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The original Golden Bear's retirement topped 2007

By: JEFF SANDERS - Staff Writer | Monday, December 31, 2007 11:29 PM PST ∞

The Californian's 2007 local story of the year played out more like a novella 23 seasons in the making.

During that time, Temecula Valley head football coach Bud Kane ---- the only one in the program's history ---- guided the Golden Bears to back-to-back CIF Southern Sections in 1990 and 1991, while compiling an overall record of 174-85-1 as the Valley's longest-tenured coach. Then, with one week left in the 2007 campaign, Kane announced to his team that he was walking away from the program he built from the ground up.

"There have been a lot of great memories," Kane said moments after his finale against Chaparral on Nov. 9. "It has been an emotional week, just thinking about all the great games and great wins."

Letters and blogs flooded The Californian's Web site once Kane's retirement became public, all personal anecdotes about those great games and lessons that proved much greater. When Temecula Valley played host to cross-town rival Chaparral for that finale, dozens of Kane's former pupils lined the sidelines.

Ronnie Long, the standout who led the Bears to that first section title, showed up, as did former quarterbacks Mike Maxwell, Ronnie Hill and Kane's own son, Ryan, who opted out of his senior football season to concentrate on a wrestling season that culminated in a scholarship to Northwestern.

Dad, of course, understood the decision.

"He's one of the most understanding people you're ever going to meet," Ryan said that November night. "He took it better than probably any of my friends or any of my teammates. It was harder to tell them."

Kane hugged his former players after a game that was a victory shy of a storybook ending for a football coaching career that helped establish the region as a player in Southern Section football. The area had two major public schools when Kane hopped from Elsinore to Temecula Valley and it will have 14 come 2009. Kane's career as an educator, though, will continue as both a teacher and a softball coach at Temecula Valley.

"Did we actually just lose the game tonight," Kane said that night. "I mean, it doesn't feel like we lost ---- and I hate losing."

He added: "Ultimately, down the road, the wins and losses are insignificant. It's about the relationships."

Contact staff writer Jeff Sanders at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2629, or jsanders@californian.com.