Dec. 13, 2008
By Richard Stevens — Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Welcome to the Lobo Nation, Coach Locks. This isn’t Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Dallas or New York City where college football teams and their coaches disappear into the shadows cast by Lakers, Dodgers, Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Rockies, Nuggets, Cowboys, Yankees, Mets, etc.
This is Albuquerque and New Mexico where University of New Mexico Lobos are the main attraction and in the Albuquerque area are labeled “The Only Show In Town.” And the director of that show gains celebrity status akin to Tony Romo in Dallas, Kobe Bryant in L.A., Derek Jeter in New York or Brad Pitt coming out of a Hollywood nightclub.
But with much more ink and TV time.
You’re a celeb, now, Mike Locksley, so sit back and absorb the attention, the love and even the criticism that comes with being the man in the driver’s seat. And be careful when you go out and about the town. You will be recognized. You can’t hide — even if you need a shave.
“I got my first experience with that at about 7 a.m. one morning,” said Locksley, who was named UNM’s 29th head coach on Tuesday. “I was looking for some shaving stuff and I had to go to Smiths. I’m walking around, can’t find anything, so I ask this guy, `Where can I find shaving cream?’ He looks up and says, `You the new coach?’ I told him, `Only when we win.'”
Well, it won’t be that easy Coach Locks. Most Lobo fans are behind you win or tie and there aren’t too many ties in college football. And you definitely are going to be a media darling, well, because you have no choice. It comes with the job.
It hit Rocky Long, your predecessor, square in the face about 11 years ago when he talked about strolling into Lobo Town and hiding in the shadows as all the attention went to Lobo basketball or maybe even the Lobo football players. “I had no idea,” Long once said.
Locksley probably is getting a good idea of what’s to come although his first two weeks in office definitely will be hectic at a faster pace because there is tons and tons of stuff to do and the media attention right now is coming at both a local and national level.
Just check out some of the TV/radio gigs Coach Locks has had to deal his first week at UNM:
ESPN’s College Football Live (TV), UNM press conference plus one-on-one interviews, a teleconference with Illinois media, live interviews with both local afternoon sports talk radio shows, halftime at UNM women’s basketball game plus interview with KKOB’s Joe Behrend, Campus Cam Interview with The Mtn., interviews with local morning sports talk radio show, interview with Baltimore sports talk radio, interview by ESPN.com writer Graham Watson. And dont’ forget GoLobos.com.
Locks also is set to address the crowd at halftime today (Saturday) at the UNM/Ole Miss game and be interviewed by VERSUS announcers. He also is scheduled to be a featured guest on ESPN’s Outside The Lines on Sunday morning – a live national show. And there is more to come. It hasn’t ended yet, coach Locks.
“I’m in the deep end with rubber duckies under both my arms,” said Locksley through a confident smile. “But it was what I expected. I might look at it differently, if it wasn’t what I expected.”
So far, Coach Locks has handled his media obligations about as easily as he might diagram a slant pattern or a quarterback draw play. He probably would be enjoying them even more except for one thing: Coach Locks has a whole lot of things to do besides stand in front of cameras and microphones.
It’s recruiting time in college football. Locks needs to find a few good Lobos to add to the ones left behind by Long. He needs to find more than a few good Lobos coaches to go out and find those future Lobos. He also is evaluating his recruiting needs, meeting one-on-one with returning Lobos and returning phone calls from coaches looking for a job. And where do you keep the paper clips around here?
Hey, it’s not easy in the deep end.
“There are moments when I get a feeling of being overwhelmed with so many things pulling in so many directions,” said coach Locksley. “When that happens, I just go back to my plan.”
Locksley’s plan has been formulated from 17 years of coaching experience. There is a bit of adjustment because this is his first year as a head coach, but Locksley seems almost relaxed when talking about the massive chores in front of him. And he probably is, because the core of all this work is something Locksley is pretty familiar with: football.
“Mostly, I’ve been holed up here (Lobo football offices) taking care of things,” he said. “Anybody who knows Locks knows that I’m not going to feel right until the staff is in here and we’re all organized and ready to go.
“Right now, I have that feeling that there is always something I need to be doing and right now there always is something that needs to get done. I’m all over the place right now, but that’s just the way it is right now.”
In between juggling the media, building a staff, evaluating returning talent and recruiting needs, answering phone calls, returning phone calls, Locksley has been meeting with UNM players. He said he is pleased with the type of student/athlete he is inheriting at UNM.
“To a man, I think these are tough-minded kids and I love that part of them,” said Locksley. “Sometimes you come into a place and you have to go in and teach toughness. You have to teach discipline and work on developing character and that`s not going to be an issue here.
“The core things you need to win are already here. I like the way the puzzle is coming together. Now, I just have to add a few things.”
Yeah, like a staff and some new players and maybe a new offense and — hey, Locks, your phone is ringing ….
Editor’s note: Richard Stevens is a former Associate Sports Editor and sports columnist for The Albuquerque Tribune. You can reach him at rstevens50@comcast.net. Previous articles are available at The Richard Stevens Corner