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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 2 7 life extended much further and deep- er than just being a football innovator — the man changed the way football was played not only in the Big Ten but across the land, at least in some small way. He was much more than the guy who made football fun and relevant again at Purdue, an impressive ac- complishment on its own, but made more so because it was accomplished in his early years without the benefit of spectacular facilities. It also came at a time when the athletic department needed it most. He led Purdue to just its second Rose Bowl ever. He nurtured a bond with Drew Brees that has been sus- tained for nearly two decades and has paid dividends impossible to quantify during that time. What was re-affirmed on my visit was this: Joe was rare because he was a good man to his core, but he was also able to live most of his life on his own terms. His passing reminded all of us to live life fully with the promise that if you do, you will have few, if any, regrets. In the interest of full disclosure, I did not have that close of a relationship with Tiller. It was nothing compared to his former players or many folks in the athletic department who he worked with during his dozen years as coach. He didn't stay at my home when he was back in Indiana like he often did with associate athletic director Tom Schott or radio analyst Pete Quinn. I would see him each time he came back to West Lafay- ette, usually when he was involved with the Tiller Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) or he was back for a Purdue game. When he was in Buffalo, the only time we talked was when I called, usually for a story I was work- ing on about some great feat his teams' achieved. But then we would talk. And as the years wore on, those conversations would get longer and longer. He wasn't al- ways happy about how things ended at Purdue for his foot- ball life, but each time I spoke with him, he had let go a little bit more of whatever disappointment there was. Defining someone's legacy is often a personal thing, in the eyes of the beholder to some extent. To me, Tiller's was so much like the rest of us, flawed and imperfect. And you could see those nicks right out there in the open. There was no pretense, no show. It was all just Tiller and it came out in sometimes grumpy, but mostly humorous tones. It was serendipitous to have the time to think during the nearly six-hour drive from the Denver airport to Buffalo. I also felt fortunate to share the ride with Jim Vruggink, who had worked closely with Tiller as part of the NFF and knew him better than I did. The 350-mile trip gave Jim and I time to share stories and we even took a side trip to Tiller's old stomping grounds at the University of Wyoming, where he served as head coach for the six years preceding his time at Purdue. It felt good, if not necessary, to touch base with Tiller's past in Laramie, even if the sum total of that experience was a trip to Memorial Stadium to see where he coached. But I could see why Tiller liked it. It was understated and simple. As our trip progressed, it was easy to understand why Tiller liked the Great Plains. It was a fit for who Tiller was. There was beauty in the distance with snow-capped moun- tains, but the countryside that immediately greeted you was simple and stark. There were few trees and lots of prai- Tom Campbell Tiller's relationship with tight end Tim Stratton was rocky during Stratton's playing days. Yet, it was Stratton that gave one of the more emotional eulogies at the Tiller life celebration.