By Tod Palmer, Contributing writer
Excelsior Springs, Mo. - Rain interrupted the Gregg Williams Tigers Classic, an annual golf benefit fundraiser the former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator has put on eight years in a row in his hometown.
It was fitting in a way that the booming thunder and crackling lightning delayed the Gregg Williams Foundation's signature event for an hour Friday morning, considering that its namesake finds his career in a holding pattern as well.
Once famous merely as the architect of aggressive and feared 4-3 defenses, Williams, who will turn 54 on Sunday, was suspended indefinitely March 21 by the NFL for his role as architect of the Saints' bounty scandal.
Since NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell barred Williams, who had left the Saints to join Jeff Fisher's staff in St. Louis, he hadn't made any public appearances.
That changed Friday, but Williams declined an interview request.
"I want to keep the focus on the kids," he said, referring to those who will benefit from the money raised with the golf tournament.
Before walking away, however, he said he "will coach again" in the NFL but offered no specifics and indicated he hadn't talked with Goodell.
And Williams has plenty of supporters on his side.
"Absolutely, he's too good a coach and too good a person to deny him that," former NFL All-Pro Clyde Simmons said of the chance to return to the NFL. "There's a lot of stuff out there that's hearsay, but when it boils down to it Gregg would never do anything to purposely harm anyone."
Williams, who graduated from Excelsior Springs High School in 1976, has been at the center of a firestorm, which also has forced Saints Coach Sean Payton and linebacker Jonathan Vilma to the sideline for the 2012 season.
The NFL alleges that Williams, the former Bills head coach who won a Super Bowl with New Orleans, and other members of the Saints' coaching staff offered money for knocking players out of games, including Vikings quarterback Brett Favre in the 2009 NFC championship game.
But the image of Williams - especially the Williams that drew widespread criticism for imploring Saints players to target specific 49ers during a January playoff game - doesn't compute with the standing he enjoys back home.
"I've known Gregg Williams forever and he hasn't changed," said Jack Talley, a childhood friend and member of the Gregg Williams Foundation board of directors. "When it came time to make a decision (about this tournament), we were on the normal timeframe and he said, 'OK, let's go. We will make sure we support the kids.' It was the status quo."
Williams' foundation, which was founded in December 2004, is expected to surpass $1 million raised since its inception with Friday's golf event.
The money raised stays in Excelsior Springs with nearly $600,000 donated for projects - iPads for a local elementary school, Fourth of July fireworks exhibits, a trip to Scotland for the high school's theater troupe for an acting festival, etc. - primarily in the school system but also for the community at-large.
"Anything to benefit kids," said Tray Harkins, who is the director of the Gregg Williams Foundation.
Far from being destroyed by the charges against him, Williams, by all accounts, is enjoying a break from football after 32 seasons.
"He's spent a lot of time with family and a lot of time with friends," Talley said. "He's caught up on and really been a dad. He hasn't had a chance to be a dad for years, so he's taking full advantage.
"But Gregg's still Gregg. I met him in ninth grade and our families are really close. We socialize and vacation. Our kids call each other cousins and we're uncles and aunts. We're that close. And I believe there is good in everything. He is refreshed and re-energized. When it happens, it happens and he'll be rocking and rolling."
For the time being, however, Williams has chosen to lay low in hopes the stinging allegations will blow over like Friday morning's storm.
"I'm here to support Gregg and what he's doing in the community," said Steve Jackson, who played for Williams with the Titans and coached on his staffs in Buffalo and Washington. "He does not deserve this. You can see all the things he's doing for the community. The stuff going on is unfortunate, but he does so many good things that don't get talked about.
"But he's handling it the way Gregg does - strong, stern and being the leader that he is. He's handling it as best he can."
Source: http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/07/gregg_williams_says_i_will_coa.html
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