I apologize in advance for the length of this piece I found in a Michigan newspaper web site, but it is 100% CLASS and reminds us all of what college football is all about. Here 'tis: CARTY: Appalachian State earns its moment Posted by Jim Carty | The Ann Arbor News September 02, 2007 00:02AM Categories: Wolverines Football As Corey Lynch ran toward the end zone, carrying both the football and what just might be the greatest upset in college football history, his 67-year-old coach began to pray. The kids and coaches were on the field celebrating even as Lynch was tackled, the clock at zero and a 34-32 victory over No. 5 Michigan assured. But just before the tears - and, oh, there were tears of joy - before the congrats, the embraces, the dances and, finally, being carried off the Michigan Stadium field on the shoulders of his football team, Jerry Moore stopped and thanked God for the kids he coaches. They are, he said, great kids. "I've got great players," Moore said. "We throw that word great around pretty loosely, but I do." Saturday was a day to throw it around. It was a great game. A great game. There is some hate in Ann Arbor today, some absolutely-no-perspective hate. There are message boards and radio shows filled with people vilifying the Michigan football team, and especially its coach, for losing a game they believe it shouldn't lose if it was played 1,000 times. It's a bad thing, and a sad thing, mostly because college football is a better game for Appalachian State having done what everyone considered impossible. The Mountaineers out-coached, out-executed and especially out-ran Michigan, winning not because Michigan didn't show up, but because together the Mountaineers played perhaps the best football they will ever play. Anything less and they would have lost. Quarterback Armanti Edwards - who, if you stood next to him you'd guess couldn't weigh more than 165 pounds with pockets full of quarters - ran his offense to perfection and dismantled the Michigan defense, throwing for three touchdowns and running for another. A defense filled with kids who either nobody else wanted, or Appalachian State gave a second chance to, took on an offense filled with future NFL pros and held on just long enough. And in the end, when the Wolverines stirred, clawing their way back to within a long field goal of making this just another wouldn't-that-have-been-somethin' highlight, Lynch blocked the potential game-winning kick. Appalachian State beat Michigan. Across the country, most anyone who cared anything about college football turned to somebody and said those words. To understand how unlikely it was, to grasp a hint of the gap between the two schools and programs, just ask the players who did it how they came to be on that field, celebrating. Lynch, a Florida kid, had his heart set on playing for Princeton, but didn't get in. Appalachian State was his only scholarship offer. Julian Rauch, who kicked the winning field goal, transferred in from East Carolina to be closer to his family. That linebacker with nine solo tackles, a fumble recovery and a sack? The kid who flew all over the field, No. 31? "Crazy story," Pierre Banks said, shaking his head. "Ole Miss came to see me in one of my playoff games, in December, and I'd committed in October. They told me they thought I was 6-3, and I'm 5-11, so they pulled their scholarship. Fortunately enough, Air Force was interested ..." But Banks wasn't really happy in Colorado, so the coaches called Moore, and sent him home to Carolina. Then there was Edwards, the beautiful little quarterback from Greenwood, S.C. He committed to Moore early in his senior year. As he kept playing better, Clemson came calling with an offer to play wide receiver. What kid turns down Clemson to play I-AA football at Appalachian State? Edwards did. "I didn't want to decommit," he said. "I wanted them to have trust in me, so they got my trust." Saturday, in one of the most special places in college football, those kids came together to do one of the most special things. Michigan owns so much football history, so many moments, and will, despite this, make more. This was Appalachian State's moment. Jerry Moore's moment. Probably the only one they will ever have where all of college football stops and takes notice. Here was the impossible made possible. The prayer every underdog prays, answered just once. http://blog.mlive.com/jim_carty/2007...ate_earns.html
Wow - thanks for posting that. Friggin' perfect article. Perspective is a wonderful thing. I'm sure if Middle Tennessee gets lucky in two weeks, we'll all be needin' to reread this one. (Did I just write that outloud? Gawd forbid...) ___________________ lsutigerbait.blogspot.com
So...you think if this kid pitched for the Orioles that his no hitter would lead SportsCenter (twice) over the App State upset?
Here's the link to the Carty article above: http://blog.mlive.com/jim_carty/2007/09/carty_appalachian_state_earns.html
