Gary Gaines, coach of ‘Friday Night Lights’ fame, dead at 73

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Gary Gaines, coach of the Texas high school football team made famous in the book and movie “Friday Night Lights,” has died. He was 73. Gaines’ family says the former coach died in Lubbock after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Gaines made many stops in West Texas during a 30-year coaching career. He was best known for a four-year stint leading the highly successful program at Odessa Permian. His 1988 team was chronicled in Buzz Bissinger’s bestselling book. It portrayed a program that favored football over academics but had a sympathetic view of Gaines.