Sadness, shock from former Mizzou players, fans about Gary Pinkel’s planned resignation
The reaction to the news that Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel is resigning was mostly shock and sadness.
Missouri announced that Pinkel’s decision was health related, and that he was diagnosed this past May with lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer of the blood.
Former MU athletic director Mike Alden, who hired Pinkel: “What he’s been able to do to put us on the national map, to have us in the national discussion as an institution and not just a football program, that in itself will carry forward for a long time. He’s been able to build something that’s grounded in a solid foundation. Your hope is you can continue to build on that, but we certainly will miss him as a leader in that capacity.”
Get well @GaryPinkel much love man! #Mizzou
— Henry Josey (@I_AM_HENRYJOSEY) November 13, 2015@GaryPinkel thank you for everything you have done for me. You gave me a family that I so desperately needed and for that I am grateful.
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) November 13, 2015Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon: “Coach Pinkel’s decision to step down due to his diagnosis of lymphoma is sad news for the Tigers and the entire Mizzou family. My friend Gary Pinkel is an outstanding coach and educator. Through his leadership and commitment, Gary has made a positive and lasting impact on the lives of thousands of students and the university as a whole. Gary inspires respect and admiration for all the right reasons – not only for being the winningest coach in Mizzou history, but also for his dedication to the wellbeing of his players, both on and off the field. The First Lady and I wish Gary and his wife Missy all the best in the future.”
Nick Saban releases a statement on the retirement of Gary Pinkel: pic.twitter.com/TY2Rxr82E1
— Alex Scarborough (@AlexS_ESPN) November 14, 2015
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey: “Gary Pinkel has been a credit to the game of football and the kind of person we hold high as an example of how college athletics can make a difference in young people’s lives. He is a leader who coaches character with the same intensity he coaches football. Gary was an instrumental figure in transitioning Missouri into the Southeastern Conference and I thank him for his work, his dedication to student-athletes and his service to the SEC.”
@GaryPinkel love ya GP!
— Jeremy Maclin (@jmac___19) November 13, 2015Gary Pinkel I will always love you. Build that man a statue. #GP #MIZ
— Josh McDonald (@JMcDonald_91) November 13, 2015Bobby Bell Jr., son of Chiefs Hall of Famer and former Mizzou player: “It hurts, because he's the leader of the biggest program Mizzou has. ... It used to be Norm Stewart. The expectations for the program were always there, but you had to find a coach that can elevate the program to that level again. Unfortunately, after I left, the University football team kind of crumbled a little bit for a while. That was hard to swallow for a while, because nobody wants to come back and watch somebody get beat down. They were at the top (under Pinkel), and I think they'll be back. I hope they will be. ... We had a big gap in there for a while. The program ought to be able to sustain itself with the people that he had underneath him. He built the kingdom, but he's got some pretty good guys underneath them.”
To quote Coach Pinkel, "What do we do when adversity hits? WE FIGHT LIKE HELL!" And that's exactly what he'll do to this lymphoma.
— T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) November 13, 2015Heartbreaking.... Gary Pinkel is Missouri football. He's been a father and leader to many of us. I'm in shock. https://t.co/alMI8D7Nzu
— T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) November 13, 2015To quote Coach Pinkel, "What do we do when adversity hits? WE FIGHT LIKE HELL!" And that's exactly what he'll do to this lymphoma.
— T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) November 13, 2015Wow..thoughts and prayers to Gary Pinkel..good man..best coach in MU history..he's in for a battle against NHL blood cancer..
— frank boal (@realfrankboal) November 13, 2015We're sending our love and support to @GaryPinkel in his battle with lymphoma. pic.twitter.com/1kjUhkuSkp
— Mizzou (@Mizzou) November 13, 2015Begin the building of the @GaryPinkel statue.
— The Antlers (@The_Antlers) November 13, 2015Gary Pinkel turned Saturdays into Christmas morning for me and my friends. Every weekend in the fall was joy.
— Brian (@BrianMcGannon) November 13, 2015always respected pinkel and the job he and his staff has done at mizzou. I wish him and his family the best
— Justin Becker (@TheJustinBecker) November 13, 2015Build the Gary Pinkel statue. ASAP. #Mizzou
— Kevin Gehl (@KevinGehlTV) November 13, 2015Beyond upset about this pinkel news. Hoping the best for him. He brought mizzou into the lime light
— Samuel L. (@STL_Ballard) November 13, 2015Will be hard to imagine Mizzou football without Coach Pinkel
— Dylan Westervelt (@DylanWestervelt) November 13, 2015All the best to Gary Pinkel, a good guy who did a great job at MU.
— Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) November 13, 2015Another sad day. Coach Pinkel is an incredible man who influenced my life in unimaginable ways. #BuildHisStatute
— Jefferson R. Thomas (@1JRT) November 13, 2015I'm going to miss Pinkel. A leader of men. The grace with which he led young men to handle to Michael Sam thing is a lasting legacy.
— casvolsmu (@casvolsmu) November 13, 2015Man, cancer sucks. Wishing Gary Pinkel the best. https://t.co/qZSQQJ9EAz
— Naveen Sood (@OneNaveen24) November 13, 2015Gary Pinkel was the best thing to ever happen to Mizzou athletics. A true legend in every sense. Screw you cancer!
— Curtis Luke (@lukewarm35) November 13, 2015Wow. I honestly thought Pinkel was going to coach until he couldn't stand anymore..... but damn, cancer. I would have never imagined cancer
— Blaine Regan (@the_blr) November 13, 2015I'm heartbroken and I wish I had more words for this. Gary Pinkel is one hell of a coach. Cancer sucks. #FightTiger
— Kylie Callura (@kyliecallura) November 13, 2015Pete Grathoff: 816-234-4330, @pgrathoff
This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 3:48 PM.