For those who were expecting a high school football-related column, I apologize.

The fact is, I had every intention of using this space to detail the gridiron accomplishments of a hall of fame coach who was also a great guy.

Instead, I chose to make this a column about a great human being who just happened to be a hall of fame coach.

Sure, I could have filled up this entire space and then some detailing the on-field achievements of Tony Napolet. When a coach logs a 214-104-3 record that includes two state runner-ups, three regional championships, five state semifinals and a state championship, a lengthy football tribute almost writes itself.

However, when I heard the news last Saturday of Napolet’s passing, my initial remembrances of Nappy had little to do with his great achievements on the sidelines. In fact, my first thoughts were of the times I tried to get football-related information but failed.

There was the visit to the JFK coach’s office during a break from a two-a-day practice session. The goal was to gather information for a football preview.

Knowing Nappy’s free time was limited, I was prepared to ask as many questions about the Eagles as I could in the shortest amount of time possible.

Nearly an hour later, I left with a full stomach and an empty notebook. (The coach’s office spread at JFK was legendary, and Napolet was almost insulted if you turned down food.) Oh, there were plenty of questions being tossed about, but most of them came from Napolet, and nothing was football-related. We discussed everything from my family to his love of Italian food to Niles politics.

As I was leaving, I sheepishly told him that we would have to touch base once again, that I really had no information on his team.

“Come back tomorrow, we’re having spaghetti,” Napolet replied.

I once interviewed Napolet for a playoff preview. The first five minutes or so revolved around football. For the next 45 minutes, Napolet promised to say a prayer for my ailing mother, offered up a remedy for my flu (boiled homemade wine), and discussed in length my son and daughter, who he never met.

As we were saying our goodbyes, Napolet again urged me to boil some homemade wine, crawl into bed and forget about football. Orange juice would have to do, I told him, I didn’t have any wine at home.

The next morning, I woke up to a jug of Nappy’s finest sitting on my front porch.

Over the past week, area coaches have shared their thoughts on their former colleague, and they too have unanimously focused on Napolet’s influence beyond the gridiron. Perhaps more than any other area coach who has ever walked the sidelines, Napolet used football as a platform to teach a bigger lesson.

“Coach imparted four very important things in which he strongly believed to the players after every practice and game,” said former JFK assistant Rick Radich. “He told them to love God, love their family, love school and love football and do so in that order.”

Solon coach Jim McQuaide, who played for Napolet at Kennedy in the early 1970s, visited his former coach two weeks ago while Napolet was in the intensive care unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

“Here was a guy who had so many things to worry about, yet he was asking me about everyone else, he was only concerned about what was going on in my life,” McQuaide said.

Former Howland coach Dick Angle referred to Napolet as “an all-around great human being whose primary reason for coaching had nothing to do with victories.”

Southington coach Bill Bohren remembered a time when he was coaching at Boardman, and his school was hosting JFK for a playoff game.

“I happened to overhear Nappy’s pregame speech, and so help me, it was so inspirational that I wanted to put on a Kennedy uniform and run out on that field,” Bohren said.

Like his counterparts, Bohren said Napolet’s true greatness was displayed away from the gridiron.

“If you knew Nappy, he was a true friend, he would bend over backwards and give you the shirt off his back,” Bohren said.

“We live in an age where words such as icon and legend are used loosely when describing people. Well, Nappy was a true legend and icon.”

Indeed, Napolet’s record as a coach earned him hall of fame status both locally and statewide.

Nappy’s influence away from the football field made him a legend.

Contact Stever Ruman at The Vindicator at sports@vindy.com