George O'Leary turned 70 years old earlier this week and for the first time in 48 years he was actually home to celebrate his birthday.
When his wife Sharon asked him what he wanted to do to commemorate the occasion, the former UCF football coach cracked in his own comically, curmudgeonly way: "Come up with a way to spend the next 48 years not being home on my birthday."
O'Leary laughs like a man who seems to be enjoying retirement after nearly a half-century of prowling the sidelines at every level from preps to pros. During those five decades, he never took any real time to commemorate birthdays or holidays.