Friday, 08/09/02
FSU's choice of slogan belittles 9/11
Commentary by JOE BIDDLE
Staff Writer
College football teams have adopted seasonal slogans for years.
They are meant to be motivational, often printed on T-shirts for players and fans to rally around.
These are usually the product of a marketing genius with too much time on their hands.
Remember when Vanderbilt came up with ''Show Your Gold?'' P.A. announcer Frank Crowell still urges Vanderbilt football fans to show their gold. With a deteriorating fan base, Crowell may want to change that to ''Show Your Face.''
A more recent Commodores catchphrase was: ''Have Fun. Expect to Win.''
Under former Vandy Coach Gerry DiNardo, it should have been: ''Have Fun. Expect to Run.''
Which brings us to Florida State's latest flap, which has columnists from coast to coast lining up. Opinion runs on both sides, but much more heavily against the Seminoles' chosen slogan for this season of ''Let's Roll.''
Those are the final words heard from Todd Beamer, who was aboard ill-fated Flight 93 that was hijacked by terrorists on 9/11.
Beamer was obviously organizing a group of passengers, who had boarded the Newark-to-California flight, never dreaming their lives would end that day or that their heroic actions would likely spare hundreds of other lives.
All indications are that Beamer and his volunteers stormed the hijackers, eventually preventing them from flying to Washington, D.C., where the Pentagon had already been hit by a terrorist-controlled commercial aircraft.
Flight 93 crashed in a remote area of Pennsylvania. All aboard perished as the plane nose-dived into the earth.
Now, Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden wants to use ''Let's Roll'' to inspire his Seminoles.
Beamer's widow and foundation have given Bowden their blessings. They contend every time it is seen or heard, it will evoke memories of Todd Beamer.
That being said, Todd Beamer is an American hero. As are those who joined hands and died trying to re-gain control of that airplane.
He may not have done it intentionally, but Bowden was trying to equate football and the ultimate act of heroism, dying for your country.
Last time I checked, football was still a game. Coaches and players provide a form of sports entertainment, in front of thousands of fans who splash war-paint on their face and can't find their car in the parking lot after the game.
Todd Beamer unknowingly transformed ''Let's Roll,'' into a battle cry. Every time I hear the phrase, I can assure you I won't be wondering how Florida State's football team is doing.
When he first explained why he chose the motto, Bowden said that it came from That Airplane Guy.
That Airplane Guy? C'mon, Bobby. You're better than that.
That Airplane Guy died for what he believed in. He didn't ask to be thrust into a cockpit that would corkscrew into the ground at a tremendous speed.
Football players win, or lose. Heroes die.
Football teams come back next Saturday to play again.
Todd Beamer isn't coming back.
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