Around Campus

Texas Football: Meeting Their Heroes

As the 2008 season approaches, thoughts begin to turn to fall Saturdays, filled campus stadiums and heated college rivalries. However, recently three Longhorns used one of their remaining days before training camp for a reminder of how lucky they are be able to play the game of football and what others have sacrificed in order for them to do so. Seniors Rashad Bobino, Roy Miller and Brian Orakpo traveled to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio to visit soldiers who have been injured in combat, and what they took part in will last well past the time their football careers have ended.

Being appreciative - of both their opportunities and those who provide them - is a message head coach Mack Brown delivers frequently to the team, but all three players acknowledged their visit opened their eyes to the message. “We’re very fortunate,” Orakpo said. “We kind of take that for granted at times with complaining about practice, not wanting to go lift weights at a certain time. We kind of take that for granted because that’s just the simple game of football, something we love to do.” According to Bobino, “The emotional experience was phenomenal. To actually come and give back to people that are risking their lives for us so we can play the game that everybody sees us play. This is not a game. This is actual life.”

For Roy Miller, who orchestrated the trip, it was especially personal, as his father has served in the army for 19 years. Because of that, Miller has a long list of people in his life, both family and friends, who have been part of the military. “Coming out here and seeing all of this, it’s really touching to me,” Miller said. “That could have easily been my father or a friend of mine or my uncle. It could be any of them. It’s hard to see, but it’s good to be out here, and I’m glad we came out here to show our support. Miller continued, “It’s incredible to see guys that are so optimistic and full of life. That was something good for us to be around. Even through their injuries, they’re very happy.”

Never was that happiness more evident during the trip than when the three players came upon a game of dodgeball at the recreation center. Not only were they quickly invited to join the game, they were also quickly knocked out by the soldiers. “We got the chance to run around with guys with one arm and one leg, guys in wheelchairs, and they’re still having fun,” Miller said. “Our injuries don’t even seem that big anymore. Me and (Brian) were talking about our injuries and realized these guys have such big hearts. We saw a guy in a wheelchair who got hit by a bomb and lost one of his legs, and he was the most optimistic person around. That inspires us. What we do is a game. We like to think about us going out to battle, but when you come out here and see the actual guys, it’s like my world really isn’t what it seems. It’s really a game, these guys are the real deal."

Lt. Col. Kelly J. Sandifer and Sgt. Maj. Roger L. Heinze of the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, near Miller’s hometown of Killeen, helped him coordinate the trip knowing the morale boost it would provide the soldiers. Many of them have routines they go through every day as they rehabilitate, something Sandifer feels can often get mundane. “It was awesome, like a dream come true,” said Pfc. Perry Warren. “My dad and I are big UT fans, we’ve got a lot of autographs and everything. I just love UT. It’s just me. It’s always nice to have somebody come and just show their respect, especially somebody as big as UT players. They’ve always been such idols to me. It’s always nice to have that.”

Ironically what was most humbling for the players was for someone like Warren to use a word like ‘idol’ to describe them. For them, the admiration is fully pointed back toward Warren and his fellow soldiers. “For them to actually be excited to see us, it’s amazing,” Bobino said. “I was excited to see them, because they’re doing something for me, and I don’t even know them. Without these guys, there is no game of football. There’s no NCAA football, there’s no NFL, there’s no MLB or college baseball. There are no sports unless these guys protect our country. They’re the biggest thing we’ve got going for us right now. In order for us to play this game, we need them. We need to make them feel appreciated, because we’re not the ones out there fighting for our freedom, they are. We need to show them as much love as we can.”

Photo courtesy of UT Photo