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Kosar among football celebrities at Mooney’s Canp of Champions
Former Boardman, NFL QB Kosar speaks at Mooney camp
By Gary Housteau
YOUNGSTOWN
His allegiance to northeast Ohio, the city of Cleveland, the Browns and Cardinal Mooney’s Camp of Champions is unwavering.
Former Boardman Spartans and Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar was back home in Youngstown speaking to about 150 young campers in grades 3 to 8 at Cardinal Mooney on Friday, just like he does every year.
“I’m from Youngstown and there’s the Boardman-Mooney thing but the Stoops [brothers], what they do, the great Don Bucci, this is the Mecca of football,” said Kosar when asked why he comes to this event every year. “When we were kids, [football] was our way of doing things. Like I said to the kids, when the mills closed what were our choices? It was playing football. And it’s great to see so many of the people [from here] doing so good right now in different areas of the sporting world.”
Also appearing Friday during the first day of the camp were Youngstown State head coach Bo Pelini, YSU assistant Ron Stoops and Waynesburg head coach Rick Shepas. All are Mooney graduates.
Kosar’s star power still burns bright in Cleveland, where recently attended the parade downtown to celebrate the Cavaliers’ NBA championship.
“It was a long parade, I’ll say that,” quipped Kosar. “I’m biased, of course, but since the Cavs were down three games to two, the Indians haven’t lost and the Cavs haven’t lost. How much fun is that? Football is coming up, we got a lot of picks, obviously we won’t know until they put the pads on if it works out. But between the Cavaliers and now the Indians, it’s so much fun. I feel like I’m 17 again.”
Kosar also is excited to see how the Browns will do under their new regime.
“Pep Hamilton, Hue Jackson, Ray Horton, I’m big fans of,” Kosar said. “I used to say this about quarterbacks, ‘We are victims or beneficiaries of the guys around us.’ It’s very similar to coaches, you’re victims or beneficiaries of the players around you. So with 14 picks, if half of them work out, life is going to be fun. If they don’t, life’s not going to be fun. But these are good coaches, this is a good system, and now players need to be players.”
Kosar is also a fan of Robert Griffin III.
“I’ve just got to talk to him once or twice, he was a super nice kid, super respectful,” Kosar said. “I’m looking forward to, when he comes back in town, hanging out with him and looking at some film with him.”
According to Kosar, Griffin has the right guys around him to become successful once again.
“With Hue Jackson and Pep Hamilton, remember Pep Hamilton was Andrew Luck’s offensive coordinator his first year when he had that great year, so there’s some real good offensive minds on the team,” Kosar said. “So I think he has a chance to do a good job. He’s committed, he’s super respectful and I think with Josh McCown, the way he does timing and throws the ball is a dying art, I think that will help RGIII, that will help Cody Kessler throw the football. Seeing a Josh McCown, even though he’s [up in age], throw the ball with beautiful timing and beautiful anticipation is something that I think will add to their games.”
Kosar, on the other hand, had absolutely nothing to say about Johnny Manziel.
“I never talked to him. He never talked to me. He never returned my call,” Kosar said. “I never talked to him so I can’t talk about him.”
Other than the fact that he walks with a little hitch and he can’t extend his right elbow straight out, life is pretty good for Kosar these days.
“I have my farm in Mantua and I’m Eddie Albert from ‘Green Acres,’ ” Kosar said. “I don’t know what I’m doing but I got all these toys, big old tractors and stuff, and I’m enjoying life. And keeping boys away from my daughters.”
He’s a man with no regrets.
“None at all. I love it,” said Kosar, who last played for the Browns in 1993. “Being a Brown, being from here, just being able to play the game. I got to play a couple years at UM, in the Orange Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. In my first five years in the league here in Cleveland, I’m one of only a few quarterbacks to be in the playoffs every year. The Super Bowl ring [with Dallas] ... those are memories that will last a lifetime.”