy said to me one time `that was quite a show you put on tonight,'" Clark said. "I said `that wasn't any show. We were coaching.' I think when you're animated and you're involved, you don't really care and I really didn't. It makes a difference. Anyone who has a little tornado in them, their team is going to play better ball.
"There's such a passion in coaching, you could almost say `you're going to get the flu and you could die' and you'll say `well, we'll take care of that after the game.' Somebody else would say `I better go home and rest.' There's a passion in coaching."
Rocky Bleier experienced this passion. He is Clark's most famous former player, having suited up for Clark in football and basketball at Xavier High. Bleier went on to become captain of Notre Dame's football team and a decorated Vietnam War hero before winning four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The bond they shared in high school has grown stronger through the years with Bleier fondly recalling Torchy's method-to-his-madness stories that hold their impact today.
"We were 14, 15, 16 years old and he needed to get our attention and our focus," Bleier said. "He'd be sitting on that bench and he'd be yelling and screaming and he had this knack of kicking the bench with his heel and all of a sudden you'd hear `bam!!!' You knew something went wrong.
