My daughter Stephanie is married to Army EOD technician Tom Applegate of Florence, Montana. Tom just finished a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and he's on a plane home. His unit is spending the night on the East coast after crossing the Atlantic. They land at Ft. Lewis tomorrow, get bused back to Yakima, and then debriefed. Pretty exciting stuff. He'll be home in time for Ethan's third birthday and little Lizzie's first steps. We are grateful, and we're grateful to the men and women who are serving their country in the ravaged, uncertain corners of the world.
So it was with a special pride that I read in Rob Moseley's blog today that for the second year in a row Chip Kelly and the Oregon Ducks would be honoring the troops at the April 30th Spring Game, which again will be televised on ESPN 2. Moseley reported the game would have a 1 p.m. start, preceded by a two-hour fanfest in the Moshofsky Center.
The R-G's top-notch football news shark had a statement from the coach:
“This not only presents a tremendous opportunity for our fans to pay their respects for the sacrifices men and women around the country make every day, but proved to be an eye-opening experience for our players and coaches,” Kelly said. “There were relationships formed from last year’s experience that extended beyond just one afternoon.”
What a great tradition the coach has enacted. He leads with class in a hundred little ways. I'll be there with a grocery sack full of canned food, and a hearty handshake for as many of the special guests I can reach.
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