A Sea Of Red

I saw a former teammate of mine at church Sunday. We were talking about the "glory" days of playing at LU under Coach Sam, Hout, etc. We were also talking about how the students these days don't know what the old days at LU were like (ravine, SAGA, Grandpa, Cooper). How they get to - shudder - mix bathe!!

Anyway, do any of you remember the '89 season when we went up to Eastern Michigan?

I remember reading in an article in The News-Advance a couple of years ago where former HC Karcher made a comment after they were blown out by a D-1A team that they "never expected" to win.

I sure am glad we didn't have a coach or a team that accepted the attitude of not expecting to win. We didn't know that we would win, but we felt like we could win. And we did. Robbie Justino hits "Sy" in the back of the endzone with mere ticks of the clock left in the game. We had just been featured in Sports Illustrated and we actually nixed the jink, at least for that week. By the way, Eastern Michigan was no cupcake D1 team. They were actually undefeated at the time and receiving votes in the AP poll.

To date it is the only victory the LU football program has had (that I know of) against a D-1A football team. I actually enjoyed singing "Victory in Jesus" at midfield after that game.

Oh the good 'ol days.

Part 2 coming soon.

Remember it very well- listened to the radio call and couldn't believe what we were hearing!

campus went crazy that night! One of my very fondest memories of LU.

thanks vegas! i too remember those days and what a night it was! i look forward to part 2

What really made the upset even more amazing was the fact that this was Robbie's first start. Paul Johnson had been hurt the previous game (blown ACL). No one thought we had a chance w/ Paul starting, much less a redshirt freshman making his first start. Robbie played lights out that night. I still have the video of the game. Jason Modling's dad recorded it from the stands.

we know each other vegas. PM me some time.

man I really was happy for you guys. I know there always seems to be a basketball vs football mentality within schools sometimes but some of my best friends to this day were LU football players. Vegas, thanks for sharing the memories. I thought Robbie was one of the toughest QB's we have ever had. He looked like a little boy and in fact before he was a big name he used to look up to me and told me he was a big fan of my game. Before he graduated I was a bigger fan of his game. Vegas, Big Sy is done in your old kneck of the woods I hear. I would love if Rocco brought some of you guys back to see what is taking place and to get the past guys more involved with the program again.

Scar,

I can't speak for all former players, but as for myself, I'd love to get more involved with the program. Thing is, there have never been any efforts by the athletic department to do so to my knowledge.

I mean, think about it. That team ('89) alone should have had some kind of "10 Year Reunion" at a home game or something to pay tribute to the biggest upset in the school's football history. 15 year .. something, you know? That's what Universities do to keep a friendly hand out to their alumni, former players, etc.

Being a 'Bama fan, I know most of, if not all of, their traditions. Every home game they have a former player run out the game ball right before the coin toss. Not saying I'd want to do something like that, but you get the point. At LU, no one would have a clue who was running the ball out!! Not only that, they (Bama) do unreal amounts of year-round contact with their former players. Not just the All-American's, either. All of them! When a former player goes back to a home game, they have a special box and eating area in Bryant-Denny Stadium. They fix up a PHAT meal for them, let them watch the game from the box (if they want). This is just a very small list of things they do, just on game day. Former athletes want to feel wanted by their university and the contributions they made want to be remembered (sorta like your ETSU dunk ), even if in some small way.

In essence, just give them the Five-Star treatment at games, etc. I could go on and on, trust me. In the same breath, I realize LU doesn't have the influx of cash that 'Bama or other larger schools and programs have. It's not the amount, it's the thought, you know?

You also know my love for the University and my ties. I'd never openly criticize the administration on most things. But the facts are, they are sorely lacking in the alumni relations department and they always have.

Ga. Tech has a few billboards around Atlanta that say, "If you come, you will build it." Well, LU, "if you invite us, maybe we'll build it."

Okay. I got that off of my chest.

P.S. Justino could jump out of the gym, too. He routinely dunked on some of the hoopsters in the dorm circle cage back in the day.

I hear ya Vegas about the alumni stuff. It would be great if you talked to Barber about some of your ideas. Pick up the phone or send him an email and I guarantee you he will be open to what you are saying. Rocco as well. Great people and really good leaders they are. (I sound like Yoda)....As far as Justino's ups, that is the reason he liked my game. It was because I used to dunk left handed like he did. I would love to see some of those guys during the football games...Incidentally I am gonna start a thread over on the hoops board shortly but Coach D called me this morning to tell me there will be an alumni basketball game at homecoming. I am gonna try to get as many of my former teammates and other fellow flames that I can reach out to. It would be cool for us to show up to the football game with a nice alumni hoops t shirt with our own personal info on them or something like that. We will see how it turns out but the long and the short of it is, we need to embrace the past at Liberty.

SCAR wrote:We will see how it turns out but the long and the short of it is, we need to embrace the past at Liberty.

You mean, LU needs to embrace the past, right?

I don't mean things at a high level like is done at major D-1A programs, but something, you know? Right now, LU does nothing for their former players. There is no excuse for this.

The higher up's (JF specifically) want to take LU sports to the next level. We want to see LU be at the next level. The truth is, the next level includes embracing what it took to get the sports programs where they are today.

I could almost bet you that the majority, if not all, of LU's current hoops players have no idea about the old days in the Multi-Purpose Center. Man, those were some good times. Not to mention some really good ball players that set the stage for something like the Vines Center. Current and future players need to know about and appreciate that. I played in the first ever game at Williams Stadium. That was just over 15 years ago. Where are some pictures of former players in the weight room? In the locker room? I'm not talking about myself, I'm talking about highlighting players like Mickey Paige, Richard Shelton, Sy, Leroy Kinard, Wayne Haddix, etc. etc. .. wait, I need to add at least one white boy - Bill Kagey - you get my drift.

I guess I'm preaching to the choir, huh?

I'd be glad to talk to any of the people you mentioned. But the truth is, I don't know any of them. I do know their boss, though

I agree with the sentiments expressed here, but have hesitated to say much becuase I don't want anyone think I am out for any recognition. I will give you a little story though about how it can benefit the school.
I played on the first football team in 73. We were not very good and I doubt any of us could play on todays team. However, several years ago, they recognized the first team before a game at Wiliams Stadium. (It might have been the very first game, or a Homecoming game, I don't recall). I do remember I found out about this by mistake, it was not communicated very well, I think TF told me about it. Anyway, I appreciated the recognition and felt a renewed connection to the program. I have been supporting the Flames Club since that day at a significant level and a season ticket holder with the exception of last year. It can and will have a positive impact on the school and the fund raising, to remember the past and to create traditions for the future.

Go LU!!!!!!!!!!!!

VEGAS - Let me start out by saying I love the name (and the city, even named my dog Vegas)
As for LU not embracing the past and having had no attempt made to connect you with the "NEW LU" are not entirely correct. I know, for a fact actually, that about 4 years ago letters and information were sent to every player who ever played football at LU. (If they had an address on file) The faulty part of the operation, my inside sources tell me, is that the contact addresses came from the LU Alumni office which actually had the dorms as current address for alum. So don't put all the onus on the LU athletic folk. Attempts to retrieve addresses from the Liberty Journal/Enquirer and other "ministry" mailing lists were unsuccessful for various reasons.
BUT pick up the phone, type an email, I am POSITIVE someone will get back with you

Purple Haize wrote:The faulty part of the operation, my inside sources tell me, is that the contact addresses came from the LU Alumni office which actually had the dorms as current address for alum. So don't put all the onus on the LU athletic folk.

Purple,

Thanks for the heads up. I completely realize that it's not all, if much at all, on the athletic department. I apologize if my message came across the wrong way. The intent was not to blame the athletic department.

The onus, so to speak, is actually on the entire university alumni relations structure. It all begins with that. Unfortunately, it's never been a strong point of our great alma mater.

I know for a fact that Paul Rutigliano, who's now running football operations, desires to do things in a first-class manner. I know this from my playing days and being around him. He just needs the proper help in getting in touch w/ former players, as do other sports at the university.

I agree the Eastern Michigan was one of the most exciting games that I played in at Liberty and if not for a bonehead play on the kick off at Cental Florida we would have made the playoffs that year. I graduated in '90 and have never received any communication from the athletic dept. I spent a weekend in June with 3 former team mates and we talked about this exact same thing. I am a season ticket holder for the SEC Champs (UGA) and would gladly buy season tickets to LU if I was ever asked. JVegas I have not figured out who you are, but obviosly we played together.

Old Hag Alert!



I graduated in '89 so I was out in the real world during the Eastern Michigan upset. But it was huge moment for the university. I don't think people today realize how huge of an upset that really was.

I made the trip up to E Mich to watch the game and consider it one of the top 3 or 4 games I've ever seen. Love to get a tape of it. Let's hope Rocco can lead us back to where we can be competitive again because its been a waste land ever since. I'd even take being competitive at the DII level at this point.

Baldspot wrote:I made the trip up to E Mich to watch the game and consider it one of the top 3 or 4 games I've ever seen. Love to get a tape of it.

I have a tape of it, B.S. (Am I allowed to say that on here ) The thing is, I don't know how to go about making a copy, etc. That, and it's in my basement somewhere collected spider webs. I think I'd really like to get a copy of it made to DVD.

KJ,

yeah, man, you know me. I was the source of many 'a irritation for Coach Sam
And we SHOULD have made the playoffs that year. I think by the time SW Missouri State came to town we had given up and no one thought we would make it. When, in fact, we may very well have with an 8-2 record and a D1A victory.