O.A. “Bum” Phillips
Born: 9/29/23
Died: 10/18/13
Rest in Peace
His legal name was Oail Andrew Phillips, but his real name was “Bum”.
Bum. – Bum Phillips. – He just turned 90 years old on September 29, 2013. This humble native of Orange, Texas died yesterday in Goliad. That date was October 18, 2013.His son, Wade Phillips, posted the announcement of his father’s passing on Twitter, with the note: “He was a good dad, a good coach, and a good Christian.”
“Bum” was how we knew him, but “bum” was also the last thing he was in our eyes – or in actuality. Bum coached and he cared about his work in a way that went far beyond the normal call to long hours that most, if not all football coaches must put in. He really cared about his players, the fans, and people in general – and he felt very deeply the pain of disappointed Houston supporters. . And, years ago, when he couldn’t open doors for his Houston Oilers and their fans that locked away the Super Bowl berth in games that the Oilers lost in Pittsburgh in 1978 and 1979, Bum gave us this immortal line: “”Last year we knocked on the door. This year we beat on it. Next year we’re going to kick the son of a bitch in.”
Bum never got that chance in Pittsburgh. After losing in the playoffs to Oakland in 1980, Oilers owner Bud Adams simply made one of the biggest mistakes of his error-plagued life as a team owner. Adams fired Bum Phillips, ending his six-year run as Head Coach of the Houston Oilers from 1975 through 1980. Phillips had many other coaching jobs on the way up at the high school, college, and NFL assistant coaches’ level – and he also went on from Houston for a good run as Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1980 through the first 12 games of the 1985 season. He quit after coaching the team through the greater part of the 1985 regular season because it was simply time to go. After New Orleans, Bum worked for a while as a radio and television football color analyst and then retired to his ranch in Goliad, Texas to raise horses and just watch football for the rest of his ride through life.
Bum Phillips was a defensive coach and his apples didn’t fall far from the tree. His only son, Wade Phillips, played defense for the University of Houston and went on to become a head coach in the NFL several times over on his way to becoming the defensive coach of the Houston Texans.
In his own time, Bum Phillips served as an assistant to some great ones at the collegiate level too. He worked for Bear Bryant at Texas A&M, Bill Yeoman at Houston, and Hayden Fry at SMU.
Bum had a way of expressing the truth that eliminated all the “yes, buts” that some people always use for the sake of establishing how right they always are. My favorite example concerns one of the choice things he once said about running back Earl Campbell. When asked if Earl Campbell was in a class by himself, Bum Phillips answered this way: “”I don’t know if he’s in a class by himself, but I do know that when that class gets together, it sure don’t take long to call the roll.”
God Bless You, Bum! Once again, there were no silly follow-up comments or ego-extensions from those who need the attention of every spotlight, even when the lights aren’t turned on in their behalf.
At the time of his death yesterday, Bum was still campaigning for funds to back the establishment of a school for deaf children at his Goliad ranch. Bum cared about people, especially kids – and we shall only hope that someone else close to this effort will pick up the torch in behalf of this last act of genuine love that was still flowing through the veins of this good man at the time of his passing.
Bum is survived by his wife, Debbie, his son, Wade and five daughters by his first marriage and nearly two dozen grandchildren.
Houston now has to mourn and say goodbye to one of its true sports icons in the next few days, but we get to keep his memory and all the love he brought into our daily lives by just walking around and breathing the air as Bum Phillips. His acts of great accomplishment and kindness were simply bonuses that also flowed naturally from the heart, mind, soul and spirit of an eloquently plain-speaking, good and decent human being.
Rest in Peace, Bum. We love you too.
The Pecan Park Eagle 
October 19, 2013 at 5:10 pm |
My memories of Bum Phillips are from my first semester at UH living in Baldwin House in the fall of 1965. He was a defensive coach for the Cougars and his son, Wade, was on the freshman team. My thoughts will be with Wade tomorrow in Kansas City, doing his job as his father would have wanted. Maybe Case Keenum can win one for Bum.