By Bryant-Jon Anteola The Fresno Bee

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• Boogaard: Covering Jim Sweeney was a remarkable experience

  Boogaard: Covering Jim Sweeney was a remarkable experience

  I covered Fresno State football for the last of coach Jim Sweeney’s nine seasons, and I long lost count the number of college beat reporters from other newspapers who said they envied me.

• Blog replay: Memorial for Fresno State coach Jim Sweeney

  Blog replay: Memorial for Fresno State coach Jim Sweeney

  Here's the archive of a live blog from the tribute ceremony Saturday, Feb. 16, at Fresno State's Bulldog Stadium for Jim Sweeney, the legendary Bulldogs football coach (iPad users: See the blog on fresnobee.com) .

  Jim Sweeney tribute at Bulldog Stadium, Fresno

• Twitter lights up with memories of Jim Sweeney

  Twitter lights up with memories of Jim Sweeney

  [ View the story "Remembering Jim Sweeney" on Storify ] Remembering Jim Sweeney Fans, friends and Fresno State faithful react on Twitter to the death of former Fresno State football coach Jim Sweeney.

  Storified by Jody Murray · Fri, Feb 08 2013 22:41:53 It saddens me to say but the greatest coach of Fresno State Bulldogs football, Jim Sweeney, has just passed away.... http://fb.me/1z6S652VjKevin Jordan Sad to hear of the Passing of one of my Former Coaches. Jim Sweeney instilled a lot of things in me. A True ... http://m.tmi.me/JLwY9JON NIELSEN Jim Sweeney, the great Fresno State coach and Fresno Athletic Hall of Famer, has died. He was 83. #prepblitzAndy Boogaard I have Fresno State in my blood so I am sad I hear passing of Jim Sweeney, greatest coach in Fresno football history. #Bulldog SpiritChris Aguirre One of Fresno State's greatest coaches died today. We will miss you Coach Jim SweeneyLIZ HARRISON Sweeney coached Bulldogs football 19 years, marching them out of Ratcliff Stadium and into

• The day Jim Sweeney recalled his father's death

  The day Jim Sweeney recalled his father's death

  The death of former Fresno State football coach Jim Sweeney made me recall the day back in the mid-1980s when I interviewed him about another death: The passing of Bill Sweeney, his father.

  I was working at The Kingsburg Recorder. I had heard Jim refer to his father — “a hard-rock miner” — more than once. Fathers are important to sons. I phoned Jim and asked for an interview. He said yes.

  Read the full post and comment on the News Blog .

• Father of Valley football

  Father of Valley football

  If I were a member of the Jim Sweeney family, I would feel so proud every time I saw a car, truck or SUV pass me by on the road with a Fresno State Bulldog decal on it.

  It would remind me that I was related to Coach Sweeney, the father of football in the central San Joaquin Valley. What an honor!

  Take pride, Jim's family. He gave us so much and, as a college football community, we are forever in his debt.