Jim Sweeney...

[GrizLA]

A sad day for Butte and those of us who have joined the Mining City Diaspora. Jim Sweeney passed away today in Fresno. An Icon of college football. On the other end of the Butte spectrum, Pat Williams.

 

[Ursa Major]

A sad day for Butte and those of us who have joined the Mining City Diaspora. Jim Sweeney past away today in Fresno. An Icon of college football. On the other end of the Butte spectrum, Pat Williams.

Good post LA!

I remember a story about Sweeny when the Griz played Fresno. In practice that week he was driving around in a golf cart singing the Griz fight song to motivate his team. They don't make 'em like that anymore. Too bad.

 

[Proud Griz Man]

FRESNO BEE - Fresno State head football coach Jim Sweeney, center, leads the singing of the Bulldogs fight song during a quarterback club luncheon.

Jim Sweeney, legendary Fresno State football coach, dies at 83
By Andy Boogaard / The Fresno Bee Friday, Feb. 08, 2013 | 07:56 PM

Jim Sweeney, who christened Fresno State a "sleeping giant" when he arrived in 1976 and then awakened not only the school but a region with 19 years of charismatic, firm and witty leadership as a football coach, died Friday. He was 83. "He was the catalyst, he gave us hope, and he gave us pride," said longtime Bulldogs booster Harry Gaykian. "He took us from being obscure to being somebody."

Mr. Sweeney had been admitted recently for a week at Saint Agnes Medical Center. His failing health had forced him and his wife, June, to move a couple of months earlier from their Clovis home to San Joaquin Gardens, a senior living community with continuing care services in Fresno.

Mr. Sweeney died at San Joaquin Gardens, according to John Wallace, former Bulldogs Foundation president. First-year Fresno State coach Tim DeRuyter reacted on Twitter to Mr. Sweeney's passing: "My thoughts and prayers are with the Sweeney family. What an honor it is to follow his legacy." He was born in Butte, Mont., and raised there as the youngest of seven children to a miner -- some say it lent to his tough-as-nails demeanor. Mr. Sweeney won exactly 200 games in 32 years as coach at Montana State, Washington State and Fresno State.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/02/08/3166744/jim-sweeney-legendary-fresno-state.html#storylink=cpy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Gaeilge1]

I had met Coach Sweeney a few times while he was at MSU. Did not know him but can certainly state that he controlled a room with his presence like few I have ever seen. Sorry to hear of his passing.

RIP Coach Sweeney.

 

[griz71]

Truly an MSU legend but more importantly, a terrifically class Montanan. RIP Mr. Sweeney.

 

[OldtiredGRiz]

A sad day indeed. Jim Sweeney was one of the great ones. The Sweeneys were our neighbors during his tenure in Bozeman. There was a ton of kids in the neighborhood and we were always playing football or basketball or whiffle ball or some other form of sports, such as throwing dirt clods at each other. I still remember some of his passing quips to us; gems such as "okay guys, let's keep it down to a dull roar out there" or "unless there's blood or something is broken, don't come bother me."