Pat White, Meerkat Manor & the Miami Dolphins
Some of you will have no idea what this post is about. My apologies. But to those of you who know much of anything about college football, you should recognize the name Pat White. This former quarterback for West Virginia University holds a number of NCAA, WVU & Big East records. Perhaps the most impressive record is 4-0. He is the only starting quarterback in collegiate history to go undefeated in four bowl games.
No one wanted him as a collegiate quarterback. LSU wanted him, but as a defensive back. Others were looking at him to play wide receiver. Rich Rodriguez, WVU's former and now much-despised coach, believed Pat was the perfect fit for his spread offense. And was he ever!
I personally saw Pat play at least 20 times. The packed houses at Mountaineer Field attest to his electrifying performances. He was fun to watch and a great leader on and off the field.
It's easy to forget that this and other athletes we adore are just young people -- "kids" as some would say. But we had reminders of this. You'd see him around campus, and he was just like any other college student. His favorite TV show was Meerkat Manor -- don't know if it still is. We all vividly remember one game when WVU was playing at Pitt. The Mountaineers were rolling, and ESPN showed Pat on the sideline mimicking the PA system's "Panther Roar" that they annoyingly played to help inspire the Pitt fans. Pat was meowing on the sideline, unaware that the country was watching. Just a young person.
On Saturday, the Miami Dolphins drafted Pat in the 2nd round. Some people scratched their heads at that one, but they should recall that Dolphins president Bill Parcells is the premier talent assessor in the NFL. He clearly knows what he's doing. Now, Pat will be able to watch Meerkat Manor on a VERY large screen TV with all the money he will be making.
And that's how I will continue to picture him -- watching meerkats on plasma. It's a good reminder that these athletes, who are idolized by so many, are just ordinary people who happen to play a sport very well.
No one wanted him as a collegiate quarterback. LSU wanted him, but as a defensive back. Others were looking at him to play wide receiver. Rich Rodriguez, WVU's former and now much-despised coach, believed Pat was the perfect fit for his spread offense. And was he ever!
I personally saw Pat play at least 20 times. The packed houses at Mountaineer Field attest to his electrifying performances. He was fun to watch and a great leader on and off the field.
It's easy to forget that this and other athletes we adore are just young people -- "kids" as some would say. But we had reminders of this. You'd see him around campus, and he was just like any other college student. His favorite TV show was Meerkat Manor -- don't know if it still is. We all vividly remember one game when WVU was playing at Pitt. The Mountaineers were rolling, and ESPN showed Pat on the sideline mimicking the PA system's "Panther Roar" that they annoyingly played to help inspire the Pitt fans. Pat was meowing on the sideline, unaware that the country was watching. Just a young person.
On Saturday, the Miami Dolphins drafted Pat in the 2nd round. Some people scratched their heads at that one, but they should recall that Dolphins president Bill Parcells is the premier talent assessor in the NFL. He clearly knows what he's doing. Now, Pat will be able to watch Meerkat Manor on a VERY large screen TV with all the money he will be making.
And that's how I will continue to picture him -- watching meerkats on plasma. It's a good reminder that these athletes, who are idolized by so many, are just ordinary people who happen to play a sport very well.
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