It was only a preseason game, but the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Green Bay Packers was special for those close to Baker University.
Roaming the Packer’s sidelines of Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., was four-year Packers head coach Mike McCarthy.
McCarthy knows a thing or two about Baker University, being an alumnus and an inductee into the Baker Athletics Hall of Fame.
Many students who go through athletic programs at universities dream of playing at the professional level, but McCarthy has reached new heights coming up through the coaching ranks.
McCarthy has a dream job by many sports fans’ standards. He is the head coach of one of the most storied franchises in sports, sharing the same title with former hall of fame coach Vince Lombardi and being able to coach quarterback Brett Favre. He has a .594 winning percentage with the Packers and has led Green Bay to two playoff berths, one being last year after a 11-5 regular season. McCarthy’s most successful season came in 2007, when he led the Packers to a 13-3 regular-season record.
Even while finding success up north, McCarthy has not forgotten his alma mater. He and the Packers donated $100,000 this year to the Baker football program and donated the same amount in 2008 and 2009. This has allowed McCarthy to remain close with the program, as well as keeping in touch with head football coach Mike Grossner and former Athletic Director Dan Harris.
McCarthy’s passion for his college team should be noted. A man who spends his days in historic Lambeau Field and having games and interviews run on ESPN still wants to give back to his alma mater and is willing to help the program he was a part of 23 years ago take care of its players.
I am a Chiefs fan; I always have been and would not pretend to be otherwise. Yet I couldn’t get myself to cheer against the Packers in this game. It was a preseason game, the outcome isn’t overly important, so I was more concerned about McCarthy having a good homecoming of sorts.
Even if this matchup came in the regular season, I couldn’t get mad about a Packers win. The Baker community should be proud that one of its own is succeeding at the highest level of the game, even if he is beating the hometown team.
Mike McCarthy has been very active in supporting Baker University, so it’s the least I can do to follow and support the green and gold on Sundays.