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A Message To The Pirate Nation

 
A Special Story That Defines The Marshall-East Carolina Relationship


Dec. 1, 2011

To The Pirate Nation:

If you ever wondered what the phrase "it's more than a game" means, please take the time to read these exchanges, a message from Marshall Associate AD John Sutherland and an epilogue from Jarrod Call.

Good morning:

My name is Jimmy Wood and I am a proud Pirate alum, class of 2001. I recently took my sons, along with my father-in-law, to the Marshall game in Huntington. Please see below for the amazing events that took place that weekend and continues to take place. I posted a quick note on the website, Hoist the Colours, about our visit and the most amazing things have happened since. With the permission of the Call/Kautz family, I would like to share it with you. Below is an email sent from the associate AD for Marshall concerning this, and it includes the link to the original post and subsequent thread. This is what college athletics is truly about, forging friendships and respectful rivalries. In fact, is looks like the Call/Kautz family may very well make the trip to Greenville next year as my guests for the game and our pre-game tailgate.

I thought you would like to know about this.

Thanks,

Jimmy Wood '01

Jimmy,

We do not mind if you want to send it to him. This has gone viral around here as I never expected it to gain this much attention as well. I catch myself reading this throughout the day and smile every time thinking of my grandmother. I sent you an email with a link of my grandfather as well as a link to my grandmother's obituary. I thought you might like to hear about them. Thanks again for everything.

Best Regards,

Jarrod Call

Jarrod,

I continue to be amazed. I would like to share this with our AD, Coach Terry Holland, but only with the permission of you and your family. I never intended to draw so much attention to our visit and I'm sure this is still a trying time for your family.

Jimmy

Jimmy,

Below is an email that was sent out this morning from our associate AD. I thought you might be interested. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Best Regards,

Jarrod Call

Hey Herd Fans,

Have you recovered?

It was that kind of weekend! I don't know what tasted better; the OT win over Cincinnati, the OT win versus the Pirates, or my wife's sweet potato casserole?

Better go with the sweet potato casserole if I know what's good for me.

Not only did we taste victory in the win over ECU, we re-established the bond between our two schools. Through the courtesy and respect shown to our visitors from Greenville by you, our fans, the following note was posted on a Pirate message board. Please read this and feel proud of your Marshall family:

A Trip I Will Never Forget
On the way back from Huntington, and like most Pirates we have been playing the what if game. What if DD doesn't throw the picks in this game? What if we are not worst in the country in TO's on the year. Very frustrated. That said it was a great trip with my sons and father-in-law. Marshall has great fans and we are forever linked.

That being said, I had a poignant reminder that football is only a game at the end of the day. I decided that my boys really need to see the memorials to the 75, so we go to the fountain and then the cemetery. When we pull up to the cemetery there is actually a burial going on right in front of the memorial. We park a ways away and try to be respectful while deciding to stay or go. The service concludes and the minister walks up to us. I am thinking he is coming to run us off. Instead he tells us that the lady being laid to rest is the wife of the AD who died in the crash. As he is dismissing he sees our flags and thinks it is perfect that someone from ECU is there. He asks us to stay because it would mean a lot to the family. Huh?

We stay and walk up to the memorial. The grandson begins to talk to my father-in-law while a lady walks up to me. She is the daughter who just laid her mom to rest. She THANKS me for coming and talks to me and my sons about the tragedy. She thanked ECU for our tribute at the stadium and wishes us luck. She asks my kids if they play and reminds them to play till the whistle blows. What a classy lady.

I pray God's peace be with her and her family. I may not like C-USA, but I am proud to be conference mates with Marshall. They are ... Marshall.

I can only say "thank you" to Lucianne Call and her family, as she was the daughter who spoke to these folks who came to our town never expecting to be moved by the grace shown to them. At a time of great personal loss, she reached out to others to encourage them.

Today, I spoke with Lucianne and she shared with me something else truly amazing about that day; it just happened to be her mom and dad's wedding anniversary.

The responses to this letter are amazing and can be found by clicking the link below. They are a tribute to not only Lucianne, but to all true Marshall fans that extend that same hospitality to those who come to our town.

GO HERD!

http://www.hoistthecolours.net/showthread.php?3191-A-Trip-I-Will-Never-Forget

Take care and GO HERD!

John Sutherland
Associate Athletic Director/Executive Director Big Green Scholarship Fund
Marshall University
PO Box 1360
Huntington, WV 25715

Epilogue

Hello, My name is Jarrod Call. I am the grandson of the late Charles E. Kautz, Athletic Director 1970, who perished in the plane crash. As many fans do, they come to the memorial site on game days to tell new family members of how this may have affected them or to pay their respect to the 75 people whom passed before us. Yesterday was different for me and my family. As we were laying my grandmother to rest beside her husband, on their anniversary, two sets of fans pulled up to the site. A set of Marshall fans and a set of ECU fans. Coincidence you may ask? No, but as the preacher said it best "GODIncidence".

WOW.

How fitting it was to be playing the team that 41 years ago Marshall played when we lost my grandfather that we say our goodbyes to my grandmother. Coincidence??? No, GODincidence. I want to personally Thank You sir on behalf of my family for the respect you showed my family and amazing grandmother. You then took it a step further and posted this wonderful message that has touched all of our hearts.

I know my grandmother could not wait to see her husband again after 41 years. I could not imagine the celebration that they had when they reunited. PRICELESS!! As you said "football is just a game" but this my dear friend is "FIRST CLASS".

It was very nice to meet you and your family. I wish you all the best. Smiles in HEAVEN. GOD Bless!!

THANK YOU!!

Jarrod Call
MU Alumni 2003