Spring Break
WVU fans show their true colors
Russell Blair
Issue date: 10/26/09 Section: Sports
Over the past three years, I, like any other self-respecting UConn undergrad, have grown to hate the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Whether it was the 66-21 drubbing the UConn football team received in Morgantown the year they were crowned Co-Big East champions or Joe Alexander and the Mountaineers knocking the Huskies out in the 2008 Big East basketball tournament, I developed a deep and undying hatred for everything West Virginian.
But Saturday changed all that.
With the football team playing the hardest game that they have ever played, the Mountaineers - and more importantly their fans - welcomed the Huskies with open arms. As the Huskies raced out of the tunnel, the first time in two and a half years without Jasper Howard at their side, and into a packed Milan Puskar Stadium, nobody, the team included, could have expected what they were met with.
A large banner read "Today we are all Huskies: No. 6 Jasper Howard" and was littered with the signatures of thousands of West Virginia students. Students who had even less exposure to Howard than UConn undergrads took the time out of their day to sign a banner commemorating his life. Furthermore, Mountaineer fans in the crowd held signs that read "RIP Jasper Howard" among other tributes to his accolades both on and off the field. They welcomed UConn out of the tunnel with cheers, not jeers. The Huskies may have expected an olive branch, but the Mountaineers forked over nearly the entire tree.
While my column last week reminded us that Howard was a student first and a football player second, the Mountaineer fans took this one step further. Undoubtedly, none of the students who signed that banner or held signs in the crowd had ever met Howard, and yet they felt compelled to show they cared. They boiled the situation down to the bare essentials; that a fellow human, regardless of his university affiliation and regardless of the fact that he was a football player, had been murdered.
I would like to take this time to congratulate each and every West Virginia fan for their kindness and understanding on Saturday. I've been to my fair share of sporting events and seen the bad blood that can exist between rivals, especially at the college level. But the Mountaineers, at least for that one game, put the rivalry aside and realized there was more at stake than just a football game.
Whether it was the 66-21 drubbing the UConn football team received in Morgantown the year they were crowned Co-Big East champions or Joe Alexander and the Mountaineers knocking the Huskies out in the 2008 Big East basketball tournament, I developed a deep and undying hatred for everything West Virginian.
But Saturday changed all that.
With the football team playing the hardest game that they have ever played, the Mountaineers - and more importantly their fans - welcomed the Huskies with open arms. As the Huskies raced out of the tunnel, the first time in two and a half years without Jasper Howard at their side, and into a packed Milan Puskar Stadium, nobody, the team included, could have expected what they were met with.
A large banner read "Today we are all Huskies: No. 6 Jasper Howard" and was littered with the signatures of thousands of West Virginia students. Students who had even less exposure to Howard than UConn undergrads took the time out of their day to sign a banner commemorating his life. Furthermore, Mountaineer fans in the crowd held signs that read "RIP Jasper Howard" among other tributes to his accolades both on and off the field. They welcomed UConn out of the tunnel with cheers, not jeers. The Huskies may have expected an olive branch, but the Mountaineers forked over nearly the entire tree.
While my column last week reminded us that Howard was a student first and a football player second, the Mountaineer fans took this one step further. Undoubtedly, none of the students who signed that banner or held signs in the crowd had ever met Howard, and yet they felt compelled to show they cared. They boiled the situation down to the bare essentials; that a fellow human, regardless of his university affiliation and regardless of the fact that he was a football player, had been murdered.
I would like to take this time to congratulate each and every West Virginia fan for their kindness and understanding on Saturday. I've been to my fair share of sporting events and seen the bad blood that can exist between rivals, especially at the college level. But the Mountaineers, at least for that one game, put the rivalry aside and realized there was more at stake than just a football game.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 29
wvugradstudent
posted 10/26/09 @ 10:42 AM EST
Russell, what a fantastic article. I, like many in the Mountaineer fan base, was a little apprehensive about how the fans at the game would handle the situation. (Continued…)
Amanda
posted 10/26/09 @ 11:55 AM EST
Well said Russell. As a UConn Alum my heart goes out to the family and friends of Jasper Howard. I am saddened to know that the UConn community, both near and far, has to cope with this loss and attempt to understand why this senseless act of rage occurred. (Continued…)
Bill wvufan
posted 10/26/09 @ 1:27 PM EST
Thanks from all at WVU. I felt very honored just to attend the game. It seems that the unexpected death of some people really has a way of bringing out the best in others and perhaps changing behavior or perceptions. (Continued…)
downhillEER
posted 10/26/09 @ 1:44 PM EST
Mountaineer Nation supports UCONN, Randy Edsall, and most importantly, the family and friends of "Jazz" Howard during this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. (Continued…)
MountyEERs
posted 10/26/09 @ 2:03 PM EST
It was a great honor to be part of this game and setting. Although many WV fans and alumni have seen this type of acts over the years with situations at WV it was special to see it for an outside tragic loss. (Continued…)
Diane Miner Hazel
posted 10/26/09 @ 3:37 PM EST
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Jasper Howard...
My condolences to this sad UCONN family, too.
I am proud to see that my alma mater. (Continued…)
LovesMounties
posted 10/26/09 @ 4:31 PM EST
I am an undergrad at WVU and I was honored to be at that game. This was a great article and WVU does indeed support UCONN. I'm blessed to have been a part of remembering such an amazing athlete and young man. (Continued…)
Laurie Blair
posted 10/26/09 @ 6:39 PM EST
To my nephew Russ Blair: when this first happened, and I saw what shock and grief it evoked in the coach, the players, the family of course, and the other students, I couldn't help but selfishly think "What a tragedy that Russell's college experience will always be colored by this horrible act. (Continued…)
Mountaineer Fan
Mountaineer Fan
posted 10/27/09 @ 2:31 PM EST
Thank you so much for your wonderful article! I sincerely hope that Jasper's murder(s) will be swiftly brought to justice.
B-Dar
posted 10/27/09 @ 4:07 PM EST
Thank you Russell. This is so true, and such a class article. As a WVU student I had no idea what our crowd would do though, until it happened. It was a pleasant surprise, and a great game. (Continued…)
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