Richmond coach London finds life offers bigger victories

By John O'Connor

Richmond Times-Dispatch

RICHMOND

Now, the country discovers Mike London. Learns he was a Richmond detective in the street-crimes unit. Learns he was the bone marrow donor six years ago for his daughter Ticynn, who required a transplant to overcome a genetic disorder. Learns his theory that relationships are more important to winning than all else.

Learns he has defeated The Shadow.

The Shadow didn't speak. Didn't have to. Take a look at the University of Richmond football operation heading into this season. The Spiders returned 16 starters from the team that reached the Division I-AA semifinals.

Coach Dave Clawson moved to Tennessee as offensive coordinator, but he brought this group of players to Richmond. London was hired by his alma mater in January and retained six of Clawson's assistants.

The Shadow hung around all year, seeing if London could distinguish himself.

The Shadow disappeared after UR's 21-20 win Saturday at Northern Iowa in the Division I-AA semifinals. The Spiders will play for the title for the first time in school history Friday, against Montana in Chattanooga, Tenn., and London says, "I just hope I did a little bit of something to keep this thing going."

So many times, in so many words, London has delivered a comparable message: Give the credit to the Spiders. Give it to UR's assistant coaches. Heck, give it to Clawson. Let's just maintain progress.

"I'll let the media and other people decide who gets the credit," London said. "I'm not worried about who gets the credit."

Ask his players, his peers. London knows this sport, they'll tell you, but that's not what they emphasize. They first recognize him as a quality guy.

From William and Mary coach Jimmye Laycock, for whom London worked 1990-93: "No question he has a great understanding of football. But the thing I remember the most, and I've certainly followed him and stayed close with him over the years, is what a good person he is. If you're a very, very good person, you treat people right, you do things the right way, you're going to achieve success, and I think that's what's happened with Mike."

From UR defensive end Lawrence Sidbury: "Sometimes we talk and we're not even talking about football. You don't find that a lot of times in a player-coach relationship."

London appreciates such evaluations. He's a people person who doesn't mind offering himself as a mentor. London sells UR and London, and, by all accounts, business (recruiting) is going very, very well.

"The biggest thing probably that I've gotten out of football is the personal relationships that you need to have with individuals, players and people," London said. "If people feel you have their best interest at heart, then they'll go the distance for you.

"The X-and-O part of it, you hire good coaches to do what they do."

It's probably too soon for London to appear on lists of candidates, but it won't be long now that The Shadow is gone.