As the NFL and the NFLPA* move toward a possible labor deal, two of the league’s 32 head coaches may miss out on some of the action because they’re heading overseas to visit the troops.
It’s the third year of the NFL-USO tour, and this time around Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and Texans coach Gary Kubiak will make the trek to visit U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf. They’ll be joined by both Jim Moras, father and son.
Per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, the coaches will leave in late June and they’ll return after July 4. For security reasons, no other details are being released.
“We have the opportunity to pursue our passion in the greatest country in the world and that’s a freedom that we don’t take for granted,” said Whisenhunt, whose father, brother, and father-in-law served in the Air Force, which until last weekend we didn’t realize also owned and operated a cross-country train.
In the first two years of NFL-USO coaches tour, Brad Childress, Tom Coughlin, Bill Cowher, Jeff Fisher, John Fox, Jon Gruden, John Harbaugh, Marvin Lewis, and Andy Reid donated their time to the cause.
Kudos to the men who have done it before, and to the men who are doing it now. It’s even more of a sacrifice this year, given that Whisenhunt and Kubiak could be missing out on some critical planning for the post-lockout period.
