The phone calls have slowed, but the conversation about his reported death has not.
“I think they’ve just given up because they found out it wasn’t true,” Mickey Andrews said with a chuckle.
Late Saturday, Feb. 28, a Facebook page called Seminole Stronghold posted a false death announcement claiming the legendary Florida State defensive coordinator had “tragically passed away while en route to hospice care.”
The post included a link urging readers to click for more information and was shared more than 600 times. That number has since climbed past 700.
Andrews, of course, told the Tallahassee Democrat on Sunday, “I’m 84, proud of it, and alive and kicking.”
Former FSU players reach out to coach Micky Andrews
Many of the calls who checked on Andrews came from former FSU players Andrews coached, including Terrell Buckley. Buckley is heading into his second season at Mississippi Valley State University and called Monday night, March 2.
The conversations often turned to why such false reports are generated and shared without verification.
“It’s sickening to think what people will spend their time on, reporting things without checking,” Andrews said, his tone turning serious, on Tuesday, March 3 to the Democrat.
Still, Andrews remains upbeat and healthy, with his trademark infectious sense of humor intact.
“I’d hate to be chasing a player who missed a tackle,” Andrews joked. “It might be the next practice period before I caught him.”
Asked about the secret to his longevity, Andrews quickly pointed to ice cream.
“I have to check on the chocolate ice cream,” said Andrews, a member of former FSU coach Jim Gladden’s Lunch Bunch, which meets every Tuesday at a local restaurant.
“And if they also have vanilla and strawberry, I’ll get a little scoop of all three.”
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Legendary FSU coach Mickey Andrews reflects on Facebook death hoax
Reporting by Jim Henry, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
