DENNY O'BRIEN: Gridiron stars visibly forgotten

At least East Carolina understands half of the equation.

Related Items from the O'Brien Archives

SEPTEMBER 8, 2001:
Pirate Heroes Have Earned More Visibility

APRIL 30, 2007:
Gridiron Stars Visibly forgotten

MAY 7, 2007:
Legends Worthy of Grassroots Support

When it comes to acknowledging the generous contributions of its proud donors, ECU hits the nail squarely on the head. That much is visible in the venues and buildings that populate the Pirates' athletics campus.

But when it comes to honoring the athletes whose accomplishments are largely responsible for inspiring those hefty donations, East Carolina continues to miss the mark.

Badly.

About the only time ECU pays tribute to its football greats is the one weekend when a couple are enshrined in the school's athletics Hall of Fame. That often occurs long after Nikes have been traded for Rockports, and the only lasting evidence of the event is tucked away in ECU's modest 'Hall' inside the Ward building.

Some tribute. My guess is most of ECU's faithful couldn't locate the Hall of Fame without a scented trail of Down East barbecue.

And if they tried on game day, they'd surely find a security barricade prohibiting entry into Ward. Any other occasion likely results in a mandatory donation to ECU's parking authority — perhaps even a tow for an extended visit.

Those who have visited the Hall know the latter won't be necessary considering the five-minute stroll that is required for a comprehensive tour. Even so, it should be an unnecessary hassle for anyone interested in a cram session on ECU's football greats.

Think that's the case at UNC-Chapel Hill or N.C. State? Hardly. Despite the fact that neither has built an athletics foundation on football, both schools properly honor the marquee names that labored on the gridiron.

By and large their importance on campus was shadowed to hardwood giants, though there are a few notable exceptions. And it requires little more than a trip to a home football game for a crash course in 'Who's Who' in Tar Heel or Wolfpack football.

Names like Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice at North Carolina and Philip Rivers at N.C. State are prevalent at each school's venue. Their names, along with many others, hang proudly from the upper decks of Kenan and Carter-Finley — and they are accompanied by tributes to bowl appearances and memorable seasons.

Not at ECU. You won't find a single tribute to a former Pirate star inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. No signs hanging on the upper deck that recognize record-setting quarterbacks, All-American running backs, or past or current NFL all-pros.

Nothing.

You would think that an institution that proudly labels itself a "Football School" would at least emulate that moniker by proudly dressing itself as one. But this is another example of a small but important detail that has has been long overlooked at East Carolina.

For years it's seemed that ECU's constituency has been focused more on its own plight, be it the fight for in-state respect or the competitive imbalance that is packaged with the Bowl Championship Series. While both are legitimate challenges, neither have proven bigger for East Carolina than itself.

Not that honoring a few memorable gridiron legends will remedy all of ECU's troubles or pave the way to national prominence. It won't. But it will send a clear message that East Carolina embraces its gridiron history and fully intends on preserving it.

That's an important message to send to ECU's younger supporters who never witnessed some of the Pirates' greats and the performances that put the program on the map. It's also an important bow to tradition with the potential to motivate each potential recruit who might aspire to one day see his own legacy recognized.

This has become an annual rite of passage for me since 2001, the year Bonesville.net was established. Consider this another emphatic plea for a fitting tribute to East Carolina's greats — a permanently visible one inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.