Every Sunday the childhood friends of Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians come to Brewvino in downtown York to cheer the man they grew up with, who is now leading the team with the best record in the NFL. One friend said, “Bruce is a genuine fella.” Another friend, John Folk, who played baseball with Arians, said, “He’s never changed. He’s a straight shooter, remembers where he came from. That’s why the players love him.”
Cliff Gordon graduated from William Penn High School in York with Arians and they keep in touch regularly. He said one of the coolest parts of Arians' career is that he was the first NFL coach to work with Peyton Manning when he was drafted by the colts. "Peyton Manning is one of his great, great friends along with Ben Roethlisberger. And he had the pleasure of starting with Andrew Luck. It doesn't get any better than that," said Gordon.
All his friends and former teammates said the same thing, that he's a genuine guy who stays humble. They also agree, despite all his success, including two Superbowl victories with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he could have done even more if it weren't for one aspect of his personality. "He wouldn't kiss butt. It's just the way he is. He's a straight shooter, this is the way it's going to be. If you don't like me take it or leave it. It took him till he was 60 years old to get a head coaching job, now everybody's seeing what they missed," said Folk.
The crowd stayed till the very end of Sunday's game against the Lions to see Arians score yet another win. The boy from York may be a Cardinal, but he's got his home town in his heart.
