I'd be happy to talk with you. Or chat on-line.
While I was NOT involved in the TCW championship season so I can't speak to that team's actual experience, I have great peripheral knowledge and knew a lot of the fellas and all the coaches (save Bill Yoast who I only knew from afar) from the '71 season. I can speak to the people/personalities, the management of the team and give a local's view of the whole "Remember The Titans" enterprise (the City schools reorganization of '71-72.)
My brother was a involved part of that senior class (50th Reunion is Sep 17, Wowsa time flies folks.) and I played with the '71 juniors on the '72 squad. I was at TCW in '70-71 for frosh fb before the school reorganization so I knew many of the upperclassmen on Varsity who were seniors in '71. I'm still in touch with many of them - sadly in the last 5 years several have passed on including some good buds.
One guy that I've gotten to know quite well (the '71season players hate him - because he's stolen some of their public glory, not because he's a liar, they've labeled him as a "nut"/he's not) had a campaign to tell the "truth" about Mr. Boone - who he believed, and fairly IMO, that he profited by his portrayal in the film (which in his opinion created a false hero.) The success of RTT was a financial "boon" (no pun intended) to both Herman and Bill. Personal appearance fees and professional speaker fees yielded millions of dollars (at $8-$15 grand + expenses -agent commissions each) and HB was particularly enriched due to Black History Month college speeches each Feb where premium fees were the norm. (Knowing him, he did a VERY GOOD job and entertained his audiences with delight - so he did earn his pay.)
Here's a article about his quest:
Not long after the release of Remember the Titans, the uplifting 2000 blockbuster about the integration of the T.C. Williams High School football team, former coach Herman Boone ceased to be the Titan his players all remembered. Instead, in public appearances, he began to play the role of Herman...
deadspin.com
Coach Boone was always what I would describe as a brilliant football mind and passionately aimed us to get Ws, that's the best thing I could say and I will always respect him for that. He was one of the funniest people I've ever known - when the "good" Boone was present. (The first time my father met him one-on-one my father said to me that night: "That man belongs on a stage, he's missed his calling." Boone was equally enchanted because uncharacteristically he took me aside at PE class the next morning and said excitedly: "I talked to your father" with no further explanation - but I took it as he was impressed as well - they could have been buds, haha.)
His "Hyde", the "bad" Boone was a devil. This is what led to his dismissal and it really was a "firing" where the team actually quit on him mid-season. (The coaching staff had quit on him the season before and relented due to school administrator coaxing.) I'm a bit forgiving because I believe that likely he had a bit of a mental disorder and with some medicine he could have evened out the "good" (which was bordering on great) and the "bad" (which was his Waterloo.) He only once, in the '72 season, took aim on me (it was the week after our big L which deprived us of a playoff berth, score 8-7, a team that was equally talented as the '71 group (D only gave up 56 points in 10 games) and likely would have been very successful there.) Without details he told me that I didn't need to come to practice anymore, that I was off the team because of some off-field infraction (untrue.) My mother called him, read him the riot act and he relented, (the "good" Boone returned) apologized profusely, and was all sweetness and light. My mother was a very nice woman - but took no prisoners when it came to unfairness, right and wrong. I hated him from that point on for talking to my mother in such an ugly way but now in adulthood I see that he had a serious personal problem.
As you can see, it's a long story and I have a lot to say. Thanks for being interested. - VF
fox8.com
