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ANAHEIM BULLETIN

Serving the Anaheim and Anaheim Hills communities since 1923 rnUnspry, MARcH 6,20r4 ocREosTER.coM/Ar{AHETM

H. LORREN AU JR., STAFF PHOTOGRAPTIER Jlm Fassel has been around the pros as a player, coach and now a broadcaster, but never forgets his roots. BY MATT HANLON STAFF WRITER You remember those days, you know. youno fter back-to-back guyt, losses in when they're having trouble, I tell 2OOO, Coach Jim Fassel them, 'You think that I grew up being the issued a guarantee that his of the ltew Vort biants? On 7-4 would no. You thinft all the money I made go to the NFL plavoffs. doing that, I was always doing that? Whether or not the now-famous vow No, no, no, no., I mean in a lull was a shrewd coaching trick, it between coaching jobs worked; I drove a the Giants made it to the beer truck. I drove a pinto Super Bowl that season. station wagon our first move, Fassel is still pulling a few tricks with four of us and no air from his sleeves to achieve his goals _ conditioning.', though now it is to draw a feui more bucks from donors. JIM FASSEL 1967 GRADUATE, For the past five years, the former CO-FOUNDER NFL coach has served as auetioneer OF ANAHEIM for the Anaheim High Alumni Associ- HIGH ALUMNI ation's yearly fundraiser. ASSOCtATtoN - "I'y" washed your jocks and socks,,' the Anaheim native told prospective Jlm Fassel, a star bidders at the fifth annual Golf Classic, at Ana- Auction and Awards Dinner on Feb. lT. heim High, later coached "So you definitely owe me on that the New york Giants to deal." the 2OOO-O1 NFC fifle.

PHOTOS: ANAHEIM HIGH scHool SEE FA'sEL. PAGE 1 8 AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS . PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: FERNANDO M. DONADO, STAFF l$N ANAHETM BULLEIN THURSDAY, MARCH 6.2O14 FASSEI: Short QB career leads to coaching

COURTESY OF ANAHEIM HIGH ALUMNI Jim Fassel, right, attends an Anaheim High School 197Os CIF playoff game at Angel Stadium with, from left, his dad, Bud, and Mickey and Chuck Flynn.

H. LORREN AU JR., STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Fasseljoins fellow Anaheim High School alumnl at the Western Hills Golf Club in Chino Hills on Feb. l7 for part of the alumni association's fifth annual Golf Classic, Auction and Awards Dinnen FROII PAGE 1

Fassel's commitment to Anaheim High is no secret. He helped found the alumni association in 2008 and has remained a committed sup- porter of his school. He sponsors two scholarships annually to Anaheim High athletes in his father's name. "He's a great coach, he's a great human being," said Jerry Woodward, a 1957 graduate of Anaheim High and co-founder of the alum- ni association. "He put up a ton of money over 10 years ago to help support aca- demics and athletics and he still continues to do the samg.tt

IT BEGAII II.I ANAHEIM Fassel's road to the NFL started in Anaheim. His fa- H. LORREN AU JR., STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ther, Bud, became the Fassel, class of 1967, and Ron Phari s of Laguna Beach played football together at equipment manager for the both Anaheim High and uSC. Fassel was a guarterback; Pharris was a running back. Colonists in 1954. Fassel spent one season at USC following two at Fullerton College, which included a na- An Anaheim firefighter, tional championship, and before finishing his college career at Long Beach State. Bud Fassel became a.friend and father figure to many students; he was dubbed THE COACHING LADDER win. When I went to Fuller- the team psychologist be- His NFL career never ** ton JC, had to win - (I was) cause ofhis constant coun :l#3'lf,'lil., took hold, however. He sat just used to winning and seling. years hard, because he Jim Fassel, 5 on the sidelines with the you build up confidence, join- pure passer." old at the time, began Bears and the Chargers was a and pressure is pressure." ing his dad at the campus . GEORGE and eventually languished FRASER BROADCASTING BOOTH after sehool. 197O just in the Canadian Football GRADUATE, "I was doing stuff League. After two years coLoNtsTs' Fassel was fired in 2003 and in awe of being on the playeng for Hawaii in the QUARTERBACK AFTER and never got another head sidelines game JIM FASSEL job for the and , coaching in the NFL. Af- to me that was huge," said Fassel considered getting ter coaching the Fassel, 64. "I lpved my dad, his teaching credentials. Locomotives to two United loved to spend time with my He turned to his old team coach of the Utah Utes in Football League national dad, and Anaheim High psychologist for answers. 1985. championships - a league football was the biggest "Athletics was my life," In 1991, he left for the that eventually folded - he going." thing Fassel said. "I remember NFL to be offensive coordi- became a highly sought- games The Colonists reg- talking to my dad one time nator of the New York after NFL broadcaster. ularly had 10,000 to 15,000 Giants. about that and I said, 'Dad, He coached for a And eachyear he returns fans in attendance. you know there's really no handful of teams and ulti- home to put that broadcast- "We were the only money as a schoolteacher.' mately returned to New er's voice to use drumming school," said Mickey Flynn, ... He said, 'Listen, all you York to be head coach ofthe up support for Anaheim a legendary Anaheim tail- got to do is make up your Giants in 1997. High. This year's attend- back and Fassel's cousin. mind what you're passion- Fdssel's first season, he ance at the golf tournament just "Anaheim had one high ate about. And whatever earned the NFL Coach of was the highest yet, the school. It wasjust a bunch you're passionate about, the Year award. His bold association said, bringing of orange grove people." guarantee in you'll be good at.' " 2000 steeped in an estimated $15,000 to played quar- just Jim Fassel In 1975, Fassel returned his career in coaching lore. $20,000. Fassel is hap- terback for Anaheim and to Fullerton College to be- He'd survived and succeed- py to be a part of it. graduated in 1967. He led ginhis coaching career. The ed in one of America's "I went there, and I really sporting Fullerton College to the na- following year, he earned a toughest markets. grew up there," Fassel said tional title game in his sec- demanding, de- ef fuiq job as the and "It's old campus. "I prob- ond collegiate season and receivers coach at Utah manding as hell, but I never ably spent as much time as recruited USC. pressure was to Af- State. Gradually, he worked felt the of, 'Oh I anybody that ever went ter a season there, he trans- his way through the colle- have to win this game,"' there. I owe a lot to Ana- ferr"ed to Long Beach State. said Fassel, heim giate ranks with stints as now an NFL High School." He was picked up by the at broadcaster. "(When) I in the sev- Stanford and Weber State grew up, everybhing was CO]{TAC' THE ltRITER3 pressure-packed enth round of the 1972 before becoming the head at Ana- 714-704-3796 ot draft. heim. You won. You had to mha nlon@ocregister,com H. LORREN AU JR., STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Anaheim High graduate Jim Fassel, a former NFL coach with the New York Giants, co-founded the Anaheim High Alumni Association in 2OO8 and has been auctioneer for its fundraiser every year since.

Jim Fassel's football career 2OO9-l2zHead coach (UFL) 2O04-O6: Offbnsive coordinator 1997-2OO3: Head coach New york Giants 19962 Offensive coordinator 1995: Quarterbacks coach Oakland Raiders 1993-942 Offensive coordinator 1990-92: Quarterbacks coach/offensive coor- dinator New York Giants 1985-89: Head coach t979.83: Offensive coordinator Stanford 1977-782 Offensive coordinator Weber State 1976-1977: Quarterbacks and receivers coach Utah State 1975-1976: Coaching assistant Fullerton College 197 4-7 5z Quarterback Honolulu Hawaiians (WFL) l97O-7lt Quarterback Cal State Long Beach I 969-T O.. Quarterba c k U SC 1967 -692 Quarterback Fullerton College

Notable 19972 NFL Coach of the year 2OOO: New York Giants reach Super Bowl XXXV Career record: NFL, head coach 58-53-l