Norm Fletcher interviews Top 100 selection Ross Gwinn during Saturday afternoon's Demon Football Centennial Celebration
The stories keep flowing out of the Demon Football Centennial Celebration. Be sure to check Greg Burke's Demon Dust column with a collection of snapshots from the day.
Here are a few more...
...Butch Ballard, the Top 100 quarterback, and a few of Sidney Thornton's teammates could not resist pulling one at the Bull's expense. All the former players lined up in groups by decades for the introductions at halftime. The players and coaches from each decade were recognized, with championship teams singled out, and the ceremonies concluded with all of the Top 100 Demons and the honorary captains introduced. Of course, Sidney was a Top 100 pick. As the introductions continued -- and it takes a while to run through 100 names (credit to Nick Pollacia for doing it flawlessly and rapidly and with aplomb)-- Ballard and co-conspirators began to tell Sidney that of the Top 100, he was the one with the most votes and therefore he had to speak on behalf of all of the Top 100 and all of the former players. Sidney has never shied away from speaking to anybody, but this was clearly not a playcall he agreed with, much to the delight of Ballard, Ken Meeks and other teammates in on the joke.
...Coach Sam Goodwin had several former players itching to tell the story about him making a perfect form tackle of a McNeese cheerleader running the Cowboys flag through the Demons' bench in a 1995 game. Coach Goodwin tried to diffuse the situation by beating them to the punch in the Storytelling Contest, egged on by Britt Brittain. No such luck. Fullback Rob Robertson brought down the house about 15 minutes later with his account of the event. He said it was the funniest thing he ever saw in Demon football history and there wasn't a close second. He also said after watching that, he was glad Coach Goodwin never tackled him!
...Top 100 offensive lineman Mike Funches had some impassioned comments about his days with the Demons, but also took time to make fun of fellow Top 100 teammate William Broussard's long hair.
...Top 100 defensive end John Kulakowski took a jab from Goodwin for drawing an unsportmanlike conduct penalty -- not when Kool was playing for the Demons, but two years later, when Kool was on the sideline for the 1989 SFA game. That SFA team played for the national championship but the Demons had them dead to rights late in a tied game. A no call on an obvious pass interference fired up the Demon bench. Problem was, Kool was way out of the bench area down inside the 20, giving the official some lip. The 15-yard flag dumped NSU too far back for a good shot at a game-winning field goal, and the Demons ended the season with a 17-17 tie. But, as Kool pointed out, they did keep Chief Caddo. But his wince was painful when he realized Coach Goodwin was telling the story.
...Top 100 offensive lineman Ross Gwinn, certainly one of the most colorful characters ever to don the purple and white, had a lot of teammates nervous when the longtime Voice of the Demons, Norm Fletcher, called him to the mike during the Storytelling Contest. They were surprised when Gwinn explained his relatively puny build nowawadays on his diabetes, which he said kept him from having fun. He said it, we should note, with a smile on his face. I don't think anybody had more fun Saturday than Ross did. It was about a 2,000-way tie between players, coaches, their families and fans at the tailgating area.
... It was interesting to see Tony Joe Maranto with his parents, especially his dad, who for the first time ever did not have his video camera with him. Mr. Maranto was incredible about taping Tony Joe's games, and the Top 100 selection must have quite a personal highlight tape. I also do not know how the Marantos have not aged in the last decade. Smiling a lot must have a great deal to do with it.
... Another guy who loved being back on campus was Top 100 selection Marcus Spears, who brought his boys up from Houston. They immediately teamed with Ed Moses' son, who is already a star tailback and linebacker in Baton Rouge pee wee football, and commandeered a football for a pickup game on the practice field.
... It was poignant to visit with the family of Kurt Rodriguez, one of the top tacklers and most intense players in school history. The Top 100 selection died suddenly three years ago. Talking with his dad, Roddy, it was good to remember Kurt's spirit, and his family's pride. You could always count on a couple dozen No. 58 jerseys in the stands among the Rodriguez clan in attendance at each of his games. I told Roddy that he would enjoy watching the young man now wearing No. 58, Ray Martin, who has the same kind of fire and reckless abandon that Kurt played with. Doing that was clearly going to be a very bittersweet experience for the family, but they are truly NSU proud and were gratified to be back for the event. They are also looking forward to the Oct. 13 SLU game here to host the golf tournament helping fuel the Kurt Rodriguez Endowed Scholarship.
... There was some suspense as to whether two current Demon coaches in the Top 100 players list, head coach Scott Stoker and defensive end Roy Locks, would make it out of the locker room at halftime to be recognized in the ceremonies. Stoker didn't, but Locks, wearing the orange coaching shirt he uses so the players on the field can find him as he helps signal in schemes, dashed out and waved as he was introduced, with a typically big smile on his face.
... Good to see dozens of the former players wearing the commemorative 100-year caps designed by former player (safety) Steve Graf and instigated by Britt Brittain. More caps are on sale through Campus Corner and at the souvenir stand for remaining home games.
... Kudos to the Spirit of Northwestern band for volunteering to form the "100" on the field at the end of their halftime show, and for keeping the halftime show to eight minutes, allowing time for the Centennial Celebration recognitions. Fact is, the SON would have rightfully been recognized as a mass "honorary captain" itself, for as much impact as the band has made in so many magnificent memories for Demon players and fans through the years.
Doug Ireland, SID
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