Utah Utes football: Mr. Bean did a great job helping injured heal

The biggest loss from last year's Utah football team arguably wasn't all-conference safety Steve Tate, defensive end Martail Burnett or linebacker Joe Jiannoni.

It was longtime trainer Bill Bean.

It's not easy to replace the guy who fixed all the owies.

Bean, who retired July 1, is noticeably absent at practice this year. When he took over as Utah's head trainer in late 1975, Utah's football stadium — and its program — were crumbling. The Utes were coming off back-to-back 1-10 seasons and rats were in the basement. Now the Utes are ranked in some polls and the stadium is a showcase.

Through it all, Bean was there, as comforting as a favorite pillow. If an injury occurred, he was first at the scene, directing the effort.

The man had more answers than a game show host.

Additionally, he had that mixture of assurance and skill that starts the healing even before treatment has begun.

Clearly, being a trainer is more than taping ankles. In some cases, an athlete can die if not treated quickly and properly.

"I thought about that every day," he said.

Yet nobody died under Bean's watch. Not that there weren't scares. Like the time an opposing player had a seizure near the sidelines after being knocked unconscious. He could have choked on his tongue had he not been reached by the training staff. Or the time a receiver got speared in the stomach and immediately "didn't look right."

Turned out he had a lacerated liver. A shade closer and it could have torn an artery and caused the player to bleed to death.

One player's helmet slipped off and he wound up with a fractured face. He quit the team.

Violent sports are one thing, turning your face into a crash wall is another.

Prior to Utah, Bean worked briefly at Washington State, then for 16 months as trainer for the ABA's Utah Stars. He saw some stuff there, too. Like the time a player lacerated the white of his eye.

"It looked a lot worse than it was," said Bean.

Sort of like some of the Ute teams.

He treated countless dislocations, fractures, contusions, concussions and lacerations, many of which were gross enough to make regular people cringe.

"It was all a lot of fun," he said.

Maybe not so much for the injured players, but you get the idea.

When someone works as long as Bean did, the memories accumulate. Two Olympics, including the 1980 Games in Lake Placid, where he was trainer for the U.S. Nordic team. And the 2002 Games, when he worked the opening and closing ceremonies. Other highlights: The 2005 Fiesta Bowl and the Utes' 57-28 win over BYU in 1988.

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