Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 3, 1995 TAG: 9506060057
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Ross contacted Dan Reeves of the New York Giants and Joe Gibbs, formerly of the Washington Redskins. Ross also called his friend Marv Levy of the Buffalo Bills.
``What the hell are you doing calling me?'' was the response of Levy, who had been to the Super Bowl the previous four years only to lose each time.
But Ross wasn't necessarily digging for coaching strategies. The Richmond native and VMI alumnus was interested in advice on dealing with the hype and pressure that precedes a trip to the most-watched sporting event in the country.
``Each of them said try to keep it as routine as you can, as close to your normal week as you can,'' said Ross, who was in Lexington on Friday for a leadership outing of the Keydet Club.
Easier said than done.
``It's a media blitz. And then there's the handling of tickets for family and friends and all. We wanted to get those things out of the way before we left and we did. But it didn't do us any good,'' said Ross, whose Chargers lost in their first Super Bowl appearance 49-26 to the San Francisco 49ers.
``Everything was structured well, but we were like a senior class on a senior class trip. We were kind of in awe and I don't think we played nearly as well as we were of capable of playing, nor as well as we had to play, nor as well as I wanted us to play. So we had an off day. But of course, San Francisco had something to do with that.''
Overall, Ross described last season as ``very satisfying, but very nerve-racking.'' He's concentrating now on free-agent signings and a personal off-season regimen that includes jogging and his newest interest: mountain biking.
Ross, who coached college football at The Citadel, Maryland and Georgia Tech - where he earned a share of the national championship in 1990 - has five children and eight grandchildren. His appearance schedule also keeps him busy, but Ross said he didn't mind finding time to return to the VMI campus where he played football, baseball and basketball before graduating in 1959.
``VMI has had a huge impact on my life,'' Ross said. ``Were it not for it, I don't know if I'd be where I am because a lot of the things I have learned have been the result of my education here. I think VMI offers something beyond just what you find in a book. So I feel a great sense of loyalty to VMI.''
by CNB