Randy Moss didn’t even mention Marshall University. That is a slap in the face.

[W-S HerdFan]

Woody - I didn't know any of that! This really does put things in perspective for me. Think about it: Marshall has fielded a football team to represent the school for (what, 1895?) 122 going on 123 seasons. Oh, that's right, probably didn't field a team for a couple of years during the WWars I & II. So, let's agree somewhere in the neighborhood of 120 years. In all of that time, until this past week, we had exactly ONE former player enshrined in the Pro Football HoF. And, though Mr. Gatski played mainly in the 1950's, it still took the League some 30 years to get around to voting him in. Now comes this brash kid, with a hickey accent, more God-given ability than just about any athlete (Thorpe?) has ever possessed, and confidence off the scale. He demolishes the League for 15 years, stamps his credentials as one of the best wide-outs to ever put on cleats, and BAM! - elected on the 1st ballot he was eligible for to enter the Hallowed Hall to increase our total HoF members to double the number we had before..... and we have these ungrateful, small-minded, insecure and whiny fans complaining that he didn't "do enough" in his short speech to prostrate himself in adoration for the school that he almost single-handedly put on the national football landscape in 1997. Jesus, Joseph & Mary - please forgive us as a fan base & hope that #88 will still want to associate himself with Marshall U.
WS

 

[huntersdl2007]

Not many former players of those years are fans of the current staff or AD. That's a fact. Despite what a guy named Josh says I've heard it enough from plenty of the guys. Randy loves Marshall but yeah had a couple bad experiences and is still guarded. He and Chad we're just hanging out so he's still good with plenty of folks.

 

[HucksHerd]

I agree MU ATO...I was expecting and on the edge of my seat waiting for some mention of MARSHALL. I felt his speech exhibited an "angry mode." He has a right to be pissed at the media....who does not feel anger at media today!

Correct me if I'm wrong....you have to graduate from Marshall to have your jersey # retired.

HerdZilla22 (Sweeney) in Charlotte

Not entirely true that you have to graduate from Marshall to have your jersey retired. I believe that we retired John Taft's jersey at the end of his senior year. He was a phenomenal player that was completely deserving of that honor, but I know he hadnt graduated at that point. I think he came back years later and completed his degree, but I am not 100% sure on that one.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

I'm not sure if Gunner Gatski finished at Marshall. He was a frosh in 1940, then played varsity 1941-42. He went off to war before his senior season and hit the Normandy beaches on D-Day. Right after he came out of Army in 1945 down in the southern US, he played a couple of games at Auburn before they realized Gunner still had eligibility (this history has been written many times, so I hope it is correct). He was then a Cleveland Brown from 1946-49, in the All-American Football Conference (winning all four titles and having an undefeated season in 1948), then jumped to the NFL with Paul Brown (as well as the San Francisco 49ers and original Baltimore Colts), and played in six more title games and won three more titles. He played for the Detroit Lions in 1957, beating his former team in the NFL Championship -- let's see, 12 years of pro ball, 11 championship games, and 8 championships. He was a scout for the Boston Patriots in 1958, as the AFL was getting cranked up, but finished his career as the Head Coach for football and other sports at the Prunytown (WV) Industrial School for Boys - kind of a jail for kids who were robbing or other such crimes as teenagers or younger. Gatski had his teams jump off a 20' cliff every fall to "toughen them up," and after some boys tried to sneak off at halftime in a game so Gatski would practice throughout the halftime period. It closed in the late 1982 and he finished his life hunting and fishing - he went into the NFL HOF 1985 with Joe Nameth, Roger Staubach, OJ Simson and NFL Commish Pete Rozell. Herd retired his No. 72 in 2005 and in 2006 the East End Bridge in Huntington (going to Proctorville, Ohio) was named for Gatski. So not sure if he came back some time and finished his degree. I think, yes, Randy's #88 should be retired but what do you do about College Hall of Fame inductees? Cy Young probably did not have a number in 1910-11, but there is Troy Brown's #8, Michael Payton is #14, Mike Barber is #28 and Jackie Hunt's #75? I would like to see them all honored with their number on a plaque, banner or statue in the stadium, not retired, and with rosters expanded to 110 now, there are a lot more players to wear 1-99.

Football, killing Nazis, Prunytown...that's an interesting life!

 

[HucksHerd]

Woody - I didn't know any of that! This really does put things in perspective for me. Think about it: Marshall has fielded a football team to represent the school for (what, 1895?) 122 going on 123 seasons. Oh, that's right, probably didn't field a team for a couple of years during the WWars I & II. So, let's agree somewhere in the neighborhood of 120 years. In all of that time, until this past week, we had exactly ONE former player enshrined in the Pro Football HoF. And, though Mr. Gatski played mainly in the 1950's, it still took the League some 30 years to get around to voting him in. Now comes this brash kid, with a hickey accent, more God-given ability than just about any athlete (Thorpe?) has ever possessed, and confidence off the scale. He demolishes the League for 15 years, stamps his credentials as one of the best wide-outs to ever put on cleats, and BAM! - elected on the 1st ballot he was eligible for to enter the Hallowed Hall to increase our total HoF members to double the number we had before..... and we have these ungrateful, small-minded, insecure and whiny fans complaining that he didn't "do enough" in his short speech to prostrate himself in adoration for the school that he almost single-handedly put on the national football landscape in 1997. Jesus, Joseph & Mary - please forgive us as a fan base & hope that #88 will still want to associate himself with Marshall U.
WS

I'm with you brotha!!!

 

[sistersville]

Did you also forget to give all the glory to God, like Ray Lewis?

Raoul are you comparing moss to Lewis? Moss was sincere I believe.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Raoul are you comparing moss to Lewis? Moss was sincere I believe.

I'm making fun of Lewis being a murderer, playing the religion card, and everyone falling for it.

 

[Marine03]

I agree MU ATO...I was expecting and on the edge of my seat waiting for some mention of MARSHALL. I felt his speech exhibited an "angry mode." He has a right to be pissed at the media....who does not feel anger at media today!

Correct me if I'm wrong....you have to graduate from Marshall to have your jersey # retired.

HerdZilla22 (Sweeney) in Charlotte

5 of the 7 inducted didn’t mention their school, it was not the College Hall of Fame. No idea why this is such a hard concept for some to figure out, but then I see the list of those crying about it and it becomes perfectly clear.

 

[i am herdman]

Football, killing Nazis, Prunytown...that's an interesting life!

You bet. And just like a real West Virginian, he finished his life hunting and fishing.