Watching From Afar Very Difficult For Allen Cancer Treatments Not Only Tough Thing For Boise Coach

Fighting cancer in Canada, Boise State University football coach Pokey Allen will spend a difficult weekend as his team debuts in I-A football tonight at Central Michigan.

Allen is undergoing treatment after a rare form of muscular cancer reappeared this summer.

Every day, he visits a Vancouver cancer clinic, downs 60 pills, and moans because beer, coffee and red meat are off his diet.

“I’m starting to go a little berserko,” Allen said. “I try to stay busy, but mostly I’m just sitting around. I know (today) I’m going to really be going crazy.

“Maybe I’ll call down at halftime and find out what the score is. Then (interim coach Tom) Mason and Max (Corbet, sports information director) are supposed to call me the second it’s done. They’re going to send me the game film Sunday.

“But I think it’s going to be a long wait.”

Allen is living with a friend while he visits the clinic that specializes in experimental medicine. The treatment is not offered in the United States because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved it.

Allen, 53, doesn’t know how long he’ll stay in Canada. If the cancer goes into remission again he’ll come home. If it continues to spread, he’ll find another treatment center.

Allen took the Broncos to the I-AA national championship game in 1994, not mentioning he had a tumor in his arm. It was removed in March 1995 and the cancer finally went into remission last December.

Recent surgery did not catch all the cancer in Allen’s lungs.

The doctors said most people in his condition would have three months to live. But they admit Allen might be different: His health and attitude are his greatest assets.

“He’s an amazing person,” Mason said. “He has the greatest outlook on life, no matter what he’s up against.”

To pass the time, Allen explores Vancouver. Thursday, he went to the Canada vs. Russia World Cup hockey game.

“Got good seats, too!” he said.

But all that’s just a distraction to make him forget the Broncos.

“Really,” he said, “I’d just like to go home.”