Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Oct. 18, 1984, edition 2 / Page 21
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Cooley From Cooley said. 141 told them that 1 was Archie Cooley and that they couldn't put nothing past what 1 could do when it comes to football." *A miracle-worker perhaps he isn't. Yet, in five years, Cooley has shifted the Delta Devil program into high gear, going from records of 5-5 in 1980 and 4-6-1 in 1981 to 5-5 in 1982 and 7-2-1 in 1983. The team's record last season was the best ever for an MVSU football team. A 1961 graduate of Jackson State, where he was ? a standout offensive center, Cooley may not be modest, but he gets results. Claiming that "everything I deal with over a length of time eventually comes to the top," he has a resume that thus far bears him out. Take, for instance, his successful '7 don't consider myself flam be tries to do his job and work ha me, that's what I want to do I Anything I do that signifies beit flamboyant is part of being Coo flamboyant." high school coaching career, when he went 61-3 with four undefeated seasons and four Mississippi state championships during his reign as headmaster at Heidelburg High School. After leaving the high school ranks, Cooley ventured to SWAC member Alcorn State in Lorman, Miss., where he served as defensive coordinator from 1971 to 1973. It was there, he said, that he was molded into a college coach. "I must give Alcorn Coach Marino Casern credit for doing the things he's done as far as developing me as a head coach," Cooley said. "This man has done a lot for me. .He's one of the greatest coaches I know when it comes to defense and he molded me. Working for him was one of the greatest experiences of my career." Cooley left Alcorn after the 1973 season to become defensive line coach at Tennessfla3tatc. JHg^cmainftlJtoc, until tie received the call to head the MVSU program. cS*>At Mississippi Valley, Cooley's personality has often overshadowed his coaching skills. After less than a year on the ioh. he'd alreadv rained a reputation as a flamboyant coach who dared to say whatever came to mind. Hence his now-famous nickname "Gunslinger." "I went to J.C. Penney one day and purchased a $13 straw hat," said Cooley. "I wore it to practice that ==========BL Page 9 evening and a local sportscaster, Johnny Casio, saw me with it on and called me 'Gunslinger.' I've been called that ever since." Cooley's Gunslinger image reached its height in 1981 when the Delta Devils A t ? traveled to Houston to face Prairie View A&M in a conference game._ ^Angered by several calls during the game, Cooley bolted after the officials when the gun sounded and had to be restrained by his assistants. The SWAC responded with a heavy fine and Cooley today calls that incident the wildest and most embarrassing of his career. "1 think that really showed the thug in me," he said. "I felt they were trying to take advantage of me and I went )yant. I consider myself a guy who rd. Whatever's a naturnl thino fnr - - ~ - ?' ww J V because I just want to be Cooley. ig Cooley is fine with me. If being ley, then I guess you could call me kind of wild. That's one incident I'm ashamed of." On other matters, though, Cooley is much less apologetic. Whether on the field, in his office or in front of the l ? _ i a a * * * meaia, ne says wnai ne reeis. as lor those those who occasionally label him arrogant, he says he could care less. "i don't consider myself flamboyant," Cooley said. "I consider myself a guy who tries to do his job and work hard. Whatever's a natural thing for me, that's what I want to do because I iust want tr> he fnnlev "Anything I do that signifies being Cooley is fine with me. If being flamboyant is part of being Cooley, then I guess you could call me flamboyant." Years back, as a neophite SWAC ogaofar Coclay wae quiefc-to catPtfttT league a conference of the "Big Three" - Alcorn's Casern, Grambling's Eddie Robinson and Jackson State's W.C. Gorden. After his recent success, Um. ..... ...If. 1L. im*_ <ri ? uiv/ugu, ik ?uw wuu uic Dig i nrcc the "Big Four," with himself the newest member. Saying that he has Finally gained respect, including that of rival coaches, Cooley pointed out, "Everybody's now starting to stop and think about what they can do to stop Cooley's team. That speaks for itself. We've done a tremendous job as a coaching .1 ^ a M i? 4 ?4 -4 ? ^ .< .* ? ? .? -4 ?iui *? * . ACf\ CCLLCeC SI W g- jj L ^ff ^KS H r ^ HI Bp - 1 i^KllH ;^^BH Racking Them Up The only one who seems capable of ^oflaflaeM.a*?egte^swnereffafrCTOloy? add a third digit to their scoreboards staff, especially my assistant head coach, Johnny Thomas, who's the backbone of our system." What liftB in th? f/*p - - ??? as* Maw 1 WiUIV 1V1 UiW "Guns linger?" Cooley says he* hopes to eventually land a job somewhere that pays more, presents fewer pro-blems and allows him to "get what I deserve from this game of football." In the meantime, however, he looks past 1984 ahead to 1985, which he's already proclaimed as "The Year of ^ a ^ - ??- - W ' ? . - - ?. A PCKW CEVIEH * ^ r K& 14^tew^??"" ?n .V: i'i *?$ ^m Jj^^HQ, is mIMB^^BWp*^^ K ^>| BtW holding Mississippi Valley's potent ^verybodyelse woiiiCLbe. advised to (photo by James Terry). the Delta Devil." "If the championship comes in 1984 I'll take it, but I'm saying 1985 will be our year because we'll have 27 seniors on our ballclub," said Cooley. "But if * we get it in 1984, that'll be beautiful." A ?2 ?? aging some rv points per game - nearly as many as the MVSU basketball team averaged last season - Valley could very well m%fcp 1984 its year. And if it does, Cooley will be the* first to tell you about it. S555S55S55 October, 1964-Page 21 * - * >
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Oct. 18, 1984, edition 2
21
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