Temple assistant receives game ball

SOMETIMES, IT'S not about the X's and O's. It's about people, and doing what's right.

After Saturday's win over Delaware State, Temple coach Matt Rhule presented a game ball to assistant head coach Ed Foley on behalf of the Foley family. When asked about it yesterday, Rhule almost became emotional again. Because it was from the heart.

Foley's father Ed, who was called "Tanjo," passed away on Sept. 11 following a lengthy illness.

"Ed's been here seven years," Rhule explained. "He's done whatever's been asked of him. He's every man to every person. There can't be any more love or respect for a family in South Jersey than the Foleys. And Ed's meant a lot to this program. A lot of former players come back just to see Ed.

"His father really was a tremendous man who loved football. He was a quarterback at Boston College. Ed would go to the hospital at night, I don't know when he sleeps, and just come to practice each day. He never let anyone know what was going on.

"The loss to Navy [on Sept. 6], Ed went to see his dad on his deathbed. [His dad] said, 'I don't know what you're doing here. You need to get back in the office and get this thing fixed, you know.' He was more concerned about [us].

"[Ed] missed a little bit of time, but worked all last week. I think our job is to teach young men how to be men. The way you do what you say you're going to do. You're responsible, you're accountable, you can be trusted. My point to the players was, 'Is there anyone more of a man than this guy?' Taking care of his family at night, then he's there every day for the kids. So I thought they all deserved that. His mom [Sue] came to the game. Unbelievable.

"It was special for me. And a nice moment for the players. To have some [former players] there, like Evan Rodriguez and Morkeith Brown, who played for us, that was special for Ed."

Rhule added that former Owls coach Steve Addazio and his BC staff attended the funeral in Boston.

- Mike Kern