Courtesy of Aggie Sports.com
Published Saturday, November 19, 2011 1:06 AM
With Billy Pickard, actions always speak louder than words. So after
almost three hours of former Aggie players, coaches, managers and
trainers saying how much he's meant to the Texas A&M football
program, it took Pickard less than a minute to say thanks.
By ROBERT CESSNA"There's no way to thank everybody for this, no possible way, impossible," Pickard said. "Let me conclude by saying thank you very much. I appreciate it. And we're going to win [Saturday], and we're going to win Thursday, and we're going to win the bowl game, and everybody will feel better. It's been a tough season. I've been on the sidelines 47 years. I've never been through it like this. But [A&M head] coach [Mike] Sherman is going to get it done, don't worry about it. Everything is going to be fine. Thank you."
Those still remaining from what had been a full house at The Zone stood and applauded Pickard, who was roasted Friday night at the 12th Man Kickoff Team's Foundation Scholarship Dinner.
Pickard, who has been associated with the program since 1952 when he was a student trainer, is retired but will be on the sidelines Saturday as usual for the game against Kansas.
Former A&M head football coach R.C. Slocum said no one during his tenure with the program was more efficient or better at what they did than Pickard, who did much more than just serve as a trainer. He was a manager, strength coach, travel agent, nutritionist -- whatever Slocum needed done, Pickard did it.
"I said that if Billy Pickard ever left or retired, it would take nine people to replace him," Slocum said. "That's why I called him nine-man Pickard, and if you go through the athletic department today, there are probably at least nine people who are doing what Billy did."
One thing Pickard did best in his heyday was provide motivation, along with a little humor.
When A&M played Arkansas, he would bring a small pig to practice before the game and chase it around.
Former head football coach Tom Wilson, who played and coached at Texas Tech, said he grew up thinking that the Red Raiders' masked rider racing onto the field before games on his horse was one of his greatest memories. That was until getting ready to coach his first game against Tech when he looked up at practice to see Pickard coming onto Kyle Field on a stick horse wearing nothing but a black hat, black boots, a black mask and an athletic supporter.
"Now when I go back to Texas Tech and that horse comes running onto the field, I can't see anything but Billy Pickard," Wilson said.
Former players Jacob Green and Chris Dausin praised Pickard for making them better, though at times they didn't see it that way.
Former managers and trainers thanked Pickard for giving them the tools to be successful, including Southlake Carroll athletics director Kevin Ozee and David Heath who is Nike's vice president of global sales and is on the board of directors for the A&M Association of Former Students.
They praised his grit, determination, work ethic and loyalty to his job and the school.
Pickard also received a proclamation from the Junction Boys, for his quick work in saving the life of one of the players when he was injured, along with another one from Gov. Rick Perry.
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