The events of Jan. 2 and 3 were like those of a movie. The audience knew of the preceding drama, watched the West Virginia University Mountaineers with anticipation, celebrated the Fiesta Bowl victory (48-28), and shed tears of joy as Bill Stewart was named head coach.

It may have occurred two months ago, but like any good movie, a few reminders can bring back the emotions. That is exactly what happened Saturday evening in the Mollohan Center as over 400 people gathered to honor WVU Football Coach Bill Stewart and Defensive Coordinator Jeff Casteel.

A whole list of speakers were on the agenda for the event, but none elicited as much reaction as the man who could easily lend his name to a film of the saga—Coach Stew.

He told the crowd that before the Fiesta Bowl, which all the pundits predicted would be handily won by Oklahoma, he attended a huge press conference where he was asked if he had ever been to a big game before. “Yes,” he said into the collection of microphones.

The reporters all looked to him expectantly for his elaboration. Stewart said he could have cited a win over Ohio State or some other contests against various “big name” teams. What he finally said was, “Magnolia and Parkersburg, 1969!”

“Cub and Scouts Honor,” said the likeable coach, making the corresponding hand motions to the crowd as he does so easily and sincerely.

“That’s the only one that came to my mind!” said New Martinsville native Stewart as he elaborated on missing a tackle in the big game, while pointing out his teammate who had also missed the block—just as he had to the coach 39 years ago. “Every once in a while the Ohio Valley just comes out.”

Every attendee of the dinner watched with a beaming smile and complete attention as their native son told stories of the events that took place in Phoenix, Ariz. He told of how the only WVU bus to arrive at the stadium on time was the one containing coaches’ families. The others were evidently out looking for the Lost Dutchman’s gold mine in the Superstition Mountains. They finally found their way to the stadium, arriving only 27 minutes before kick off. As the team hurriedly prepared for the contest and took their places on the sidelines, Stewart was missing.

He was off by himself praying.

Stewart said he didn’t know what else he could do. “They were big,” said the coach of the opponents. “I didn’t want to say ‘Just look at them!’”

As WVU was progressing with their first possession of the ball, someone yelled, “Coach, if they don’t get it on third down, are we going to punt?” Stewart didn’t respond and they asked the question again. “Are they talking to me?!” Stewart said he wondered, realized they were, and had to take a time out. “Do you remember that?” he asked the crowd with his trademark grin. “We did. We took a time out!”

The road to the Fiesta Bowl may have been long and plagued with drama thanks to the departure of former head coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan, but as Senator Jay Rockefeller put it, “When it gets too tough for everyone else, it’s just about right for Billy Stewart.” That comment read by Rockefeller’s representative Larry Lemon brought about applause, but not as much as Stewart when he said Paden City native Casteel “could have put his spurs on and gone north with a bunch of other guys, but he wouldn’t go.” For that the crowd gave a standing ovation.

Stewart thanked his hometown for its part in his success. He can remember in Central Grade School when his teacher took out the grade book at the beginning of the school year and said, “What we put in this grade book you will earn.” “I never forgot that,” said Stewart who said he was blessed to grow up like that. The values ingrained in children in the Ohio Valley are unlike anything he can recruit anywhere else. “You emulate everything that this country was built on,” he said.

That is why Stewart is dedicated to talking to his team about values like being a good citizen and a good daddy—not father, but daddy! “Because in West Virginia that’s not corny,” explained coach.

He ended his talk with a bit of tempering, noting that there will undoubtedly be successes and failures in WVU’s future, but he hopes they never get out-coached like they did by Pittsburgh and South Florida. While the audience began to applaud that statement, Stewart admitted, “I was a big part of that, and I apologize.”

A true upstanding man and someone for whom the people of Wetzel County stood to honor.

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