For Shocker nation, the number stands at 28. To an outsider, that plane crash in Colorado not only took the lives of 31, but it also brought about the end of the football program. To a man, the team of 1970 will tell you that is not true. Those who watched the Arkansas game 22 days later will tell you it is not true. Wichita State football was suspended in 1986 due to the poor leadership of President Armstrong and Athletic Director Lew Perkins. It had nothing to do with that fateful day in 1970.The central theme in the efforts of Brad Justice and his team at bringbackshockerfootball.com is that football should be reinstated and the team of 1970 should not be forgotten. We believe that football should be brought back in SPITE of what happened 38 years ago, not because of it. The goal of this movement is not to trivialize or commercialize the accident, and we implore you to remember that as we move forward.
When the football Shockers return, imagine them gathered in the locker room and preparing to take the field. On their way out, each player touches a bronze sculpture in the shape and design of a 1970's era shocker football helmet. However, this tradition is not for luck. It is to remind each player that football is only a small part of life. It is for the friends, the life experiences and the future that one plays for. It serves as a reminder to enjoy every minute they get to play football at Cessna Stadium. The legacy of the 1970 team is not tragedy, it is perseverance, fortitude and the lasting definition of what being a teamate truly means.
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1 comment:
Another great post. I can already see the players take the field at Cessna stadium as tears roll down the cheeks of every fan.
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