TJ Mills

[Bullaholic]

I always wanted to know more about the coaching career of TJ Mills, and specifically about the Sealy years in the 90's. I know he was controversial, but he was also successful. The following article told a little more about his coaching career:

http://www.sealynews.com/news/article_f54737a2-0d0a-11e4-b7b1-001a4bcf887a.html

[OLE'BULL]

I always wanted to know more about the coaching career of TJ Mills, and specifically about the Sealy years in the 90's. I know he was controversial, but he was also successful. The following article told a little more about his coaching career:

http://www.sealynews.com/news/article_f54737a2-0d0a-11e4-b7b1-001a4bcf887a.html

Go to YouTube and start searching "Sealy Tiger football 1990's". Look around and there is a 3 or 4 part series on Sealy and their good runs. There are interviews with Mills and the players. It's pretty neat!

[griff]

I always wanted to know more about the coaching career of TJ Mills, and specifically about the Sealy years in the 90's. I know he was controversial, but he was also successful. The following article told a little more about his coaching career:

http://www.sealynews.com/news/article_f54737a2-0d0a-11e4-b7b1-001a4bcf887a.html

I don't recall anything controversial surrounding him. Can you explain that?

[Old Green]

I don't recall anything controversial surrounding him. Can you explain that?I forgot which year it was, a Game between Sealy and George West in Beeville got out a hand and there was a big brawl between players and fans from both schools. Supposedly both coaches didn't do anything to control the players. TJ was blamed for it though.

[Bullaholic]

I don't recall anything controversial surrounding him. Can you explain that?

That had to do with some of the heresay regarding his hard-charging coaching style, griff---nothing but something that I had heard. Perhaps my choice of words should have been, "I heard he was controversial" instead of "I know". That is why I wanted to know more about the man's coaching career from reliable insiders. Seems like he is never discussed very much when the Texas highschool coaching legends are a topic---again, that may just be my perspective. This thread is intended to be an informational request---not a shot at TJ Mills.

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

In 94, TJ Mills and former Port Isabel head coach Tony Villarreal nearly got into a fist fight with each other because Mills didn't like the fact he lost the coin flip to determine game location. Mills wanted the Astrodome but lost the flip. Sealy had to travel to Kingsville instead and Mills DID NOT like that.

[MJMbrahmas10]

A little controversy about lettin some players play, that had been arrested the day before.
Seems like he was a hell of a coach though and an all time great.

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

A little controversy about lettin some players play, that had been arrested the day before.
Seems like he was a hell of a coach though and an all time great.

I had heard this about TJ Mills too.

What were the UIL rules about this back then? Anyone recall?

[hookandladder]

Pretty bad excuse for La Grange coming to his home turf and beating their butt, pretty lame. Lol

[Scoop27]

Was that when Ty Gun or Gunn was QB for La Grange and they played in the Dome?

[ValleyCat]

In 94, TJ Mills and former Port Isabel head coach Tony Villarreal nearly got into a fist fight with each other because Mills didn't like the fact he lost the coin flip to determine game location. Mills wanted the Astrodome but lost the flip. Sealy had to travel to Kingsville instead and Mills DID NOT like that.

A fist fight? With Tony V? No way.

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

A fist fight? With Tony V? No way.

Yes way!

The PI & Sealy coaches met at the restaurant where the PI team was eating after the win over Bandera in the Quarterfinals. As the players started going back to the charter buses, I excused myself to the restroom first. After I finished my business in there, I come out and I hear Tony V. and TJ Mills screaming at each other with assistants from both staffs holding them back. They were doing coin flips for all sorts of things! Officiating crews, game location, who was home vs. who was away, etc. etc. Of course, what angered TJ Mills the most was the fact he lost the flip for game location, as he wanted PI to come all the way up to Rice Stadium or the Astrodome in Houston. TJ Mills got even angrier when Tony V. wanted PI to be the visiting team, as we had been wearing our away uniforms for the entirety of the playoffs and that had sort of become our good luck charm. But unfortunately, TJ Mills won that flip. But Tony V. won the flip to have the official crew from Corpus Christi for our game.

It was drama, that's for sure. And I'm shocked it didn't come to blows. It was close though.

[Txbroadcaster]

Yes way!

The PI & Sealy coaches met at the restaurant where the PI team was eating after the win over Bandera in the Quarterfinals. As the players started going back to the charter buses, I excused myself to the restroom first. After I finished my business in there, I come out and I hear Tony V. and TJ Mills screaming at each other with assistants from both staffs holding them back. They were doing coin flips for all sorts of things! Officiating crews, game location, who was home vs. who was away, etc. etc. Of course, what angered TJ Mills the most was the fact he lost the flip for game location, as he wanted PI to come all the way up to Rice Stadium or the Astrodome in Houston. TJ Mills got even angrier when Tony V. wanted PI to be the visiting team, as we had been wearing our away uniforms for the entirety of the playoffs and that had sort of become our good luck charm. But unfortunately, TJ Mills won that flip. But Tony V. won the flip to have the official crew from Corpus Christi for our game.

It was drama, that's for sure. And I'm shocked it didn't come to blows. It was close though.

Coaches back then preferred to be away team because at that time home team had to deal with programs and all that jazz. Now MOST stadiums take care of it for everyone as part of the why you should play game at our place.

[Weebe]

Heard he was a complete dick. But a lot of the good ones are.

[PappaFeelGood]

Heard he was a complete dick. But a lot of the good ones are.

That would probably sum it up. My personal experience was off the football field and on the golf course. He was/is a complete dick. Even some Sealy citizens made similar remarks that day.

[957tiger]

I've known TJ Mills for 20+ years. He was and still is a great coach. The fact he took his teams to five state championships and won four is often overlooked by his intensity as a coach. The great ones from his era all had the same passion and drive. I know when he walked into a room full of his peers he was both respected and disliked because of his success. Was it jealousy or envy, pick one. His ability to take average players and turn them into exceptional players was one of his many talents. There may be a few players out there who didnt like him, but from what I saw there are more who loved him as much as he loved them. He is still their coach even after all these years. Was he gruff and demanding, yep he was. Was he also caring and understanding, yep he was that too. Problem was he was to smart for his own good. He was a student and master of the game. He also knew the rule book. In some cases better than the officials and they never liked being reminded they made a mistake. Which he would often point out. Remember the secene from Friday Night Lights when the coaches were deciding on location and officials. That scene was very realistic in regards to that type of event in it's intensity. As for his activities off the field he also cared about kids with special needs, still does to this day.

He is very involved in the YMCA and serves on serval boards in the community. He was one of the original broadcasters on the Sealy Tiger Sports Network. Listening to him on game nights was like being in college and it was Football 101. His knowledge of the game and ability to figure out the opposing teams plays and schemes from the huddle was both amazing and fun as he was seldom wrong. He "retired" from broadcasting several years ago. i think it was partly due to his high expectations of Sealy Tiger Football. It made it hard to be both supportive and objective. I know he would give John Madden a run for his money in describing the game and the players. If you see TJ today he will shake your hand and give you a smile. Ask him a football question he will give you times, places and details as if it happened yesterday. By the way he was recently inducted into the Texas HS Coaches Hall of Honor. It took him a while to get there, but well deserved.