A man behind his words

Voice of the Frogs.

By: Brian Estridge

Last April 9 was supposed to be a celebration — a chance to close the book on the 2004 football season and pass the torch to the 2005 Horned Frogs at the annual TCU football banquet.

But it will be remembered more as the night that Gisele Kates, TCU football’s administrative assistant and the unofficial team mom, lost her husband.

Assistant coaches, their families, players and friends of the program immediately offered their support.

One person, especially, was there for her in a big way.

Gary Patterson.

On game days, we see his gruff exterior, competitive juices and in-your-face motivational tactics that have produced three 10-win seasons in four years.

Voice of the Frogs.

But have we seen him with his kids? Have we seen him prior to games with the hundreds of Bleacher Creatures who line up to run out with the team? Do we know about the foundation he established to support programs and scholarships that focus on education, life skills and health and family issues?

He’s a man that takes life to heart.

That night at the banquet, as he spotlighted a group of young men who would go on to win the Mountain West Conference and finish in the nation’s top 10, Coach Patterson asked all of us to make our commitment to TCU football personal.

Step up for your co-workers, your teammates and your fans, he said. Lift each other up, and in doing so experience the blessings as a team, a university, a community.

Gisele Kates can never replace her loss. Coach Patterson took that personally and stepped up by paying off her mortgage. It is one less thing for Gisele to worry about as she moves on in her life.

Coach Patterson won’t like that I shared this. But this is about Patterson the man.
A man who stands behind his words.

Brian Estridge is the play-by-play voice of the Horned Frogs. Write to Brian at b.estridge@tcu.edu.