CHINO HILLS -- The new offensive coach of the Chino Hills Bulldogs football team has a quadruple-platinum record, a criminal background and the best won-lost record in the team's history.
Snoop Dogg, 31, the gangsta-rapper has taken "the Dawgs' to the playoffs, and he's taken them in style -- purchasing a custom-made 50-seat bus in which the 8- and 9-year-old team members cruise to Junior All-American Football league games.
The team plays Sunday in the league's Super Bowl at Elsinore High School.
While Snoop's lyrics are not always suitable for children, team parents say the lanky hip-hop superstar is a wonderful influence on the youngsters.
"I would never allow anything inappropriate, and he's someone I would completely trust with any kid. And I'm a hard sell,' said team mom Sheila Boyer-Aldas.
Assistant coach Calvin Broadus, best known as Snoop Dogg, helps Marcus Thompson with his helmet before the start of the second half of a junior foot-ball game at Norco High School.
A controversial figure, the rapper originally named Calvin Broadus has served time in prison on a drug conviction and has been involved with adult video projects.
Often criticized for violent and sexist themes and lyrics in his music, the man whose practice jersey reads "Big Snoop Dogg' seems more like a puppy on the field.
"He's so good to kids. He pats them on the back, gives them high-fives,' said Boyer-Aldas.
She said most of the 34 children on the team didn't know that Coach Snoop was famous when they started playing for him.
"It's no fake thing. It's about love and about the kids,' said the rapper, who lives in Diamond Bar and whose 8-year-old son plays for the Bulldogs.
"I didn't start off wanting to coach,' Snoop Dogg said. "I was just supporting my son and the team. I saw an opportunity to volunteer and help when they didn't have a coach.'
"He hasn't missed a practice. He's here every day. Apparently (one time) he did Jay Leno and then got back in time for practice,' said Michele Schell, another team mom.
Schell said having a gangsta-rapper coach the children probably concerned some parents initially. That quickly changed.
"Once we saw he was dedicated to the sport, to the kids, to his son, we weren't concerned,' said Schell.
As for the possibility of his new job affecting his outlaw image, Snoop Dogg said "you got to ask the public about that.'
The rapper said he doesn't worry about image.
"I'm here cause I love being around these kids. I know what I've taught them and they're going to run wild with it,' he said.
Snoop Dogg said he has been busy preparing the team for the playoffs, their toughest challenge yet.
"We've been practicing extra hard. Going over fundamentals. We got some things people are expecting, some things they aren't expecting. We're gonna throw it all at them,' said the coach, beaming with pride about his team's seven wins against only one loss this season.
Under his arm Snoop Dogg carried a secret playbook with new offensive plays he had just developed. He also prepared a hip-hop tape to get the team energized before games.
"It's some music from my world,' he said, then quickly added, "I made it rated PG. I cleaned it up.'
The track "Get Out of the Way' by fellow rapper Ludacris has become the team song.
Snoop Dogg's groove seems to be infectious. At a recent practice, several of his players spontaneously began dancing on the sidelines.
The rapper also has been taking the time to meet fans and sign autographs -- but only after practice is over.
Spectator Justin Soliz, 13, said he and some of his friends were calling out to Snoop Dogg as the Bulldogs practiced but got no response.
"When practicing he was ignoring us,' said Soliz. "But right after he said `Hey' and he called us over.'
On his 1996 album "The Doggfather,' Snoop Dogg rhymed:
Look here little homeboy, let me tell you something, Don't let me ever hear you say you wanna be like me, You could be a doctor, a lawyer, a football player, a Laker, anything, Just don't let me ever hear you say you want to be like me.
It's just possible Snoop Dogg, like many others, might have judged himself prematurely.