# Pouring gatorade on the coach origins **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pouring-gatorade-on-the-coach-origins/341215 "2006-01-23T05:20:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jetsdonwankey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@Jetsdonwankey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jetsdonwankey)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pouring-gatorade-on-the-coach-origins/341215/21 "2006-01-24T06:38:22Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > They _popularized it_. See the link in your post #16. > > If you go back and read my statement, the tradition was born in October of 1984. With Parcells as the recipient. It is a great tradition and I am happy Parcells started with it. I just wish he had more gatorade poured on him when he coached the Jets ☹ ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pouring-gatorade-on-the-coach-origins/341215/22 "2006-01-24T18:41:43Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Not one clue as to where or when or to whom it started, but every time I see a coach getting doused I expect the coach to have a heart attack and drop dead. > > I wonder if it will take such an occurrence before they get smart about that sort of thing. Especially to older coaches and especially in really cold weather. There is at least one elderly college coach who died of pneumonia not long after a winter victory (bowl game, perhaps?) that ended with him being doused … I don’t know if it was ever definitively established the role that this played in his illness, but I can’t imagine it was beneficial. I’ll see if I can find a reference. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pouring-gatorade-on-the-coach-origins/341215/23 "2006-01-24T19:31:16Z")
> [@SCSimmons](#): > > There is at least one elderly college coach who died of pneumonia not long after a winter victory (bowl game, perhaps?) that ended with him being doused … I don’t know if it was ever definitively established the role that this played in his illness, but I can’t imagine it was beneficial. I’ll see if I can find a reference. In fact, it was George Allen when he coached at Long Beach State. He died a few weeks after beating UNLV and being doused with ice water - although there never has been a direct link found between the dousing and the death, Allen said he was never completely healthy after getting soaked. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pouring-gatorade-on-the-coach-origins/341215/24 "2006-01-24T21:53:18Z")
I notice that they didn’t douse Mike Holmgren after the Seahawks won the NFC championship, much to the disappointment of the Fox announcers. Maybe that is a sign that this worn-out “tradition” is coming to an end. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pouring-gatorade-on-the-coach-origins/341215/25 "2006-01-24T22:00:11Z")
Could these jerks take a break from fame and fortune and GROW THE FUCK UP? My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. WHY is this done? So you can continue to look like a frat boy well into adulthood? Mr. K said if he was a coach, he’d let the team know in no uncertain terms that they’d be looking for work if they doused him. It’s right down there with cramming wedding cake into the bride or groom’s face. What the fuck!!?? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pouring-gatorade-on-the-coach-origins/341215/26 "2006-01-25T03:58:24Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > In fact, it was George Allen when he coached at Long Beach State. He died a few weeks after beating UNLV and being doused with ice water - although there never has been a direct link found between the dousing and the death, Allen said he was never completely healthy after getting soaked. From a 1991 article on the issue: > [@](#): > > Preliminary results from a private autopsy show that famed football coach George Allen died from a heart spasm brought on by arrhythmia, and that his death was not connected to an ice-water dousing he received Nov. 17 after his… > > His son released the statement and said it showed that it had nothing to do with pneumonia or a previous illness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pouring-gatorade-on-the-coach-origins/341215.md?page=1)