Hurricane from the Far East

A senior citizen sometimes can't be ready for a Hurricane from the Far East, named Tricky Dick Thornton.
Of course, the former CFL dynamo with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts, is more than a quiet breeze to his fans and friends, and that includes the media, because there's not a seasoned reporter throughout the land he hasn't begged and cajoled into just printing his name.
Just the other day, I received this from the Manila Man: "Nothing much happening but the month of April just disappeared. Did do 3 training sessions for Convoy/Limtuaco and ran several more Mini_MIT the last couple of weeks that went very well. Coach Hook blew into town from Phomn Penh in Cambodia (his current residence) and is bunking at my house for about a fortnight. Fantastic to talk football for hours on end. My two maids are happy too, since it's extra income for them, looking after all his needs and requirements."
Then came the blockbuster.
"Depart for Bangkok on May 22nd, will zip down to Pattaya for a few days and then fly to Cambodia to visit Coach Hook before heading Stateside and to Canada. Thai Airways has a non-stop flight to JFK in New York now, so will try that journey this time. From there, it's Memphis, Phoenix, Toronto and Atlanta before heading back to SE Asia a month later. They are having a Tribute Dinner and 'Roast' on June 15th for my former head football coach in Toronto, Leo Cahill. I owe a lot to that man and have been honored to sit at the at the Head Table and be one of the speakers. Should be a fun and very hilarious evening. No holds barred."
So tell me, Bunky, when has there ever been any holds barred when the Hurricane comes to town?.
Of course, all you children have been deprived of knowing Coach T, but all your grandpappies know of the Trickster.
He came storming out of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois with a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Communication and Journalism. He was an All-America standout as a triple threat -- as a quarterback, free safety and special teams performer.
After juggling some NFL offers from the Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Cardinals and Dallas Texans of the AFL, but settled for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.
Even though he saw brief duty that first year because he suffered a broken jaw against the B.C. Lions, he did manage to hold down four jobs -- defensive cornerback, running back, quarterback and punter. Whew.
As Craig Wallace related in the "CFL Legends," Thornton came into his own in the best-of-three 1965 Western Conference Final when Winnipeg quarterback Kenny Ploen came out of the game with a mild concussion and Thornton entered with coach Bud Grant telling him to run out the clock. He disagreed with Grant's strategy and gave him the lip: "We'll be leading 7-3 at halftime. Trust me, because you have no choice anyway. I'm your only backup."
Thornton owned the mid-60s with the Bombers.
Wallace was quick to relate that Dick was not only a superb athlete, but well known as an outspoken and controversial "free spirit." "He always had time for people in the community, the corporate business world, fans and, of course, the media," wrote Wallace.
"I was often misunderstood, but did nothing more than market and merchandise MYSELF," he even says to this day.
Then came his brilliant stint with Leo Cahill's Argonauts. For a period in the late 1960s, Thornton was "Mr. Everything" on and off the field, selling himself to the Toronto fans and the business community.
He was also the subject of controversy with a book called, "Get It While Your Hot, Cause Baby, You're Going To Be Cold For A Long Long Time."
It was strictly anti-establishment to the Argonauts and they had the project cancelled.
The CFL became history and as Thornton writes in the foreword to Wallace's "A Slip in the Rain," astrologists have always said I was born under a wandering star and this very accurate prediction led to a very nomadic existence since I retired from professional football at the end of 1974 as captain of the Memphis Southmen, the WFL's Central Division champions."
From front office jobs in the WFL and then a small-college head coaching job at Southwestern, Coach T moved on to Coca-Cola Company, joining their international team. He later moved to Australia and then London, England.
However, while contemplating early retirement, Thornton stormed into the Philippines, setting up his own beverage consulting firm.
Thornton, however, faded away from "family, friends, girlfriends, business associates and former teammates."
Enter the Internet.
Coach T, the dynamo from Manila, is a computer guru and his friends and fans can keep track of him at all times (www.coachingpoints.com) and also his NFL column in the Bangkok Post and on the Net. (www.kayecorbett.com/).
Being back in the limelight is something he loves.
Now about this dinner for Leo, Coach T?