Freebird!

Leonard Skinner has passed away. Yes I spelled that right. The man who's namesake became synonymous with the legendary southern rock band is no longer with us sadly.

Anyone who's ever been a fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd knows the story of how their name came to be, but what I never knew was to what extent the coach befriended the band after they openly mocked him. Apparently Leonard took it all in good humor and allowed them to use one of his reality signs in an album's cover art, introduced them at a concert in Jacksonville, and had them play a bar he once owned.

He took his infamy in stride and sounded like he made some great friends because of his enforcement of a school policy against long hair on men. Although it seems he was uncomfortable being forever linked with the band he rolled with it and became a rock legend. Good for him I say. May he rest in peace.

"It was against the school rules. I don't particularly like long hair on men, but again, it wasn't my rule." - Leonard Skinner