Celebrating Sports Fellowship,
Spirit, and Community Pride
GCAC
'The McCollough Page'
Dr. Gaylon McCollough Presents
Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant:
Grandmaster of Mind Over Matter
At our November 21st, 2011 meeting, our membership was honored to have our own Gaylon McCollough share his many experiences through his unique relationship with Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. This great reflection of a very personal relationship was recorded during this meeting and has now been offered to GCAC to put on our web-site, so that those who missed the meeting can enjoy the experience.
Please feel free to share this with friends and family who
may also be interested.
In addition, Dr. McCollough has been contacted by the United States Sports Academy, located in Daphne, to give his presentation to the Academy faculty and students. Some additional information provided by the United States Sports Academy is listed below as well.
We wish to again, thank Dr. McCollough for not only sharing his presentation with the Gulf Coast Athletic Club, but also for all the support he as shown our club through the years.
Dr. Gaylon McCollough from our Nov. 21st, 2011 Meeting
WSRE-TV "Conversations"
with Jeff Weeks & Dr. Gaylon McCollough
Additional Information
United States Sports Academy: Press Release
Duwayne Escobedo: Presentation Preview
Below are photos shared by GCAC Member and
brother-in-law to Dr. McCollough, Joel Nomberg.
Joel proudly introduced Dr. McCollough at Monday nights meeting.
Dr. McCollough with Joe Namath at the stamp dedication for Bear Bryant.
Book signing in 2010 at The Wharf, from L to R:
Dr. Gaylon McCollough, son Sted McCollough, All American Linebacker, Leroy Jordan, Joel Nomberg, and the voice of Alabama Football, Eli Gold.
Dr. McCollough with lovely wife Susan.
Additional photos: CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE
To say we, as a club, have been blessed to have Dr. Gaylon McCollough as not only a "founding father" of GCAC, but Gaylon continues to amaze us with stories, commentary, and a strong resolve to "pay it forward" to our young Scholar Athletes.
From providing access to big name Athletes to sharing personal stories of Alabama's most beloved football coach, to one of his passions, mentoring young, aspiring athletes, students, and future professionals. His dedication never ends.
This page is devoted to Dr. McCollough, to allow
new and future GCAC members, a glimpse into a man who played for, and evolved into a personal confidant to Coach Bear Bryant.
But beyond that, we have a prolific author, philanthropist, mentor, and can make you
look pretty awesome too!
Below are some articles and interviews given
through the years.
In response to finding out he now has his own
"McCollough Page", Gaylon wrote the response below, in his typical graceful and humble fashion.
2018
Conversations with WEARS Jeff Weeks
about Dr. McCollough's new book:
VICTORY IN THE GAME OF LIFE…
2018
Interview with Channel 3 Sports Director,
Dan Shugart about Dr. McCollough's new book:
VICTORY IN THE GAME OF LIFE…
From AL.com Story by Creg Stephenson
Jim,
Please know how much I appreciate your kind words and the dedication of a page on the GCAC website posting interviews and articles in which I have participated..
But you and the club members should know that it is I who has been blessed with the companionship and friendships developed through GCAC. I consider it an honor to share stories about some of the great coaches, administrators and teammates I’ve been fortunate to be around, especially the life lessons I took away from those relationships.
In the presentation I gave a few back years about Coach Bryant (and in my latest book VICTORY IN THE GAME OF LIFE) I shared the origin of what has now become a tradition in football all throughout the world, i.e., players and coaches holding four fingers in the air at the beginning of the fourth quarter. In truth, the gesture originated as a solemn a pledge—to one’s parents, teammates, faithful fans in the stands, and those watching on TV. The Pledge is this:
“Here and now, I pledge before everyone, in sight, that I am going to do everything in my power—to the best of my ability--to see that MY TEAM WINS THE UPCOMING QUARTER..”
It was a challenge Coach Bryant laid down at halftime (when we were behind) in a big game in 1962. And when the clock expired ending the third quarter, we were reminded to make the pledge… but only if we absolutely meant to abide by it. That was the origin of the “Four Fingers in the Air, Fourth Quarter Gesture”.
I don’t know that I have seen the pledge carried out any better than in the fourth quarter of yesterday’s SEC Championship Game. In the first half of the game, Alabama was clearly not the superior team. However in the second half—particularly the 4th quarter (and in every phase of the game), players stepped up, lived up to the pledge they made, and played like champions.
I feel compelled to share this with you today. If you think it is worthy, feel free to share it with our fellow GCAC members.
Jim once again, please know how grateful I am for your friendship and the work you do for our club.
Gaylon
 | ||||
Gaylon McCollough’s
‘Victory in the Game of Life’
Walking among us on the Gulf Coast of Alabama every day is maybe the best example to be found of the modern-day Renaissance man.
To live up to that term in Alabama, you certainly have to establish your bona fides as a football player. Then, it doesn’t hurt to be a proficient writer, an ultra-successful man of medicine and have a wife who was named Miss Alabama.
Dr. Gaylon McCollough has all of those credentials in spades. Now he is out with his latest book, “Victory in the Game of Life.”
McCollough was a star player from Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama, helping to lead the Tide to the 1964 national championship as a senior. He turned down a chance to play for the Dallas Cowboys in order to go directly to medical school. He eventually built three medical clinics, sold them and moved to Gulf Shores, where he continues to practice facial plastic surgery at the McCollough Institute. “Victory in the Game of Life” chronicles every step of that journey.
“This book is really my memoir,” McCollough said. “I go all the way back to my childhood. I grew up in Enterprise as the son of the small-town plumber. We won a state championship at Enterprise and I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to college.”
But the path from Enterprise to his in-state flagship university was not direct. McCollough actually committed to play for Georgia Tech and pursue his dream of becoming an architect.
“Recruiting wasn’t as complicated back then as it is today, but I did commit to Georgia Tech after being recruited by Auburn, Clemson, Florida State and Houston,” McCollough said. “Then coach Bryant came along and promised me a championship ring if I went to Alabama. So I decided to go to Alabama, which didn’t have an architect school.
“My father always told me that he wanted me to get all the education I could even if it meant I had to become a doctor. So he planted that seed and I entered pre-med when I got to Alabama.”
The decision to attend Alabama worked out for McCollough both on the field and off. During his three years on the field, the Tide posted a record of 29-4 and he earned that championship ring Bryant promised.
“I wouldn’t take anything for that experience,” McCollough said. “I learned a lot from Coach Bryant and I use those lessons every day of my life as I go to my clinic in Gulf Shores.”
When McCollough reminisces about his playing days at Alabama he is often asked about his old friend and teammate, Joe Namath. He never tires of retelling stories about the colorful Namath.
“One story that tells you a lot about who Joe Namath was came in our last Auburn game. We had the ball and the lead with about two or three minutes to go, and a player came in from the sideline and said that Coach Bryant said that Joe was only 20-something yards from the Alabama passing record and that Joe could call a passing play if he wanted. Joe said ‘Are you crazy? There’s no way I’m going to risk an interception and have us lose.’ He was all about the team and all about winning.”
After their final season, Namath famously moved on to play for the New York Jets of the AFL after weighing an offer from the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL. McCollough also faced a difficult decision.
“I was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and faced one of the most difficult decisions I ever had to make,” McCollough said. “I needed the money and what they offered would have financed my med school costs if I didn’t make the squad. I went to Coach Bryant and talked to him about it. He said, ‘Gaylon, I’m telling you, you can play, so you don’t have anything to prove to anybody.’ He asked me, ‘Can you live without football?’ Nobody had ever asked me that before. I said, ‘Yes sir, I think I can.’ It was the best advice I ever got. But I’ve got to tell you, it would have been great to be a Dallas Cowboy just for a little while.”
McCollough clearly made a good decision, but he will never completely walk away from the game. He still stays involved as a fan and as an ambassador for Alabama.
“It’s still about blocking, tackling, pitching and catching, and kicking,” McCollough said. “But we only had three players on the 1964 team that weighed more than 200 pounds. I was one of those and I weighed 205. These players today are faster and stronger and more talented. I just don’t know where we’re going with all of this.”
McCollough was awarded the Paul W. Bryant Alumni Athlete Award last year. It’s just the latest in a long line of accomplishments for a man who has quite a story to tell.
Randy Kennedy writes a weekly column for Lagniappe and is co-host of “Sports Drive” every weekday from 3-6 p.m. on WNSP 105.5 FM, the country’s first all-sports FM station.
The Southeast Sun article
‘Victory in the Game of Life’
Dec. 5, 2018 |
By: Josh Boutwell
