Ralph's Rag: Eagles For Erk, the Erk Russell Statue Project

[CSN-info]

In the huddle the play was called 370 A Middle. On third down and 10 with 14 seconds left, the legend began. Tracy Ham dropped back and found Frankie Johnson in the back of the endzone to win the first of Erk Russell's three NCAA Division I National Championships at Georgia Southern University. The play would become known as "The Catch" in GSU lore.
The legendary bald eagle. Erk Russell is a Football Championship Subdivision icon. He is the spirit of GSU and the FCS. He created every significant tradition that GSU has. He took a K-Mart football and ran with it to three titles, he took drainage ditch waters and made them magical, he took an old yellow bus and rode that thing to glory. Now's the time GSU wants him paid back.

More... (http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?137-Eagles-For-Erk-the-Erk-Russell-Statue-Project)

[PantherRob82]

"On May 27 they are having a "pig patty" party. Featured is a field that will be gridded off with squares. At the appropriate time, a pig will be released and whoever owns the square that he "drops the ball" in will win $5,000 as a prize. They decided to name the pig, "Manbear" for obvious reasons. The squares are $20 apiece and every nickel goes to the Erk Russell Statue Project. There is no debate of big donors versus small donors because the legend of Erk belongs to us all. In fact, Erk talked frequently about the big donors and small donors who made the GSU program possible. He said all gave to "see the eagle fly" and they all meant something to him. He is our tradition. He is our hedges, he is our Chief Osceola on renegade, he is the plaid hat to us. He is a symbol of winning on the field that strongly signifies the FCS as a whole."


How is that obvious to most?

[pleahy1]

To clarify: Eagle Nation has nicknames one of our Defensive linemen (Brent Russel) ManBearPig because of his aggression and the fact that it usually takes 2 or 3 players to stop him, usually ripping his jersey in the process.

[GSU EAGLES]

Check out the youtube video at the bottom of the attached link. "Erk's retirement speech and credits" http://www.eaglesforerk.org/

This is classic Erk and as good as it gets. Although Erk is not known as well as legends such as Bear Bryant, he carries that same following as a Bear Bryant......the type of person that will be talked about and beloved by many generations that followed him. Everyone around Erk loved him like a father. The other video of his players at UGA where he was defensive coordinator shows how much they thought of him.

[bluehenbillk]

Does this mean Ralph isn't dead??

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Does this mean Ralph isn't dead??

I believe it does unless he's doing some ghost writing.





he posted a couple times a week back or so to dispell that rumor.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Does this mean Ralph isn't dead??

Definitely not dead. He just stopped posting under his name, Syntax Error, and all because I heard he is mad about how AGS has been sold again.

Has anyone talked to Coulson lately or seen him on here? Is he still around? I usually see him post or something and he seems to have fallen off the face of the earth.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Definitely not dead. He just stopped posting under his name, Syntax Error, and all because I heard he is mad about how AGS has been sold again.

Has anyone talked to Coulson lately or seen him on here? Is he still around? I usually see him post or something and he seems to have fallen off the face of the earth.

Mr. C has posted a bit lately on the App Delaying the vote thread and a couple other places I think.

Just for clarification though. Ralph is likely not happy that the site was sold to Cleets & I but he did post his appreciation to GAS & Lulu for what they did and that was after the sale. He had not posted previous to that in about six months so he was on hiatus long before the sale took place.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Mr. C has posted a bit lately on the App Delaying the vote thread and a couple other places I think.

Just for clarification though. Ralph is likely not happy that the site was sold to Cleets & I but he did post his appreciation to GAS & Lulu for what they did and that was after the sale. He had not posted previous to that in about six months so he was on hiatus long before the sale took place.

I know Ralph has had health problems. Probably more of a guess on my part but I'm sure he did not like the sale.

Have not read all of the threads and I know Coulson posted a couple times in the App one but haven't seen him active in the threads I have read lately and have not had an email from him either. Maybe he is very busy with some new things, I'm not sure. Hopefully he is working on the CSN preview. It would be nice to have 2 FCS only previews this year!

[blueballs]

Thanks Ralph for posting this.

As great of a coach as Erk was- and he was an icon- he was an even better man. From a purely football standpoint, the miracle that was Georgia Southern football in the 1980's is something that will never be duplicated. He walked into Statesboro in 1981 onto a campus that had ZERO facilities, ZERO scholarships, ZERO money and ZERO tradition. He built the greatest program in the history of the division from scratch on a shoestring budget with a couple of stars, a ton of walkons, and a lot of heart and hustle.

Erk won consecutive national titles 4 years from the initial press conference- and yes, the legend that they had to run down to K-Mart to buy a football for the presser and that the equipment was secondhand and donated is all true- and fashioned 4 title game appearances, 3 titles, the longest home winning streak both overall and playoffs, and a 15-0-0 season in 8 years, from scratch.

The university and the City of Statesboro is what it is thanks to Erk. A statue is the least we can do.

One other thing... it is absolutely criminal that the College Football Hall of Fame has not seen fit to waive the 10 year rule and induct Erk.

[GannonFan]

One other thing... it is absolutely criminal that the College Football Hall of Fame has not seen fit to waive the 10 year rule and induct Erk.

"Criminal"? Have they ever waived the rule for anyone? He'll get in, relax.

[blueballs]

"Criminal"? Have they ever waived the rule for anyone? He'll get in, relax.

It has been 22 years since he retired after the 15-0-0 season and he passed away 5 years. With each passing year the number of his peers decreases and the memories fade farther away so sadly I'm not too optimistic.

[polsongrizz]

Does this mean Ralph isn't dead??

I sure hope not.

[Grizzaholic]

Mr. C has posted a bit lately on the App Delaying the vote thread and a couple other places I think.

Just for clarification though. Ralph is likely not happy that the site was sold to Cleets & I but he did post his appreciation to GAS & Lulu for what they did and that was after the sale. He had not posted previous to that in about six months so he was on hiatus long before the sale took place.

YUP. He is probably ashamed of the way he treated the new owners.