White welcomed into 'this small fraternity'
BY DAVE SITTLER World Sports Writer
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
6/28/08 at 6:35 AM
NEW YORK -- Jason White
was surrounded by both old friends and new ones Monday night when Oklahoma's quarterback officially became a member
of an ultra-exclusive group consisting of Heisman Trophy winners.
White was named the 69th winner of college football's most coveted individual award last Saturday at
the Yale Club. And Monday's induction came at the New York Hilton Hotel, where more than 1,500
attended the black-tie banquet.
It was a night that was dominated by Sooners. Former OU running back Billy Sims was honored
on the 25th anniversary of when he
won the Heisman. Sims was introduced by his coach at OU, Barry
Switzer.
Also on the dais were Steve Owens, the bruising Sooner running
back who won the Heisman in
1969; Sooner coach Bob Stoops
and OU president David Boren.
Those were just some of the old
friends who made the trip to honor
White. Others in the audience included his parents, Ron and Sue
White, several OU assistant coaches, athletic director Joe Castiglione
and two of the trainers who helped
White through the long period of
rehabilitation after he had two
major knee surgeries.
The new friends were the
ones White made during his
whirlwind visit to New York.
In addition to Owens and
Sims, they included 13 more
former Heisman winners who
came to the Big Apple to welcome White as the newest
member of their fraternity.
Rev. George F. Riley, who
delivered the invocation, left
no doubt who the focus was
on when he said, "God is number one in heaven, and Jason
White is number one on earth
this night."
After United States Surgeon
General Dr. Richard Carmona
gave an inspiring keynote address about the importance of
never giving up, Boren told
him that attitude was White's
trademark as he battled back
from his injuries.
Boren said White personifies
the fighting spirit of OU,
which has existed for more
than 100 years. Boren recalled
that when the school's first
president arrived in Norman
110 years ago, he was greeted
by a campus with no buildings
or trees.
"It was a hard panned, desolate prairie," Boren said. "And
David Ross Boyd looked at the
bleak scene and said, 'What
possibilities.' It was that tenacity and that spirit that defined
what the University of Oklahoma is all about.
"And now, well over 100
years later, a young student-athlete came to our campus
and reaffirmed that spirit.
When others would have quit,
he said over and over again
that he would not give up. And
it was that courage that made
him the great player that he
is."
Sims brought down the
house with laughter during his
speech. Before he started, he
ducked behind the lectern and
then reappeared wearing a wig
similar to the large Afro haircut he sported when he played
for the Sooners.
Noting that throwback jerseys are the fashion rage these
days, Sims said his wig was "a
Froback."
In a serious moment, Sims
told White he could relate to
what the fifth-year senior has
gone through since arriving for
his first visit to New York.
Sims noted his hometown of
Hooks, Texas, was small like
Tuttle, and when he made his
first Heisman trip, "let me tell
you, I was in awe, Jason, so
you're not by yourself.
"But it's truly an honor to be
a member of the Heisman family; it's such a great fraternity.
Jason, you will realize all this
as the years go."
In introducing White to the
audience, Stoops pointed out
that his quarterback deserved
to win the Heisman solely by
his remarkable play this season. While most have focused
on White's remarkable comeback story, Stoops said that
part could be removed and
White was still the top Heisman candidate "because I don't
believe there is another quarterback in college football history that has thrown 40 touchdown passes and just eight
interceptions.
"Nobody should just feel bad
for what he's come back from,
because of what he's done this
year. But when you put the
two of them together, it is a
special, special Heisman story."
Wearing a tuxedo that featured a tie and vest in OU's
crimson color, White made an
acceptance speech that lasted
less than five minutes. But in
that time, he mentioned the
old and new friends around
him.
White recalled that while
growing up in Tuttle, "I got to
hear a lot about Steve Owens,
Billy Sims, Billy Vessels (1952
Heisman winner) and coach
Switzer.
"And just to think that I
would ever be classified in
their same category, I would
have never dreamed of it."
While also thanked his parents, the coaching staff that
fine-tuned his skills and the
medical staff that helped put
his broken body back together
twice. And he told about feeling overwhelmed at what he'd
experienced in New York.
"The thing about the Heisman that people don't understand if you're on the outside
is that you really don't know
what it's about," White said.
"It's about these past winners
and the brotherhood that they
have created. I can't say
enough about what I have
seen in the last few days about
the friendships that were built
in this room and how they
treat one another and how
they opened their arms up to
me.
"I look forward to coming
back and being a part of this
small fraternity. It's something
I can't describe right now, and
I don't think it's sunk in. But I
want to thank the past winners
for having open arms with me
and letting me come into the
fraternity."
At the conclusion of his
speech, White had another
new experience -- he received
his fourth standing ovation of
the night. It came from old
friends, new friends and people
who don't know him, but know
he is college football's most
outstanding player in 2003.
Dave Sittler 581-8312
dave.sittler@tulsaworld.com
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