onbison09
08-02-2012, 08:11 PM
NDSU athletics' facebook has been doing a cool thing where they talk about a past player called throwback Thursday. I thought today's was especially awesome.
THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURED ATHLETE - MIKE WHETSTONE
A Three-year starter for the Bison and first team All-American selection by both the AP and Kodak American Football Coaches Association his senior year. Devastating blocker who passed away from cancer just after the 1988 national championship game but first delivered an emotional message to that squad from his death bed (see below).
This message, delivered to the North Dakota State football team just before the 1988 national championship win over Portland State, is former Bison All- American Mike Whetstone’s legacy to the program he loved so much. He was an inspiration for the ’88 Bison. Whetstone died of cancer three days following the victory. This message was recorded prior to the semifinal game with Sacramento State and now hangs with his picture on a plaque in the locker room.
“Sometimes the amazing thing is I don't know what Bison Pride is myself, anyone who has been a Bison or will be a Bison will some day relate to what I’m saying.
“To me Bison Pride is not necessarily running around, being rah, rah, and jumping up and down. It’s more of a feeling you have knowing that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
“No one person is Bison Pride. It takes 48 tough bastards if you're in the playoffs and it takes 75 tough bastards during the regular season. It takes the players and coaches working together for a common good.
“Deep down, Bison Pride is the love we have for each other. I have noticed over the years that my true friends, my true life, everything evolves around Bison players and Bison people. I have friends outside of football, but for the most part, everything comes back to football, Bison football.
“The amazing thing that I have found in the last six months since discovering cancer is that people who have rallied around me the most are the Bison players and Bison alumni. I had former players come down to Rochester to visit me in the hospital--they traveled 300 miles just to visit me. I had friends from high school who were just 20 miles away, and they didn’t visit me. They just called on the phone.
“I guess to me that is what Bison Pride is all about, everybody looking out for each other. The strength of the Herd is in the Bison and the strength of the Bison is in the Herd. Bison Pride is knowing that everybody is looking out for everyone else.
“I want every Bison that’s ever been involved in the program to know that I love them. Kick some butt this weekend. We can’t let those California people think they’re better than us. Go out there and get ‘em guys.”
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/306336_10151150473729532_1544845034_n.jpg
THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURED ATHLETE - MIKE WHETSTONE
A Three-year starter for the Bison and first team All-American selection by both the AP and Kodak American Football Coaches Association his senior year. Devastating blocker who passed away from cancer just after the 1988 national championship game but first delivered an emotional message to that squad from his death bed (see below).
This message, delivered to the North Dakota State football team just before the 1988 national championship win over Portland State, is former Bison All- American Mike Whetstone’s legacy to the program he loved so much. He was an inspiration for the ’88 Bison. Whetstone died of cancer three days following the victory. This message was recorded prior to the semifinal game with Sacramento State and now hangs with his picture on a plaque in the locker room.
“Sometimes the amazing thing is I don't know what Bison Pride is myself, anyone who has been a Bison or will be a Bison will some day relate to what I’m saying.
“To me Bison Pride is not necessarily running around, being rah, rah, and jumping up and down. It’s more of a feeling you have knowing that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
“No one person is Bison Pride. It takes 48 tough bastards if you're in the playoffs and it takes 75 tough bastards during the regular season. It takes the players and coaches working together for a common good.
“Deep down, Bison Pride is the love we have for each other. I have noticed over the years that my true friends, my true life, everything evolves around Bison players and Bison people. I have friends outside of football, but for the most part, everything comes back to football, Bison football.
“The amazing thing that I have found in the last six months since discovering cancer is that people who have rallied around me the most are the Bison players and Bison alumni. I had former players come down to Rochester to visit me in the hospital--they traveled 300 miles just to visit me. I had friends from high school who were just 20 miles away, and they didn’t visit me. They just called on the phone.
“I guess to me that is what Bison Pride is all about, everybody looking out for each other. The strength of the Herd is in the Bison and the strength of the Bison is in the Herd. Bison Pride is knowing that everybody is looking out for everyone else.
“I want every Bison that’s ever been involved in the program to know that I love them. Kick some butt this weekend. We can’t let those California people think they’re better than us. Go out there and get ‘em guys.”
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/306336_10151150473729532_1544845034_n.jpg