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Liberty Bowl: A Fan's View
Editor's note:
Chris Whitford, 22, is the son of Bonesville publisher Danny Whitford. Chris
has been immersed in the "East Carolina Experience" since his diaper days —
among his first words were "Go Pirates!" Employed in his father's computer
and publishing businesses, his duties include advertising sales for The
Pirates' Chest magazine, published for the ECU Pirate Club by Bonesville
Media.
By
Chris Whitford
As the Liberty Bowl kickoff draws near, the longtime diehards among us can’t
help but fondly recall the last time the Pirate Nation invaded the domain of
the beer-swilling goats and the Ghost of Elvis. The year was 1995 and our
days-long occupation of Beale Street, Graceland and vicinity was punctuated
by an upset win over Stanford.
That experience was in contrast to the year before, when Illinois put a
damper on an otherwise celebratory week in Memphis.
Lessons are learned in both triumph and defeat, an adage that was validated
in those earlier expeditions to the Liberty Bowl.
Lesson No. 1: A “bowl week” culminated by a loss is fun until the game is
over, at which point a bit of hollowness dampens the exhilaration
and dulls the long-term memories.
Lesson No. 2: A bowl week climaxed by a victory is fun before, during, after
and forever, without qualification.
Lesson No. 2 is the key lesson. Taken to heart, it fuels a compelling urge,
even urgency, to cap off this week’s invasion of Memphis by ringing that
replica Liberty Bell in victory one more time.
This season, like all of them since East Carolina joined Conference USA in
1997, the aspiration of the Pirates and their always-ready-to-sail fans has
been to re-invade the Land of the Delta Blues. Now that the destination that
is always in the backs of our minds is on this week's itinerary, the
question remains:
Will this year’s 835-mile voyage from the Tar River to the Mississippi
River be remembered in the lore of the Pirates and their army of supporters as an expedition netting cultural and social treasures? Or will it
also bring back the real booty — the Liberty Bowl trophy?
The Kentucky Wildcats and their partisans will have something to say about
that. They represent a powerful axis, the Southeastern Conference, and
because of proximity likely will descend on Memphis in numbers
greater than ours.
But the Buccaneers won’t be outgunned on the field or in the stands when it
comes to determination and purpose. The spirit of East Carolina, the spirit
of the East, is very much alive. The Pirates don’t capitulate in the face of
heavy odds or bigger arsenals. Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Tulsa know
that firsthand.
Let's embrace this time
for what it is: a rewarding week for winning the Conference USA
championship.
But, as Coach Skip Holtz
has preached to the team, let's not lose sight of the final objective: a
Liberty Bowl championship.
Just as the Pirates will
be all about business when they take the field against the Wildcats, may we
as fans equal their fervor and purpose by representing East Carolina
University with dignity while giving the Pirates our all-out, most spirited
support.
In the end, to win is the
goal. But win, lose or draw, may unity in our commitment to East Carolina,
as expressed in the school's alma mater, transcribed below as written almost
70 years ago by Harold A. McDougle, only grow stronger:
Hail to Thy Name So Fair
“Praise to your name so fair,
Dear old East Carolina,
your joys we'll all share,
and your friends we'll ever be.
We pledge our loyalty,
and our heart's devotion,
To thee, our Alma Mater,
love and praise.”
12/30/2008 05:34:38 AM |
