Gary Gaines, the Texas high school football coach featured in Buzz Bissinger’s 1990 nonfiction book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream and portrayed in the 2004 film version by Billy Bob Thornton, died Monday in Lubbock, Texas, of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 73.
His death was announced by his family to the Associated Press.
Bissinger spent the 1988 football season with the Odessa Permian High School team to chronicle the phenomenon of Texas football culture. The book was a warts-and-all account of the season, depicting racism, educational inequalities and what would come to be known as toxic masculinity. Gaines, though being depicted as the book’s hero, later disavowed it, saying he felt betrayed by Bissinger’s depiction of Texans as racist.
The bestseller was made into the 2004 movie Friday Night Lights starring Thornton as Gaines. NBC’s 2006-2011 TV series of the same name was a more loosely-based fictionalized account,...
His death was announced by his family to the Associated Press.
Bissinger spent the 1988 football season with the Odessa Permian High School team to chronicle the phenomenon of Texas football culture. The book was a warts-and-all account of the season, depicting racism, educational inequalities and what would come to be known as toxic masculinity. Gaines, though being depicted as the book’s hero, later disavowed it, saying he felt betrayed by Bissinger’s depiction of Texans as racist.
The bestseller was made into the 2004 movie Friday Night Lights starring Thornton as Gaines. NBC’s 2006-2011 TV series of the same name was a more loosely-based fictionalized account,...
- 8/23/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Gary Gaines, football coach for the Texas high school team made famous by Buzz Bissinger’s 1990 book “Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream” and the 2004 film adaptation, died Monday. He was 73.
Gaines’ family confirmed his death after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease in a statement to the Associated Press.
The coach was best known for his highly-publicized run as head coach of Odessa Permian high shcool football team. The 1988 team was the subject of Bissinger’s best-selling book, which exposed systemic issues in the school district’s attempt to balance football and academics, while also revealing racially charged attitudes from members of the coaching staff.
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Nielsen to Measure Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Thursday Night Football’
Gaines had previously told the AP that he had never read the book and did not like how Bissinger conveyed certain elements of the team.
“I said,...
Gaines’ family confirmed his death after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease in a statement to the Associated Press.
The coach was best known for his highly-publicized run as head coach of Odessa Permian high shcool football team. The 1988 team was the subject of Bissinger’s best-selling book, which exposed systemic issues in the school district’s attempt to balance football and academics, while also revealing racially charged attitudes from members of the coaching staff.
Also Read:
Nielsen to Measure Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Thursday Night Football’
Gaines had previously told the AP that he had never read the book and did not like how Bissinger conveyed certain elements of the team.
“I said,...
- 8/23/2022
- by Brandon Katz
- The Wrap
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” mocked the Supreme Court on Wednesday night in what has become the lay-up shot of the late-night lineup.
In the latest edition of “Late Show” fake news alerts, Billy Bob Thornton’s Coach Gaines of “Friday Night Lights” fame appeared as an acid-pushing guru who has found the light. But with the separation of church and state no longer in the way, Gaines now hopes to help his players see it, too.
The segment began by borrowing a clip from “CBS Evening News,” with host Norah O’Donnell breaking down Monday’s ruling from the Supreme Court in which they voted 6-3 in favor of a Washington state high school football coach who was fired for conducting postgame prayers on the 50-yard line.
Also Read:
‘The View’ Host Joy Behar Says Supreme Court Wants a Theocracy: ‘Don’t Know the Difference Between Church and State...
In the latest edition of “Late Show” fake news alerts, Billy Bob Thornton’s Coach Gaines of “Friday Night Lights” fame appeared as an acid-pushing guru who has found the light. But with the separation of church and state no longer in the way, Gaines now hopes to help his players see it, too.
The segment began by borrowing a clip from “CBS Evening News,” with host Norah O’Donnell breaking down Monday’s ruling from the Supreme Court in which they voted 6-3 in favor of a Washington state high school football coach who was fired for conducting postgame prayers on the 50-yard line.
Also Read:
‘The View’ Host Joy Behar Says Supreme Court Wants a Theocracy: ‘Don’t Know the Difference Between Church and State...
- 6/30/2022
- by Jeremy Bailey
- The Wrap
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