Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 22, 1995 TAG: 9508220050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
At Washington and Lee's first workout, Miriello was wearing a whistle and carrying a legacy. He's the Generals' head coach, but this really isn't his team, and it never may be his program.
This was a season for which Gary Fallon was waiting. He was going to have nine seniors as starters for the third straight year. He would have 60 returnees from a 5-4 team that won its final four games.
On April 29, Fallon stunningly died of a heart attack. He was 56.
``I called Mrs. [Patti] Fallon the other day,'' Miriello said hoarsely after the first practice. ``I told her we wanted to have her involved as she would have been. She's still the First Lady of Washington and Lee football.
``And Coach, well, he's the First Whatever of this program now. As long as I'm here, he always will be. It's been a real struggle at times. It's amazing how much he meant to me, to us. Without him being part of me, I don't know if I could do this.''
Miriello is a tough guy from the eastern Pennsylvania coalfields, but his eyes reddened and his voice cracked haltingly as he spoke of his boss and friend. He came to W&L in 1978, as an intern, when Fallon began his program.
``It's strange to be here without him,'' Miriello said.
When he was named Fallon's successor, it was made clear that the appointment was for only the 1995 season. W&L athletic director Mike Walsh intends to conduct a national search for a head coach at the end of this season - maybe.
At the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's preseason media day, Miriello was introduced as W&L's ``interim'' head coach. Miriello's media guide biography for this season describes him similarly.
At the ODAC soiree, Lou Wacker, Emory & Henry's coach and athletic director, said giving Miriello the job under those conditions inhaled wind - or something to that effect.
``When it was proposed to me, my reaction was that nothing has ever been handed to me and I didn't expect anything to be handed to me,'' Miriello said. ``I understand. The whole season is one huge game for me. It's the most important season of my life.
``Whatever happens, and things have been up and down for me, I've always seemed to land on my feet.''
Miriello, 50, had been a high school head coach in his native state before joining Fallon at W&L. He left the Lexington school for a year at Hampden-Sydney and two seasons at VMI, then spent five more years as a high school and prep school head coach in his homestate before returning to Fallon's staff in 1990.
He doesn't have any doubts he can do the job, but Miriello doesn't want his personnel status to infringe on memories of Fallon.
``It's still Coach's team,'' Miriello said. ``I just feel like I've been handed some reins to hold for him. Hopefully, I'll do things in such a manner as he would have, so that where he is right now, he looks at it and says, "That's the way to do that.'
``If it becomes my team, it's just going to happen, but I don't ever think it would happen this year. If I stay, some year down the road, it would probably evolve into my team sometime. That's not really important to me now.''
Miriello thinks of Fallon much more often than every Wednesday, when he goes to Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery to visit the late coach's grave.
``We visit each other often, often in a spiritual way,'' Miriello said. ``Coach always had this knack for bringing out the best in people, and it's my job to do that now.''
Miriello, who remains the Generals' defensive coordinator, has been a head coach in 11 previous seasons, but never like this. The Generals will dedicate this season to Fallon, but they also may be playing it for Miriello's future, too.
Asked what he thinks he must do to continue a program for which Fallon was perfect, Miriello said, ``I've got to do what Frank's always done. We're not changing philosophy or technique. This is who I am.''
W&L coaches are employed under three-year contracts as associate professors of education. Miriello said that if he isn't the Division III school's choice after the season, he likely would ``look for another head coaching job. That would be my first reaction.
``I don't see me leaving for any lateral or less than lateral move. My job is to continue what Coach had going. Besides the wonderful memories I have, I couldn't imagine who would ever replace him.''
The practice field had cleared. Miriello told a visitor he was going for a walk. He was alone, but you could almost feel he wasn't taking these steps by himself.
by CNB