Legendary coach Pardee dies
Jack Pardee, one of Bear Bryant’s “Junction Boys” at Texas A&M who went on to become an All-Pro linebacker and an NFL coach, has died, University of Houston spokesman David Bassity said. Pardee was 76. Bassity said Monday that Pardee’s son Ted confirmed the death to him.
Pardee was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Pardee played three seasons at Texas A&M and was the 14th overall pick in the 1957 NFL draft by Los Angeles. He played for the Rams from 1957- 64, sat out a year to deal with his melanoma, and played seven more seasons. He finished his playing career with the Washington Redskins in 1973.
He coached in the World Football League for one season before moving on to NFL coaching. He was the Chicago Bears’ head coach from 1975-77. He coached the Redskins from 1978-80 and was fired after Washington went 6-10.
He served as San Diego’s defensive coordinator for one season, then returned to Texas to coach the USFL’s Houston Gamblers.
When the USFL disbanded in 1987, Pardee became the coach at the University of Houston and brought along the fast-paced “Run-and-Shoot” offense that worked well with the Gamblers.
But the Cougars led the nation in total offense (624.9 yards per game) and passing offense (511 yards per game) in 1989, and quarterback Andre Ware became the first black quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy. Houston finished 9-2 and ranked No. 14 in the nation.
Pardee became the coach of the NFL’s Houston Oilers in 1990, and led the team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons.
HOCKEY
Damien Brunner ended his 15-game scoring drought and Jimmy Howard made a late save to help the host Detroit Red Wings hold off the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Monday night. Justin Abdelkader scored late in the first period, Danny Cleary put Detroit ahead by two at 6:28 of the second and Brunner had a one-timer a few minutes later. The Red Wings, coming off a 7-1 loss to Chicago, then allowed a 3-0 lead to turn into a one-goal game.
Carey Price made 18 saves in his 300th NHL game to lead the host Montreal Canadiens to a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Max Pacioretty scored twice and Andrei Markov and Jeff Halpern also scored for Montreal, which swept the season series against Carolina and remains undefeated in 10 games against the Southeast Division this season. Jordan Staal scored and Justin Peters stopped 25 shots for Carolina, which has just one win in its past nine games. The win gives Montreal a three-point lead over the idle Boston Bruins in the race for the Northeast Division title.
Frans Nielsen set up two early goals and Evgeni Nabokov made 24 saves and the New York Islanders continued their playoff push with a 3-1 victory over the host New Jersey Devils. Josh Bailey and Travis Hamonic were the beneficiaries of Nielsen’s passes and John Tavares added his 22nd goal of the season as the Islanders won for the fourth time in five games. New York’s only loss was a 2-0 setback to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the winners of 15 straight games.
The Pittsburgh Penguins went through their first practice Monday since learning that NHL scoring leader Sidney Crosby underwent surgery for a broken jaw that will keep him out of indefinitely. Winners of 15 consecutive games, two shy of the NHL record for longest winning streak, the Penguins insist they can keep rolling without the face of their franchise.
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