Gil Thorp by Henry Barajas and Rachel Merrill for December 21, 2022

A sore winner…

I love Gil’s pose…Gil only pawn in game of life…

Love panel 3.

Leo Durocher: “Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser.” But that was the pros, not high school where kids need to learn how to both win and lose graciously. Note Gil’s switch from calling him “Coach Martinez” in P1 and “Luke” in P3. Cool Hand Luke now? What’s next — up to three more days here? For sure the Christmas panel, then HOOPS! Happy Holidays all.

P3, literally a small man. I’ve been waiting for him to start throwing things since July.

Baby want a bottle?

Have we heard how the short embarrassment to the human race became head coach at VT? I vaguely remember him being househusband for his wife the surgeon. He was good at football when he was in high school and attended college. Not sure how that transitions to head coaching spot when his kids are out of grade school.

Soooo BHHLHM, how is winning one game in your coaching career vs. Gil by one point tonight, winning a round of golf and winning a state championship by a score of 14-10 a humiliation for Gil? Are you angry because he takes winning and losing in stride? That winning isn’t everything and isn’t the only thing for Gil?

Lukey, your coaching high school ball in the freakin’ Valley, not the NFL, get a grip.

I’m not angry because losing by 1 point isn’t that embarrassing. And I just finished a 7-2 season, and besides, I pretty much have lifetime tenure at Milford, when 1 losing season and you’ll be thrown out on your a$$. And I’m not standing here in a fluorescent orange jacket and idiotic cowboy hat.

P1 Valley Tech players demonstrate the excellent technique Coach Lukey taught them as they surround and taunt Gil as Lukey refuses Gil’s post-game congratulatory handshake and opting to launch into a rage and expletive filled tirade about Gil’s lack of feeling humiliated by losing at anything to Lukey.

P2 EES, flying spit, more bitterness and vile. Hey Gil, pull my finger.

P3 As the Gilfather shares sage word of advise, he stares off into the distance and thinks to himself, “what kind of unfortunate accident should befall this a-hole?”

In all reality , Coach Martinez I seriously hope you get the help you need. Peace on earth to you,I’ll pray for you. Gee, thanks Gil your an OK guy.

And what happened then?Well in Milford they say that Gil Thorp’s headswelled three sizes that day!

Despite Big Hand’s double EES, the Gilfather remains calm, displaying the inner peace he has knowing that on his deathbed he will receive total consciousness. Gunga galunga.

P1- No matter the game outcome, Fist Pump Family enjoys jamming to post game tunes thanks to the crackling PA system.

A55

And this is the guy tasked with instilling values in his athletes. I’m sensing the second coming of Bobby Petrino.

Now Martinez is frothing at the mouth. Say it, don’t spray it.

P4 BHHLHM “Why don’t you try looking me in my exploding eyeballs and tell me that?”

Gil’s not angry because at the age of 72 he’s learned there are more important things in life than winning or losing a football game.

Coach Thorp faced adversity for 64 years and continues to do so. Luke Martinez is having one of those “Kyle Tatum” temper tantrums. Ain’t that a kick in the head.

Teflon Coach. Nothing sticks to Gil.

Alternate prediction for State Championship: Down to final play, Luke sends in his can’t miss call. QB makes it a fake, and calls his own play, winning the game. (The fake gets stuffed at the line of scrimmage.) The QB takes the credit during the post game interview revealing: “we all knew it wouldn’t work”.

Cool….now before we get to some woke non-sports strips let’s remember the moral to this segment, “revenge is a dish best served cold”

There’s no way that guy played basketball in the Pac-12.

he took his hat off for marty moon yesterday

Gil really is the bigger man.

The spittle in P2 is a nice touch

Gil with that far off look in P3

Kudos to Rod Whigam for the spittle-flecks emanating from Luke’s mouth in P2, really underscores what a loudmouth @$$hole he is

Bet you a dollar that Coach Martinez winds up driving through a guardrail like Bull Bushka in “Funky Winkerbean”

Now comes the sucker punch!

P4 (Gil inhales and exhales slowly and deeply): “Luke, I’m your father.”

P 3 (Gil): “…relax, little guy…” (pats Luke on the head)

Kind of odd, I wrote new dialog for BHHL going off the rails yelling at Gil (had to with the way the art is today) but it’s really not much different that the real strip. He’s off his rocker in both strips. And speaking of rockers, you’re off your rocker if you don’t want to read today’s Mopped Up Thorp.

https://moppedupthorp.wordpress.com/

Gil looking upward in P3 — not meeting the creep’s eyes — is a wonderful touch. Only post-game scene I’ve liked better is Denzel Washington tossing the banana to the racist coach in “Remember The Titans”.

I script it out but with the creative freedom to do what he thinks would look best.