Opinions vary, as do the ways of reaching a conclusion to the
intriguingly lighthearted debate.
Posted an interesting poll on our website gilroydispatch.com last week: Who is the bigger Gilroy icon, quarterback Jeff Garcia or boxer Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero?
The votes and support for the two Gilroy natives have been steadily pouring in since last Friday. As of writing this column – Thursday at 4:50 p.m. Garcia has a slight edge, 53 percent to 47 percent with a total of 380 votes counted.
I tweeted the question (follow me twitter.com/theWeaveGilroy) to my followers and received a notable response from Chuck Donohue, a Gavilan College alum who played football under the great Bob Garcia in 1989-90. He is currently the athletic director at Southern Regional High School in New Jersey.
He cast his vote with Jeff Garcia, writing, “Big fan of the ghost but Jeff is a leader of men!”
Opinions vary, as do the ways of reaching a conclusion to the intriguingly lighthearted debate.
If the question was posed differently: Who is the bigger Gilroy icon right now? The answer is five-time world champion Guerrero.
I took a walk around Downtown Gilroy and talked with a few passersby.
One man, who didn’t feel it necessary to put his name in the paper, said Guerrero is probably more of a figure now, but leaned toward Garcia in the long run.
“Jeff’s been there, done that,” he said. “It could be a generational thing, too.”
Another way to put it: Which athlete is more synonymous overall with Gilroy? I think the nod would go to four-time Pro Bowler Garcia.
“They are both really famous,” Miguel Orozco, 16, said after taking a moment to confer with his buddy.
After a pause, the Gilroy High student answered, “probably Garcia. People have known him for a while. Robert Guerrero’s like the new kid. He’ll be up there eventually.”
But let’s go to the tape to see how this one plays out.
The Garcia family is clearly one of the more influential of the Garlic Capital. Bobby’s success as head coach at Gavilan garnered national recognition. Jeff’s underdog-esque rise to the NFL ranks as one of the top feel-good career stories. And, Garcia played for his “hometown” team, the San Francisco 49ers, treating Gilroyans to five seasons (1999-03) of nearby football. Point, Garcia.
Not so fast. The city just threw a party – Robert Guerrero Day – on May 15. Point, Ghost.
Each packs a loaded resume with unyielding accolades. One point apiece.
Both are unwavering in their generosity toward charity, rarely shrugging off an opportunity to give back to the community.
The philanthropists have spearheaded charitable events and foundations that have generated tens of thousands of donated dollars. There’s too many to name, but I need not forget to mention the gift of Garcia-Elder Sports Complex to Gilroy High and Guerrero’s 2010 Man of the Year campaign, which raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Point, Garcia and Guerrero.
When identifying with Gilroy, neither misses chances to put out a plug for their quaint stomping grounds. Pride in place. But Guerrero could bolt for Southern California or set up shop in Vegas but instead has stayed right here. And because of that, point, Guerrero.
There is that generational issue as well. Garcia set the groundwork and reigned as Garlic King for much of the ’90s and early 2000s.
Guerrero is laying out the next level – almost an heir to the throne. His HBO main event fight on Aug. 27 against Marcos Maidana in San Jose, where a sixth world title is possible, will show just how popular the southpaw has become. But Garcia has longevity on his side – 20-years worth. Guerrero, though he has been boxing since he was a teenager, has only arrived on the national stage in the last four years or so. By name recognition alone, point, Garcia.
I’ve spoken at length with both and each allowed access into their personal lives far beyond the typical media-appeasing quotes and cliche sound bytes. Both men love their families more than their profession and have acted that out in their own ways.
Garcia, as a member of the United Football League’s Omaha Nighthawks last season, flew back and forth in between games from Nebraska to San Diego so he could help wife Carmella with their newborn son.
Guerrero’s wife Casey’s much-publicized battle with leukemia and life-saving bone marrow transplant had Guerrero prioritizing, putting his family in front of fighting. Infinity points, Garcia and Guerrero.
Going to the card, the judge – me – has it as Garcia by points in a very close decision. Though, that may change in the next year or so as Guerrero ascends to boxing’s best-of pound-for-pound list.
Beside, there really isn’t a right or wrong answer, or a winner or loser in this night-at-the-bar topic. Gilroy is privileged to have them both.
