The Express...

Today, the movie THE EXPRESS opens in theaters. Weeeeeeeeeee!

Why am I SO excited?

Because I am an ORANGEMAN, baby! And Hollywood has made a movie about MY alma mater! That’s right, Trevor! They made a movie about Syracuse football! When was the last time they made a movie about Texas Tech football? Oh, that’s right: NEVER!

Hahahahahaha!

Granted, the last time Syracuse had a decent football team was back in 1998 when Donovan McNabb was the Quarterback. We went to the Orange Bowl that year (and lost badly, but that’s another story). I was a bright-eyed freshman at the time, and honestly believed that the Orange Bowl was so named because the Orangemen were in attendance. Sigh, I know better now.



But the movie, THE EXPRESS, has additional significance for me. See, my dad was a sophomore in college at the University of Texas in 1959. The same year that Ernie Davis, also a sophomore, led Syracuse to the NCAA Division I-A national football championship, capping an undefeated season with a 23-14 win over The University of Texas in the Cotton Bowl.



Because of this, when I told my father that I planned to attend Syracuse University, he responded with the following:

“Well, that figures. In 1959, we played Syracuse in the Cotton Bowl. They had a bigger cannon, a brighter orange and they came down to Texas and stomped us. It makes sense that my own daughter would want to go Syracuse almost 40 years later.”

Of course, my dad was being sarcastic, which made it even more humorous four years later when he just happened to sit above the banner glorifying Syracuse’s victory over UT at my college graduation. What are the odds?! The Carrier Dome, although not the largest college stadium out there, isn’t necessarily tiny, either.

Combine all this with the fact that I can see the Cotton Bowl from my office window, and you have one excited movie-going Deals!

Well, except that I probably won’t be able to go to see the movie until next week (I have house guests this weekend), but still: T-H-R-I-L-L-E-D!

Down, down the field goes
old Syracuse,
Just see those backs hit the line
and go thro'
Down, down the field they go
marching, Fighting for the Orange
staunch and true.
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Vict'ry's in sight for old Syracuse,
Each loyal son knows she
ne'er more will lose,
For We'll fight, yes. we'll fight,
and with all our might
For the glory of Syracuse.