http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/news/Sparano/Sparano_Column.aspHead coach Tony Sparano will be doing a column this year for MiamiDolphins.com. The column will appear occasionally during the offseason and on a regular basis during the regular season.
In his second installment, as he counts down the hours until his first training camp as an NFL head coach, we get to know Coach Sparano as he talks about a variety of on and off the field subjects.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 23, 2008Q. You have been portrayed as a workaholic, someone who comes in early and stays late. Is that a little overblown or does that description fit?A. No, that description fits. This is what I am. I love football. I carve out time for my family for the middle of June for a few weeks. That’s an important time for me. In season, I’m here from about four o clock in the morning to about midnight. That’s just the way I operate. I can get things done early in the morning. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. You have gone from an assistant coach who resides in the background to a head coach who makes regular appearances before the media. What do you think of the spotlight? Is it something that is going to take a while to feel comfortable with?A. I’m sure it will take a little while for me. Working with Bill Parcells in Dallas, I didn’t have access to the media for several years. But I’ve run college teams before. I’ve been in front of rooms. I’ve been in front of NFL rooms before where I’ve had to run an entire meeting. Those are the hardest critics, the players. You’re not going to fool them. It’s not something I’m not used to. But it will take a little time. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Forget about the football coach for a second. How would you describe Tony Sparano as a person?A. Family guy. Really enjoys being around my family and just addicted to football. I love football. It’s really all I ever wanted to do. I enjoy watching high school football. In Texas, my wife and I would go out to high school football games even when my son wasn’t playing. I enjoy college football, but I’ve always been the biggest fan of the NFL. I was a New York Giants fan growing up and that’s just what I am. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. What are the types of things that give you the most enjoyment?A. Spending time with my family, my wife and kids. Early on in my career it wasn’t something I did a lot of, and I’m not really proud of that. I spent a lot of time at the office to the wee hours of the morning and I thought that was the way to do it. As I got on into my career in the league, I found out I can be a little more efficient getting in a little earlier and not staying sometimes until 1 or 2 in the morning. So I had a little more time to spend quality time with my family and that is very important to me.I do have regrets about my kids. I missed a lot of the growing phase. That’s the price we coaches pay. I missed a lot of my kids’ games. I never had the opportunity to coach my kids. I have a college son right now who is a senior at the University of Albany. Last year was the first time I had ever seen him play a college game. I’m not proud of that; it’s just the nature of my job. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. How does your wife factor in given yours hours? Does she just wear many hats with your family?A. She sure does wear a lot of hats. I couldn’t have done any of this without her. She’s a great football wife. All coaches know what I’m talking about. My wife, without a doubt, is the most valuable player in my family. She’ll travel back and forth from Miami to Albany New York to be there and support our children. I have two sons that play there. Yet, she’ll be at all of my daughter’s softball games and she’ll make every one of our games. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Your name screams Italian. Does that mean there is nothing like lasagna and a bottle of red wine and how important to you is your Italian heritage?A. It’s very important. It’s what I am. My name screams a lot of pasta dinners, no doubt about it. Lasagna is one of my favorites. My wife’s lasagna is outstanding. It’s a real treat in my life. Red wine? Eh. Sometimes I can do with it, sometimes I can do without it. But, yes, I’m very Italian. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. What's the perfect vacation like for Tony Sparano?A. It's the vacation I took in June. We got in a car and we drove to Hilton Head, South Carolina. My wife and I have a place there. I spent about two weeks there and tried to stay as far away from the telephone and the office as possible. It’s hard for me to do, but that’s the only way I can do it. I like to be on the beach with my wife and my family and then I always get anxious to get back to work. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. What are some of the things you like to do outside of football? Hobbies? Special interests?A. I love to golf. I’m not very good at it, but I love it. I enjoy jogging. But mostly I like to be out by the water and the beach. That’s really want I do. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. If there is one thing you would like the fans to know about Tony Sparano the person, what would that be?A. That I do spend the time. That I do believe that hard work is important but I am still a family man and care about family. I think it’s important that my assistant coaches know that and my team knows that. I welcome family. It’s very important you have that support. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Does Tony Sparano have a role model, someone you try to emulate as often as possible?A. It’s probably my dad. My dad has taught me a lot about the values in growing up. He did coach his son when I was in little league and midget football. He taught me that there are no shortcuts and it takes people of high character to do the things that we do. He’s the guy, yeah. Outside of my father, from a coaching standpoint, I’ve always said I’ve learned the most from Bill Parcells. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Your name is so close to a fictional television character, Tony Soprano. Does that bother you or is it the source for some light-hearted moments?A. It’s a source of some light-hearted moments. It is interesting because I am Italian and you get some digs about it once in a while. I wish I had a quarter for every time I heard something about the name, I’d be a real rich guy. It provides some levity with the players. I’ll come down on them and they’ll say: “You’re acting like Tony Soprano.†--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Finally, it is September 9th and you are standing on the sideline and the Dolphins are about to kick off against the New York Jets in your first regular season game as Dolphins head coach. Can you tell us what emotions you’ll probably be feeling?A. It’s an interesting question. I think about it all the time. I had a great experience recently to spend time with Dick Anderson and then I spent some time with Bob Baumhower and Doug Betters when they were here. I heard a lot more about the history of the Dolphins and I loved every minute of it. To be able to stand there on that sideline, knowing that this is my first game as a head coach in the NFL, I’m not sure what I'll be feeling but I know I'll be focused. Once the ball is kicked, it will be business as usual. Prior to that, I’m sure deep down in my heart, it will be an unbelievable feeling.
Author