What this season is REALLY about...
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:01 am
I just saw it mentioned in another thread, and I felt it apporpriate to mention here. A week before we played NIU we lost one of our own. Aaron Richardson, a walk-on freshman from Perkins High School died on his first day of practice from an existing heart condition.
Given the fact that we lost a week later to NIU, it seems that at least to some degree his death has become an excuse for that loss. I'm not saying that it wasn't a factor, and certainly am not trying to say that anyone is wrong for thinking so. I just want us to think about the fact that it doesn't end there.
I was at this young man's funeral, and let me tell you, it was one of the saddest, and yet most inspiring events of my life. Aaron meant so much to so many outside of BG, and most of his accomplishments were made outside of Bowling Green in the Sandusky community -- both on and off the field. Still, in among the four ballons next to his casket were 2 Perkins High balloons and 2 BGSU balloons. Although it was but a small part of his life, it seems that BGSU meant a great deal to both Aaron and his family. Even just days after his passing, when his family was still unsure of his exact cause of death, BGSU played a prominent part in his funeral. There was a great deal of brown and orange and the Dean of Students, Wanda Overland, was one of the four speakers.
It was honestly one of the toughest things that I have ever witnessed, watching his family and his teammates from high school in their uniforms with looks of total shock and disbelief in their eyes, and understandably so.
I must stress that I am not telling this story to make anyone feel guilty by any stretch of the imagination. I would just like everyone to keep Aaron in among their thoughts as we go into the homestretch this season. Whether we won or lost in NIU, we lost something - someone - much greater in Aaron. Please remember that this is why our team is wearing 'AR' on thier uniforms this season and quite possibly why we play with such intensity. There truly is someone looking down upon us as we take the field - win or lose.[/i]
Given the fact that we lost a week later to NIU, it seems that at least to some degree his death has become an excuse for that loss. I'm not saying that it wasn't a factor, and certainly am not trying to say that anyone is wrong for thinking so. I just want us to think about the fact that it doesn't end there.
I was at this young man's funeral, and let me tell you, it was one of the saddest, and yet most inspiring events of my life. Aaron meant so much to so many outside of BG, and most of his accomplishments were made outside of Bowling Green in the Sandusky community -- both on and off the field. Still, in among the four ballons next to his casket were 2 Perkins High balloons and 2 BGSU balloons. Although it was but a small part of his life, it seems that BGSU meant a great deal to both Aaron and his family. Even just days after his passing, when his family was still unsure of his exact cause of death, BGSU played a prominent part in his funeral. There was a great deal of brown and orange and the Dean of Students, Wanda Overland, was one of the four speakers.
It was honestly one of the toughest things that I have ever witnessed, watching his family and his teammates from high school in their uniforms with looks of total shock and disbelief in their eyes, and understandably so.
I must stress that I am not telling this story to make anyone feel guilty by any stretch of the imagination. I would just like everyone to keep Aaron in among their thoughts as we go into the homestretch this season. Whether we won or lost in NIU, we lost something - someone - much greater in Aaron. Please remember that this is why our team is wearing 'AR' on thier uniforms this season and quite possibly why we play with such intensity. There truly is someone looking down upon us as we take the field - win or lose.[/i]