It was nice to see Florida State's Jimbo Fisher and Rick Trickett visit Clay County High School this past Wednesday.
You could see the smiles on the faces of the Panther football players, who have all felt the effects of the recent flooding.
Yet I wondered if they really understood the significance of the third guest: Alabama representative and West Virginia native Joe Pendry.
I know at least one speaker didn't - because he called the man Joe Petry.
Within the world of football, however, Pendry is very well known. He's seen it all.
"Some of it twice," he said with a laugh. "I've been very fortunate."
Pendry actually retired from on-field coaching in 2011 after four seasons as the Crimson Tide's offensive line coach. Yet he remains a trusted - and well-paid - confidante of head coach Nick Saban, another West Virginia native. Reports say even though Pendry isn't listed as one of the 32 football staffers on the Alabama athletics website, he was still paid over $160,000 last year.
"I've been fortunate," Pendry said. "I sure have."
Trusted, however, may be a better word than fortunate. And for good reason. Pendry is considered one of the finest offensive minds of the last 40 years.
"I got to coach in college and the NFL for a long time," he said. "I've really enjoyed it. I've ended up at Alabama for the last 10 years. I coached the first four or five there and now I'm kind of a consultant/NFL liaison. I'm still involved in the program every day. I've been very fortunate. It's been good for me."
As well as for Saban. These days, Pendry is called the "grandfather" of the Alabama staff. He's been called an "extension of Saban" who still attends offensive meetings.
"He really was like a fly on the wall in those meetings," Fresno State offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau, who was an analyst with Alabama last season, told Al.com recently. "Sometimes he wouldn't say a word, but he's always in the meetings and always sitting back there listening. And if something came up, he would give his input. He was never saying, 'It's got to be this way.' He would just give his input and then let the offensive staff make whatever decision they wanted to go with.
"And I will say this too: If you ever started to deter away from Alabama football or get away from how Alabama does it, he'd always remind you, 'Hey guys, this is what we've done forever. We've won national championships. We've won SEC championships. Let's not get off track.' "
So call Pendry an overseer. Yet one that started right here in Almost Heaven, specifically Oceana.
"Wyoming County is where I'm from originally," Pendry said. "I played at West Virginia and coached there through the 1970s. I worked for Bobby Bowden. He was the offensive coordinator when I played and then he got the head job. I was a grad assistant and then coach. I coached for Frank Cignetti for a couple years.
"Then I went to Pitt, Michigan State, USFL and NFL for 20-some years and then went back to Alabama with Nick."
Quite a resume, right? Well, add that at Pitt he coached Dan Marino for a year. And that he's been an offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (1985), Kansas City Chiefs (1989-92), Carolina Panthers (1995-97), Buffalo Bills (1998-2000) and Houston Texans (2005).
Starting to get a grasp on the man? He was the Josh McDaniels, Norv Turner and Hue Jackson of his time in the NFL.
"The best thing about the NFL is the players," Pendry said. "Contrary to what people think, they are great guys to coach. They happen to make a lot of money. ... It's a business. They have pride in their performance and they want to win. That's what I remember about the NFL."
Pendry is obviously highly regarded. Perhaps, though, a reason is how he sees those days of yore in the NFL. Yes, it was a job. But it was also a great classroom.
"You don't recruit," he said. "You don't do anything but coach football. It gave me an opportunity to learn a lot of football."
Bouncing ideas off Saban, of course, never hurt.
"Nick and I have been friends since the 1960s," Pendry said. "We've known each other - went to West Virginia a little bit together. Just been friends through the years and I went down [to Alabama] with him.
"He just knows what he's doing. He knows how to recruit. He knows how to evaluate. He knows how to motivate and how to get the young men as good as they can be in the classroom, as people, and as players."
Pendry said he gets back to Beckley, home of his wife Sandra, often. This past week, however, he was in Pocahontas County with Trickett and others.
"We all went up for the week at Ike Morris' place, a West Virginian we all know," Pendry said. "He was gracious enough to invite us up to his place above Marlinton. We get together and ride [motorcycles]."
Yes, he's still riding. With the boys. With the Tide.
"I'm 69," Pendry said with a smile. "I'm enjoying football and as long as Nick keeps asking me to keep doing it, I'll keep doing it."
Contact Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvingle@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MitchVingle.