COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVN)--Former players, current and former coaches, and members of the media all gathered at St. John Arena on Wednesday for a celebration of life ceremony for Ohio State Football Coach Earle Bruce, who died Friday at age 87.
Among those who spoke at the ceremony--former Buckeye Football Coach Jim Tressel, current Head Coach Urban Meyer, and 610-WTVN's Matt McCoy, who worked with Earle for 23 years on the "Best Buckeye Coverage."
McCoy said Earle's passion for football and Ohio State would sometimes get the best of him. "I am convinced that the 7-second delay in radio was invented for Earle Bruce."
He shared a story about how the coach got tongue-tied when trying to talk about a "chip-shot field goal", but it didn't come out that way.
McCoy also shared the rule Coach Bruce broke every Saturday--by cheering in the press box when it is not allowed.
Tressel also shared that he was asked how long he coached at Ohio State for Coach Bruce, replying with "13 years". He adds that he was an assistant for three years, then the head coach for 10, but Coach Bruce was in the building, so he was an assistant coach for Earle for 10 more years.
Meyer opened by saying that "heaven just got a little more intense". He first met Coach Bruce when interviewing for a Graduate Assistant position in 1986.
Bruce's grandson, current Buckeye Assistant Zack Smith, and Tony Alford, who played for Bruce at Colorado State and is the Current Ohio State Running Backs Coach, also spoke during Wednesday's ceremony.
Coach Bruce's funeral is Thursday.
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