Reed on minds of many at OSU Spring Game
By Gary Housteau (Bucknuts.com)
Although the 2010 Ohio State spring game was officially dedicated to increasing breast cancer awareness and benefit the Stefanie Spielman fund, another cancer-stricken patient was on the minds of many in Ohio Stadium last Saturday.
John Reed, the 64-year-old legendary gridiron coach of the Coldwater Cavaliers who is currently fighting a courageous battle with esophageal cancer, had a Cleveland Indians baseball game and Ohio State’s spring football game on his must-do list for himself this spring.
Consulting with former Coldwater teammates under Reed who were all members of the Scarlet team on Saturday, OSU coach Jim Tressel came up with something even better for Reed with regard to him making that spring game appearance in Columbus. Reed, who resigned his head coaching position earlier in the month because of his deteriorating health concerns, was named as an honorary coach of the Scarlet team.
But when the word got back to Ohio State on Friday that Reed would not physically be up to attending the game, Tressel and the three former Cavalier players quickly arranged to produce a video tribute to Reed which was played at the start of the game in which Ross and Adam Homan and Tony Harlamert all lauded their former mentor.
Reed was still on the minds of his former players after the spring contest.
“It kind of gave me something else to play for,” said starting outside linebacker Ross Homan, who only saw limited action during the scrimmage. “With him watching it at home, I tried to put on a show for him.”
Words weren’t really sufficient enough for Homan as he tried to explain what Reed has really meant to him personally.
“Coach Reed was a mentor of mine coming through even junior high,” Ross Homan said. “He always got me in the weight room working out with the varsity team in the seventh grade. He always took me under his wing and I owe him everything. That’s why I’m sitting here telling you guys today.
“He’s more than that. He’s more than a coach. He’s a great, great person, spiritually and everything. He’s just taught me so many life values that I can’t even explain how many.”
Anchored at linebacker on defense, Homan helped his Cavalier teammates win their school’s first state championship under Reed in 2005. In 15 seasons at the helm, Reed led Coldwater to 14 state playoff appearances after the school made it only one time prior to his arrival. Reed also garnered the most wins of any coach in Ohio during the past decade (2000-09).
Homan was definitely disappointed that Reed wasn’t able to make it to the spring game.
“I wish he could have been here today to see him and everything but he’s just too weak and he couldn’t make the trip,” he said. “So it’s in his best interest to stay at home and hopefully he watched it on the TV.”
But it’s certainly easy to see that Homan is a bit devastated with the whole ordeal that Reed is going through.
“I think about him all the time, all day. I pray for him every day,” Homan said. “It’s kind of depressing how he is right now but hopefully he keeps fighting and (we’ll) go from there.”
Adam Homan played on the school’s other state championship team in his junior season under Reed two years later in ’07. He, of course, expressed similar sentiments pertaining to Reed as his big brother.
“I’m just so thankful that we had today to honor him,” Adam Homan said. “For him to be the honorary coach, I know it means a lot to him. He tried so hard to make it here but just wasn’t able. But I’m just so thankful for the opportunity for us to have to thank him publicly for all that he has done for us in our lives.”
Adam is just grateful to be able to share this meaningful tribute to his former coach with Ross, another one of his trusted mentors.
“Football-wise he’s meant everything to me,” said Adam Homan of his older brother. “Ever since I was little I’ve always looked up to him. He’s guided me on and off the field. Whenever I found out he was coming back for another year I was very excited personally. I didn’t want to influence him in any way but I am very happy that I have another year to learn and grow with him.”
Like Reed when he was at Coldwater, Ross has always been there for Adam be it with any issues on or off the field.
“It’s difficult sometimes with him being on defense but (he’s there for me) anytime,” Adam Homan said. “We’re very close and we work out in the weight room, after practice and stuff like that. I’m thankful for the time we have to bond and everything like that. Oftentimes brothers don’t have that chance to be with each other a large amount of time and I’m thankful that we have that.”
And at the end of the day, despite the 17-14 loss to the Gray, Ross was sincerely thankful to be able to share in the tribute to Reed with Adam and Tony.
“It was great with all the Coldwater guys there,” Ross Homan said. “We really appreciate everything that he’s done for us.”
Even Tressel commented on the wonderful day it turned out to be during his opening remarks to the media after the game.
“Well it ended up being a beautiful day and a great crowd,” he said. “The fact that the Spielman family was recognized made it even more special and we were hoping that honorary head coach John Reed would be able to be with us, but he couldn’t. But we knew he was home watching the ball game and he knows how we feel about him.
“He’s probably the epitome of a coach. He cares so much about his kids. He loves his kids. He’s a great family man and a man of gigantic faith. He’s got a battle. But he knows we’re all with him and the entire Coldwater community is with him. And John, we love you.”
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