Most schools honor their legends, Penn State fires their most iconic legend.
Remembering The Legacy Of A Legend
By:David Deguzman
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WFXR) - Gathering in Central Virginia, they made sure those in attendance knew his legacy reached far beyond Charlottesville.
"He lived a good life, it should be rewarded and remembered for the things that he did as a football coach," former Virginia player Ronde Barber said.
Remembered as "the architect of the rebuild", "the captain of the comeback", and "the old salt", George Welsh's life was celebrated Saturday morning in a ceremony at John Paul Jones Arena.
The collection of speakers who knew Welsh best included players who knew him as an assistant coach at Penn State under Joe Paterno to the head coach who faced him on the opposite sideline in the 1980s.
And in between, a plethora of stories and memories.
"It's evident what he did to people's lives, not just as a football coach," Barber said. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world. They asked me to be part of the program and I was not going to say no."
Barber led a six player panel discussion of Welsh's impact on the UVA program, where he served as head coach for 19 seasons, compiling a record of 134-86-3. Welsh retired as the winngest coach in ACC history.
"And the consistency, to be consistent as he was for so long in the ACC at a place like virginia where the academic requirements are so hard," former Virginia player Chris Slade said. "The standards are so hard, it's hard to get guys in school and to do it year in and year out, just says a lot about how good of a coach he was."
Hours before coaching his own Cavaliers squad in the spring game, Bronco Mendenhall took the stage and expressed his desire to continue the success Welsh built.
"I feel like I am the steward of his program. And that matters to me," Mendenhall said. "I look at the names and the faces. I'm humbled by that."
But it was Welsh's son and daughter, Adam and Kate, that gave the crowd a glimpse of the man many haven't seen.
"You know I did say, 'Dad, I want you to know, you were the best father for me. Not just to me, but for me.'," Kate Welsh said.
The two were visibly emotional as their father, a former Naval lieutenant, received a military tribute at the end of the celebration which lasted nearly two hours.
Remembering The Legacy Of A Legend
By:David Deguzman
- Updated: Apr 27, 2019 11:48 PM EDT
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WFXR) - Gathering in Central Virginia, they made sure those in attendance knew his legacy reached far beyond Charlottesville.
"He lived a good life, it should be rewarded and remembered for the things that he did as a football coach," former Virginia player Ronde Barber said.
Remembered as "the architect of the rebuild", "the captain of the comeback", and "the old salt", George Welsh's life was celebrated Saturday morning in a ceremony at John Paul Jones Arena.
The collection of speakers who knew Welsh best included players who knew him as an assistant coach at Penn State under Joe Paterno to the head coach who faced him on the opposite sideline in the 1980s.
And in between, a plethora of stories and memories.
"It's evident what he did to people's lives, not just as a football coach," Barber said. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world. They asked me to be part of the program and I was not going to say no."
Barber led a six player panel discussion of Welsh's impact on the UVA program, where he served as head coach for 19 seasons, compiling a record of 134-86-3. Welsh retired as the winngest coach in ACC history.
"And the consistency, to be consistent as he was for so long in the ACC at a place like virginia where the academic requirements are so hard," former Virginia player Chris Slade said. "The standards are so hard, it's hard to get guys in school and to do it year in and year out, just says a lot about how good of a coach he was."
Hours before coaching his own Cavaliers squad in the spring game, Bronco Mendenhall took the stage and expressed his desire to continue the success Welsh built.
"I feel like I am the steward of his program. And that matters to me," Mendenhall said. "I look at the names and the faces. I'm humbled by that."
But it was Welsh's son and daughter, Adam and Kate, that gave the crowd a glimpse of the man many haven't seen.
"You know I did say, 'Dad, I want you to know, you were the best father for me. Not just to me, but for me.'," Kate Welsh said.
The two were visibly emotional as their father, a former Naval lieutenant, received a military tribute at the end of the celebration which lasted nearly two hours.
