Ernie Davis Story

[goofnoff]

I was thirteen in 1959 and Syracuse Football and Nats basketball were the center of my universe. They are replaying the Ernie Davis Story on AMC. I can't watch it. The end still hurts too much, and I mean that seriously.

 

[CA Monk]

I was thirteen in 1959 and Syracuse Football and Nats basketball were the center of my universe. They are replaying the Ernie Davis Story on AMC. I can't watch it. The end still hurts too much, and I mean that seriously.

You're not alone.

 

[CuseLegacy]

I was thirteen in 1959 and Syracuse Football and Nats basketball were the center of my universe. They are replaying the Ernie Davis Story on AMC. I can't watch it. The end still hurts too much, and I mean that seriously.

I cry every time I watch that movie.

 

[baggerbob]

I was thirteen in 1959 and Syracuse Football and Nats basketball were the center of my universe. They are replaying the Ernie Davis Story on AMC. I can't watch it. The end still hurts too much, and I mean that seriously.

Same as you I was 13, and looking forward to the greatest backfield of all time in Cleveland.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

The Express or is there something called The Ernie Davis Story that I’m not familiar with?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

The Express or is there something called The Ernie Davis Story that I’m not familiar with?

It was The Express.

Did you know Orangeyes and I watched them film when they visited campus.

We even met Rob Brown and Chelcie Ross (and no, I didn't ask Chelcie if he drank Jobu's rum).

 

[Stevenson]

It was The Express.

Did you know Orangeyes and I watched them film when they visited campus.

We even met Rob Brown and Chelcie Ross (and no, I didn't ask Chelcie if he drank Jobu's rum).

Is very bad to drink Jobu’s rum.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

There are two parts of that movie that really bother me. The first is the portrayal of the Cotton Bowl as a close game. Played in the Longhorns home state of Texas. SU led 23-6 heading into the 4th quarter. Texas scored 8 in that quarter, but they never got any closer than 9 pts. We basically kicked their butts in their de-facto home game, unlike what was portrayed in the film.

The second thing that bothers me is that they left out a key part when Ernie was recruiting Floyd to come to SU. As they walked along, Ernie apparently closed the deal by reminding Floyd that Floyd's family would have veto power over which future Orange player got to wear #44. It was a dramatic moment that I still sob uncontrollably when I think of, but it got cut from the final edit. I'm choking up even as I type this.

 

[OrangeAl]

There are two parts of that movie that really bother me. The first is the portrayal of the Cotton Bowl as a close game. Played in the Longhorns home state of Texas. SU led 23-6 heading into the 4th quarter. Texas scored 8 in that quarter, but they never got any closer than 9 pts. We basically kicked their butts in their de-facto home game, unlike what was portrayed in the film.

The second thing that bothers me is that they left out a key part when Ernie was recruiting Floyd to come to SU. As they walked along, Ernie apparently closed the deal by reminding Floyd that Floyd's family would have veto power over which future Orange player got to wear #44. It was a dramatic moment that I still sob uncontrollably when I think of, but it got cut from the final edit. I'm choking up even as I type this.

Sometimes the editing is for the better!

 

[Bayside44]

There are two parts of that movie that really bother me. The first is the portrayal of the Cotton Bowl as a close game. Played in the Longhorns home state of Texas. SU led 23-6 heading into the 4th quarter. Texas scored 8 in that quarter, but they never got any closer than 9 pts. We basically kicked their butts in their de-facto home game, unlike what was portrayed in the film.

The second thing that bothers me is that they left out a key part when Ernie was recruiting Floyd to come to SU. As they walked along, Ernie apparently closed the deal by reminding Floyd that Floyd's family would have veto power over which future Orange player got to wear #44. It was a dramatic moment that I still sob uncontrollably when I think of, but it got cut from the final edit. I'm choking up even as I type this.

Seems like that power is still there…

 

[SWC75]

'The Express' began to lose me when they did the score montage for 1959 and it was all made-up stuff. "Syracuse beats Penn State 32-6!". The 1959 Syracuse Penn State game was the game of the year and the greatest game in the series' history, 20-18, clinched on a failed two-point conversion. It showed me they didn't care about the details.

I later learned that they were going to dramatize a Syracuse-North Carolina game with a racial incident in it, even though we didn't play North Carolina until 1995. They finally decided to use West Viriginia instead, portraying it as a hotbed or racism. They presented that Ben Schwartzwalder wouldn't let a black player score in the game there. But we didn't even play them down there that year. We did the next year and black players scored 6 touchdowns.

 

[goofnoff]

'The Express' began to lose me when they did the score montage for 1959 and it was all made-up stuff. "Syracuse beats Penn State 32-6!". The 1959 Syracuse Penn State game was the game of the year and the greatest game in the series' history, 20-18, clinched on a failed two-point conversion. It showed me they didn't care about the details.

I later learned that they were going to dramatize a Syracuse-North Carolina game with a racial incident in it, even though we didn't play North Carolina until 1995. They finally decided to use West Viriginia instead, portraying it as a hotbed or racism. They presented that Ben Schwartzwalder wouldn't let a black player score in the game there. But we didn't even play them down there that year. We did the next year and black players scored 6 touchdowns.

My point wasn't to critique the movie which is, critically, a sentimental mess. It's history, as you pointed out, is awful. That 1959 game against WV, in Archibald, created a great photo in SI. In the photo Davis has broken loose on the scissors, and Roger Davis is shown cutting off any pursuit after leading Davis through the hole.

The 1950's in America was rife with racism. It would be interesting to study Schwartzwalder's personal change in his attitudes toward black players. Was race involved in Schwartzwalder's attitude towards Jim Brown? My thought has always been that Schwartzwalder had an epiphany regarding black players.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

I was thirteen in 1959 and Syracuse Football and Nats basketball were the center of my universe. They are replaying the Ernie Davis Story on AMC. I can't watch it. The end still hurts too much, and I mean that seriously.

I think I was the original rally baby as I was born in 1959 and thus turned 44 in 2003. Two great years in Syracuse sports and in my life.

 

[OttoMets]

There are two parts of that movie that really bother me. The first is the portrayal of the Cotton Bowl as a close game. Played in the Longhorns home state of Texas. SU led 23-6 heading into the 4th quarter. Texas scored 8 in that quarter, but they never got any closer than 9 pts. We basically kicked their butts in their de-facto home game, unlike what was portrayed in the film.

The second thing that bothers me is that they left out a key part when Ernie was recruiting Floyd to come to SU. As they walked along, Ernie apparently closed the deal by reminding Floyd that Floyd's family would have veto power over which future Orange player got to wear #44. It was a dramatic moment that I still sob uncontrollably when I think of, but it got cut from the final edit. I'm choking up even as I type this.

Also didn't we play WVU in Syracuse, not Morgantown as portrayed, that year?

It's been forever since I've watched the movie but it's in the back of my mind that that sort of inaccuracy was in there.

 

[MSOrange]

'The Express' began to lose me when they did the score montage for 1959 and it was all made-up stuff. "Syracuse beats Penn State 32-6!". The 1959 Syracuse Penn State game was the game of the year and the greatest game in the series' history, 20-18, clinched on a failed two-point conversion. It showed me they didn't care about the details.

I later learned that they were going to dramatize a Syracuse-North Carolina game with a racial incident in it, even though we didn't play North Carolina until 1995. They finally decided to use West Viriginia instead, portraying it as a hotbed or racism. They presented that Ben Schwartzwalder wouldn't let a black player score in the game there. But we didn't even play them down there that year. We did the next year and black players scored 6 touchdowns.

Agree. Love that they made a movie about Ernie. But I'm a big true story person and I understand they alway embellish some details. But they made up stuff that didn't need to be made up. What really happened in Ernie's case is good enough to make an awesome story!

 

[SWC75]

My point wasn't to critique the movie which is, critically, a sentimental mess. It's history, as you pointed out, is awful. That 1959 game against WV, in Archibald, created a great photo in SI. In the photo Davis has broken loose on the scissors, and Roger Davis is shown cutting off any pursuit after leading Davis through the hole.

The 1950's in America was rife with racism. It would be interesting to study Schwartzwalder's personal change in his attitudes toward black players. Was race involved in Schwartzwalder's attitude towards Jim Brown? My thought has always been that Schwartzwalder had an epiphany regarding black players.

That would be more interesting than making up incidents that never happened, as the movie did.

 

[SWC75]

Also didn't we play WVU in Syracuse, not Morgantown as portrayed, that year?

It's been forever since I've watched the movie but it's in the back of my mind that that sort of inaccuracy was in there.

it might be in the back of your mind because I said so four posts above yours...

 

[goofnoff]

it might be in the back of your mind because I said so four posts above yours...

My post was to mention the famous SI photo. Wish I'd kept that copy. I was at the stadium to see the play in real time.
I also remember the game in State College. A guy named Kaufmann almost sunk us with two punt returns.

What I remember better is the 60 PSU game at Archie. With the clock running down Pete Liske completed a Hail Mary for Penn St and set them up in scoring position. Liske lost his shoe and couldn't call time out to put it back on. On the last play Liske lobbed it toward a PSU receiver in the back of the end zone and Ernie Davis skyed up to knock it down. That was in the gym end zone.

Wish i could remember where I parked my car.

 

[SWC75]

My post was to mention the famous SI photo. Wish I'd kept that copy. I was at the stadium to see the play in real time.
I also remember the game in State College. A guy named Kaufmann almost sunk us with two punt returns.

What I remember better is the 60 PSU game at Archie. With the clock running down Pete Liske completed a Hail Mary for Penn St and set them up in scoring position. Liske lost his shoe and couldn't call time out to put it back on. On the last play Liske lobbed it toward a PSU receiver in the back of the end zone and Ernie Davis skyed up to knock it down. That was in the gym end zone.

Wish i could remember where I parked my car.

 

[goofnoff]

 

[SWC75]

Is that Maryland?

I thought it was the shot from the West Virginia game you were describing.

What Swimsuit Issue Really Shows: The Decline of Sports Illustrated

For those who believe in coincidences, the fact that Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue shrank to 220 pages from last year's 252 may have nothing to do with its most risque cover in 51 years of pushing the envelope and lowering bikini bottoms. With model Hannah Davis (see obligatory picture)...

www.forbes.com

"I can remember pieces I read from the '50s, like "Orange Hell on Piety Hill," an account of Syracuse University's football victory over West Virginia with a full-page picture of Ernie Davis following a lineman around right end, so real it seemed they were going to thunder through the living room."

ORANGE HELL ON PIETY HILL

The color of hell has been variously described, but to the West Virginia football team last Saturday it appeared to be orange—the Orange of Syracuse. With a

vault.si.com

 

[HoustonCuse]

Cool reading that SI article from 1959.

 

[OrangeAl]

Cool reading that SI article from 1959.

Awesome reading. I highly recommend that for all Orange fans.

 

[Geode]

I thought it was the shot from the West Virginia game you were describing.

What Swimsuit Issue Really Shows: The Decline of Sports Illustrated

For those who believe in coincidences, the fact that Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue shrank to 220 pages from last year's 252 may have nothing to do with its most risque cover in 51 years of pushing the envelope and lowering bikini bottoms. With model Hannah Davis (see obligatory picture)...

www.forbes.com

"I can remember pieces I read from the '50s, like "Orange Hell on Piety Hill," an account of Syracuse University's football victory over West Virginia with a full-page picture of Ernie Davis following a lineman around right end, so real it seemed they were going to thunder through the living room."

ORANGE HELL ON PIETY HILL

The color of hell has been variously described, but to the West Virginia football team last Saturday it appeared to be orange—the Orange of Syracuse. With a

vault.si.com

This is simply a great read. Thank you for sharing

 

[Roger N]

I cry every time I watch that movie.

I still remember watching the Coach's All-American Game on TV. The game was held in Buffalo in June of 1962. I was at a graduation party and Jim McGraw was there. McGraw was a pretty good QB who had a scholarship to the University of Buffalo. Ernie Davis played and didn't do well. That was the first sign of his sickness. We all were disappointed in his performance.
A year later I was working at a downtown pharmacy and a drug salesman, originally from Elmira was in the store. He had played college football and knew Ernie. We were talking football and he told us that Ernie had leukemia. This was way before there was any public announcement of his illness. Ernie was such a good person. It still bothers me today. Such a loss.