Those close to Sam Pagano wonder if there is room to cram anything more about football into his mind, life or daily routine. Even with an already-packed football portfolio, including 21 years as coach at Fairview High School in Boulder, Pagano now has to find room to keep track of the Indianapolis Colts.

That's because Chuck Pagano, Sam's older son, was recently named coach of the Colts. Sam Pagano is going to be more than just an interested observer. He's a grandfather, but he's not in any rocking chair when it comes to keeping up with his boys.

In Sam Pagano's case, the task is twofold. John Pagano, Sam's younger son, was recently named defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers.

"I stay abreast of what's going

University of Denver Men's Football Coach John Roning with Sam Pagano #68. Sam Pagano is the subject of a Colorado Classic column. He's a former coach at Fairview High School. His son Chuck Pagano as just named head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. John Leyba, The Denver Post

on with them," Pagano said. "I like to watch practice sessions, and my wife (Diana) and I have watched both of their teams quite a bit. When Chuck was coaching with the Baltimore Ravens, I was able to sit in on some of their team meetings. We look at it as showing support."

Sam Pagano's passion for football blossomed when he was at Pueblo Central High School and playing for Sollie Rasso. His high school coach was a mentor, and Sam carried Rasso's counseling with him throughout his career.

After Pueblo Central, Pagano continued his playing career at the University of Denver, where he was a linebacker and guard for coach John Roning. DU dropped football after the 1960 season, a year after Pagano departed.

"I went to the first tryout camp the Denver Broncos had out at Colorado School of Mines," Pagano said of his immediate time after college. "I tried out as a kicker but was cut before the first preseason game. I didn't get to wear the striped socks."

The first Broncos uniforms featured vertically striped socks that were widely ridiculed throughout pro football. With the quick exit from the Broncos camp, Pagano turned to his lifelong ambition. He had known from an early age that he wanted to coach. After assistant coaching stops at Adams State College in Alamosa and Boulder High School, Pagano moved to Fairview High School in 1969 as head coach.

While there, he coached both of his sons. Chuck Pagano went on to the University of Wyoming after high school, and John Pagano moved on to Mesa State in Grand Junction.

"It was easy coaching them in high school," Sam Pagano said. "I was involved more with the offense, and they both played quite a bit on defense. It was more nerve-wracking watching them playing in college."

While at Fairview, Sam Pagano helped develop one of the top programs in the state. The Knights won outright state championships in 1979 and 1987 and gained a co-championship with Westminster in 1978. Through the years, Pagano's Fairview team was known for its epic battles with coach Fred Tesone and Cherry Creek.

"It was a great rivalry," Pagano said. "The only problem was Fred won most of them, and he and Cherry Creek got most of the attention."

Tesone called the Fairview game the toughest on Creek's schedule.

"I couldn't sleep the whole week before the Fairview game," he said.

Pagano got his reward in 1987 when the Knights beat the Bruins in the state championship game. Pagano left the football coaching job after the 1989 season and retired from teaching in 1994. His final coaching record was 164-58-4, a mark he attributes to great players and assistant coaches. Two years before he retired from teaching, he joined the growing hotbed for American coaches teaching American football in Europe. His first stop was Bergamo, Italy, and his team in 1994 went 14-1 and was runner-up in the Italian Super Bowl.

"I was ready for something different, and I really wanted to coach in Europe," he said. "We had some language problems, but a lot of the players spoke English, and we got along that way."

After a coaching stop in Taipei, Pagano returned to Europe and coached in Germany and France. He returned to Bergamo in 2002 and closed out his coaching career with a 16-0 team and the Eurobowl Championship.

"I had enough," Pagano said of his tenure. "I still go to Fairview games when I can."

The pace will pick up this fall. His game plan now is scheduling the best times to be in cities such as San Diego and Indianapolis to watch his sons' teams play. And maybe there will be a weekend that Fairview's schedule fills an opening.

After all, one of the country's top football coaching families is headquartered right here in Colorado.

Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com

Pagano bio

Born: Jan. 2, 1938, in Pueblo

High School: Pueblo Central

College: University of Denver

Family: Wife Diana, daughters Connie, Cathy (deceased), Carrie, Jennifer; sons Chuck, John.

Hobbies: Walking, meeting with friends.

On the schedule: Watching a college game at West Point and the Naval Academy.

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Sam Pagano set standard for family's rich coaching legacy