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More Than a Game - Choo Justice Part 3
Telling Tales: A Collection of Stories from Inside the Pirate Program
Anecdotes that can last a lifetime, told by
one of the guys who would know them for sure
©2003 Bonesville.net
Part
Three of a Four-Part Series
Part 1,
12.12.03; Part 2,
12.14.03; Part 3,
12.19.03; Part 4,
12.21.03.
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Former Pirate
Coach Ed Emory |
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When you were part of Ed Emory’s program,
it didn’t matter much if you were the starting quarterback or the
fifth-string clipboard holder. You were a team member through and
through, and as such, you were given the same respect and freedoms that
any player within the program received for proudly displaying the Pirate
uniform.
As a part of Emory’s “team,” Charles “Choo” Justice
had a close up view and a personal relationship with the players and and
a front row seat for all of the special moments that made those years so
special. It is from this perspective that Justice shares a few of his
favorite Pirate tales:
“There are so many,” Justice laughs.
Justice revealed a few little secrets that many
fans may not readily know.
“You know, we used to use white spray paint on game
pants to make them look white,” he said. “We did it for years without
anyone knowing it!"
PLAYERS OR PANSIES?
“One time, we ordered new uniforms that fit
differently,” Justice said. “Some of the players – mostly backups –
didn’t like the size we gave them. They wanted tighter pants. So, I
switched the size labels and gave them to them the next week. They
thought they got a new pair of pants and were happy. The truth was, they
were wearing the same pants from the week before.”
OUTSOURCING THE WORK
“In 1981, our budget was so tight I would
send old game pants home to my mom who would mend them and send them
back to me via friends coming to the game.”
NOT JUST FOR CARS
“One time, we used Armor-All on the helmets
to make them shiny,” Justice admitted. “It worked great, they really
looked sharp. During warm-ups, I noticed there were a lot of fumbles and
dropped passes, then I realized the players had gotten the Armor-All on
their hands when they put their helmets on. We were running around
rubbing dirt on everyone’s hands and spraying tape adhesive on them so
they would not fumble in the game!”
TAKE THAT MIAMI
“We were playing Miami in the famous ’83
game,” he said. “Fans were throwing oranges on the field most of the
game because it looked like Miami was going to be invited to the Orange
Bowl, which they were. Late in the game, I got mad and picked up an
orange and threw it at two fans that had been leaning over the rail
talking junk the whole game. I nailed one of the guys right in the head!
They jumped the fence and came onto the sidelines where they confronted
another of our managers who promptly pulled a hammer out of the tool
kit! Within seconds, security was hauling the fans away and two of our
players holding the other back!”
IT SHOULDN’T BE SUCH A TOUGH JOB
“At home games, the managers would go down
and catch PATs and field goals when they would go over the fence,” he
recounts. “In ’82, we were playing Richmond at home. They kicked a long
field goal that went into the bushes. A drunk guy dove into the bushes
trying to take the ball. I found myself fighting with the guy for the
ball when one of the other managers jumped in the bushes and bulldogged the
guy’s head like a cowboy does when roping a calf!
“Finally, security came along and broke it
up so we could get the ball back. As we headed back to the sidelines,
ECU was already running a play. I looked up to realize that Tony Baker
had a clear sideline and was starting to rip off a 73-yard touchdown run
down the sidelines. I took off and actually outran Tony down the
sidelines. My buddy tried to keep up but instead took out a couple of
cheerleaders while trying to spring down the sidelines! The next day,
the coaches called me into the team meeting to show the film of me
outrunning Tony down the sidelines. I was awarded a skull and crossbones
for my efforts!”
TRADING BARBS
“In 1982 at N.C. State, I was standing up
on the equipment case late in the game when a fan reached over the
railing and nailed me in the back of the head, knocking me down,” he
recalled. “He said I was in his way and he couldn’t see the game. I got
right back up on the case. Then his wife starting throwing ice at my
head, so I tossed a wad of chewing tobacco at her!”
PIRATES OR COWBOYS?
“In 1982, we went to Texas to play the
University of Texas-Arlington. All of the players got cowboy hats and
boots on the trip — we were a sight coming back on the return trip.”
TERRY’S SOCK TRAGEDY
“Once Terry Long came up to the equipment
room with a sock that the elastic had gotten badly frayed. He said he
needed a new sock. Todd Creekmore said, ‘what’s wrong with that one?’
Terry said, ‘The elastic is ragged.’ Todd took the sock, pulled out a
pair of scissors and cut the top of the sock off and said, ‘There, it’s
not ragged anymore.’ Terry just shook his head, laughed, took the sock
and walked off. He couldn’t argue with that logic!”
PROPER LEVERAGE
“We had a freshman manager working the
equipment window in 1983. Whenever one of our senior managers, Todd
Creekmore, was not in the room, Jeff Pegeus would come up and give the
freshman hell. So, Todd devised a plan to fix Pegeus. The next time
Pegeus came up giving the freshman a hard time, Todd walked out wearing
Peuges’ game jersey. Pegeus just froze and became instantly tame. Todd
ruled the equipment room with an iron fist!”
NIGHTCAPPERS WITH ED
“In ’83, our budget was so tight that the
team stayed in the dorm for home games instead of going to a local hotel
like college teams normally do. Coach Emory would come over and stay
with the team. After curfew, he would come down to my room to watch TV
and smoke a cigar with me and my roommate Todd Moore.”
A QUICK ERRAND
“In 1981, we opened the season against
Western Carolina. Earnest (Byner) had just started wearing contacts and
that particular night, was having trouble with his. Our trainers were
working on him when one of them commented about needing special contact
lens solution, but it was in his room back at the dorm. I took his room
key, ran out of the stadium during the game, ran over to Scott Hall, got
the solution and ran back to the stadium and they fixed Earnest right
up!”
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