The Greatest Fictional Coach: Mickey Goldmill

We spent five weeks searching for the answer to the question: Who is the greatest fictional coach? The people have spoken! Mickey Goldmill received 52% of the vote compared to Eric Taylor’s 48%. Click play, and read up on Mickey Goldmill, the greatest fictional coach of all time. (SEE FULL BRACKET) Before Mickey became the Italian Stallion’s coach, he was a professional boxer from 1922 to 1947. He had a boxing record of 72 wins and one loss. He won 70 of his matches in K.O.’s, which may sneakily be one of the craziest stats of all time. He got his nose busted 17 times, and he claims not to have gotten any of the publicity because he didn’t have a manager. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SDJj9yyqds Mickey coached up the first of Apollo Creed’s opponents to last an entire 15 rounds. He trained Rocky in the rematch that led to Rocky becoming the heavyweight champion of the world. Mickey had pain, and he had experience. He used that pain and experience in his training so that Rocky wouldn’t make the same mistakes in his career that Mickey did. It is Mickey’s management and eccentric training style that led Rocky Balboa to becoming a championship. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7cDQY9wVF8 Mickey Goldmill was all heart. He touched so many lives. When the voting period between Eric Taylor and Mickey ended, the CoachUp office had mixed feelings. Matt: My summer gig as a high schooler/college student was lifeguarding at the local pool. One yearly tradition at said pool was synchronized swimming routines. It was my first year directing the 13/14 boys, and I wanted to prove that I had the chops as a director to handle such great responsibility. I don’t even remember what the theme was that year, but our song was “Eye of the Tiger.” I created a floating boxing ring, and we had kids playing Rocky, Apollo, Mickey, and the Soviet. As the story goes, the kid playing the Soviet knocked out and killed the kid playing Apollo on the floating boxing ring. The kid playing Rocky, overcome with grief, turned to the bottle (as a 15 year old in front of his parents, mind you). The kid playing Mickey found our hero, sitting with his head in his hands on the pool deck. He picked him up, and showed him some meat to start punching. Rocky got to work, doing pushups on the pool deck while the cast danced to our tightly choreographed deck routine. Eventually we got to the final showdown between Rocky and the Soviet. Mickey came back from the dead and guided Rocky’s punches one by one. Rocky won! The American flag was raised on the flagpole (while the homemade Soviet one was lowered), and the fireworks were (illegally) released like bombs burning in air (to the surprise of many a suburban Seattle parent). The crowd went wild, standing up and applauding our extravagant synchronized swimming expression of freedom. It was right then and there that I knew I had made it. Thanks for the inspiration Mickey. Rob: I need to collect my thoughts. I’m disappointed that Coach Taylor lost because, from an intangibles perspective, he had it all over Mickey. But, if we are going to say that Rocky doesn’t achieve the success he does without the foundation poured by his training with Mickey, then I can get on board. I definitely don’t want to take anything away from Mickey, but the 2nd half of Rocky’s career was aided immensely by Apollo Creed’s guidance and of course the tutelage of Apollo’s manager/trainer – the great Tony “Duke” Evers. Jack: Yeah I really thought Eric Taylor was going to win this one. I may have underestimated the power of Rocky or overestimated the likability of Friday Night Lights. This shouldn’t take anything away from Coach Taylor, as I still believe he is the better man between the two (he certainly curses less anyway). But the better coach won in this matchup. RIP Mickey Goldmill. You will always continue to give me motivization.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VbVGSXcOsQ