Zook in the Offseason
Piggy-backing off of my post from yesterday about college coaches and their offseason activities, it seems Illinois coach Ron Zook has found an interesting way around the "Saban Rule" that prevents college coaches from having any contact with high school players during the spring evaluation period. He's decided to become a motivational speaker .
Desire, dedication, determination and discipline were words preached to the West Scranton student body on Friday afternoon.
With his booming voice captivating the audience, University of Illinois head football coach Ron Zook gave an impassioned speech to the teens, encouraging them to strive for success.
It was the fifth high school that Zook, the 2007 Big Ten Coach of the Year, has spoken to this spring on a tour that aims to keep students in school, while staying away from the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
Why would a coach from Illinois have interest in talking to kids in little old Scranton, PA? Maybe it has something to do with the fact uber-offensive line recruit Eric Shrive goes there and was undoubtedly sitting in the audience. So if Zook can't get one-on-one time with Shrive, he's apparently going to assemble the entire student body to enlighten them with such wisdom as...
"It’s all about striving for success," Zook said before taking the podium in the West Scranton auditorium. "How do you be successful? Well, everyone’s idea of success is different. Is it having a lot of money? Is it having a nice car? To me success equals being happy. It’s all about what makes you happy.
"But to be successful you have to do certain things. You have to have personal goals and you have to work at achieving those goals."
That is friggin' deep, man. Give me more.
"You hear it all the time, the kids hear speeches on the dangers of drugs and alcohol and they walk away thinking, well, that’s not going to happen to me," Zook said. "If I can make some people think about success and go down the right path, rather than the wrong path, it’s worth it."
During his speech, Zook asked the students to take out an index card and write down what each thinks success is. He also encouraged them to write down what they must do to be successful and reach their goals.
And he asked that they carry it with them, and refer to it whenever fatigue sets in.
Wow. Mind. Blown.
Listen kids. Do what Uncle Ronnie tells you, or else you may end up living in a van down by the river.

Ron Zook speaking to troubled teens.
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Yeah! What he said!
Listen to your uncle Ronnie! Don’t do it!
Settle it on the field!
by PSUncle1981 on May 13, 2008 2:27 PM EDT 0 recs
hahahah
yeah “UP WITH HOPE DOWN WITH DOPE” hahahaha
abazaba you are my only friend
by Lion Alum on May 13, 2008 2:41 PM EDT 0 recs
First webcams...then motivational speakers...
Next we’ll see Rich Rod setting up Snake Oil shops in H.S. cafeterias giving it away to help prevent heart disease.
Seriously, how is this allowed?!? I guess it falls within the guidelines, but c’mon…he’s a motivational speaker…in PA of all places.
by Screen Name 20 on May 13, 2008 2:54 PM EDT 0 recs
LOL any...
post that can incorportate a Matt Foley picture is A+ in my mind. Nothing like awaking thoughts of government cheese.
“You’ll have plenty of time to live in a van down by the river…..WHEN YOUR LIVING IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!”
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 13, 2008 2:54 PM EDT 0 recs
That's my favorite quote....
in the whole skit. Beat me to it Carolina.
by Screen Name 20 on
May 13, 2008 2:57 PM EDT
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great
From what I’ve heard, you’re using your paper (index card with success on it), not for writing, but for rolling doobies!
by gbd106 on
May 13, 2008 3:00 PM EDT
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Here is one...
“You’re gonna be doin’ a lot of doobie rollin’ when you’re living in a van down by the river!”
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on
May 13, 2008 3:19 PM EDT
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I have a new hero
He’s deeper than the Mariana Trench. Still not as good as J Leman though.
by Highland Tom on May 13, 2008 3:06 PM EDT 0 recs
"I can't see to good....
is that Bill Shakespeare over there?”
by Stately NOVA Lion on May 13, 2008 3:11 PM EDT 0 recs
David Spade......
just about loses it when he says that one.
Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.
by ech2os on
May 13, 2008 4:08 PM EDT
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Some People.......
remember where they were when Kennedy was shot, I remember where I was when they reported on the news that Chris Farley died. A bowling alley in Lake City , Pa.
Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.
by ech2os on
May 13, 2008 4:10 PM EDT
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Here is another...
Once, there was a boy who liked to throw things. He started out throwing eggs. Then, he threw the big game. Then, he threw back a shot of whiskey. Then he threw up. Then he got thrown out of the house, and then he moved into a van down by the river!
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 13, 2008 3:20 PM EDT 0 recs
And another...
You kids are probably saying to yourself, “Now, I’m gonna go out, and I’m gonna get the world by the tail and wrap it around pull it down and put it in my pocket!” Well, I’m here to tell you that you’re probably gonna find out, as you go out there, that you’re not gonna amount to JACK SQUAT!” You’re gonna end up eating a steady diet of government cheese and living in a van down by the river!
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 13, 2008 3:21 PM EDT 0 recs
And another...
Well, that and a nickel’ll get you a nice hot cup OF JACK-SQUAT!
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 13, 2008 3:21 PM EDT 0 recs
And some Christmas cheer while we are at it...
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the van
Your ol’ buddy Matt fell asleep on the can.
The children were nestled two time zones away
With his first wife and her husband in sunny L.A..
Matt woke up and realized, with a chill and a quiver,
That he was livin’ in a van down by the river!”
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 13, 2008 3:21 PM EDT 0 recs
And finally....
All right, all right, all right, I’ll pedal! Let’s all pedal everybody, make Evan happy! Here we go, pedaling away! All right everybody, you’re on the road! Look over to the right. It’s your first wife, Linda! High tail it out of there because you owe her three years’ child support! Keep pedaling. All right, let’s pull into Seven-Eleven and buy a microwave burrito! Okay, we’re back on the road, there’s your son’s dorm! Let’s sneak in, steal his student loan check, cash it, and head out lookin’ for Asian hookers! Cause if there’s one thing Matt likes, it’s Hong Kong fuey, ha-ha! Ohhhh yeah!
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 13, 2008 3:22 PM EDT 0 recs
I could use a little extra $$
How much could Zook be making doing this crap? All you need to do is fill your index card with a bunch of “Deep Thoughts” by Jack Handey and rattle on to a bunch of bored HS kids. Easy money. Zook’s a genius!
by NJ lion on May 13, 2008 3:30 PM EDT 0 recs
This has to be one of the best ones....
Padre, dame un favor, y callate su grande YAPPER! Muchachos, yo comprendo que ustedes beben Tequila, (Whoo!) fumen marijuana, y bailan el flamenco! . Pronto, ustedes flamenco en un “VAN” CERCA DE UN RIO!
by Lion Alum on May 13, 2008 4:07 PM EDT 0 recs
its also well known
that during the skit featured in the pic he was not supposed to crush the table (read: it wasn’t rigged to break like that) unlike later skits that copied the wildly popular move.
if you watch you can see applegate and spade gesture towards him as he unexpectedly trips and takes out the coffee table.
serious alert: really good excerpt from the new farley book, where he talks about his real life problems as a motivational speaker to some addicts.
http://deadspin.com/photogallery/thechrisfarleyshowbooklarge/1001410853
by gbd106 on May 13, 2008 4:55 PM EDT 0 recs
recruiting
no matter what kind of restrictions the NCAA places on recruiting, people would find ways around it. Give Zook credit, that’s a pretty nice loophole he found. The NCAA is always one step behind, and it will always be that way; you just got to take advantages of those loopholes before they close
by WPIALkid22 on May 14, 2008 12:48 AM EDT 0 recs
Zook's speaking engagements
As much as we like to point the finger at guys like Zook, ultimately he’s just doing what he can to bring in the best recruits that they possibly can. Is it his fault that he found a loophole? I applaud him for trying. Would anyone here be upset if Joe starting speaking at the schools of the recruits we’re after? Not a chance. We’d probably be astonished that he made a visible and recognizable attempt at recruiting outside of Happy Valley! Put me down as impressed, jealous, and yes upset but only because our coach isn’t doing the same thing!
Patiently waiting for the return of Penn State Football
by ReadingNitFan on May 14, 2008 10:57 AM EDT 0 recs
Check that…...put me down as impressed that we just got a stud OL from our backyard just like we should!! Every now and then recruiting takes a turn that you never expected. I guess Eric just wanted to make sure that Weis didn’t come in and try to motivate the students in Scranton the way Zook did!
Patiently waiting for the return of Penn State Football
by ReadingNitFan on
May 15, 2008 1:17 PM EDT
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SHRIVE COMMITS TO......
PSU….Welcome aboard.
Pat Devlin in '08
by Nick7 on May 15, 2008 12:21 PM EDT 0 recs












