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George Ferguson Column: Thank you to the Lights seniors

From the Fringe...

On a classic November day in Havre, windy, cold, dark and wet, another chapter in the story that is Montana State University-Northern football came to a close.

But Saturday’s 59-28 win by the College of Idaho Yotes inside Blue Pony Stadium didn’t just bring the 2018 football season to an end, it brought the football careers of the Lights’ seniors to a close as well.

While all of the Lights were hoping for a happier ending Saturday and there wasn’t a whole lot to say after the game was over, all of us should have one thing to say to the Northern senior class of 2018, and it’s simple.

Thank you.

Thank you, Lights’ seniors.

Now, I’ve been covering the Lights since 2005, and some of my longtime readers will say “Oh George, you thank the seniors after the last game of every season.” And you’d be correct. I do. I write a column after the last home game praising the Northern seniors for all they’ve done.

But this class, along with the class of 2016, this is different, and my feelings for why they need to be thanked are much more in perspective.

I’m not just thanking this year’s Northern seniors for being football players. Yes, what football players do on the gridiron every year should be applauded, but for these Northern seniors it goes way beyond the game of football.

To the 2018 Northern seniors, you’ve showed what it’s like to be committed, and more importantly you’ve shown what it’s like to care about something and be a part of something that’s bigger than any one individual.

The fact that you’ve stayed true to Northern during such tumultuous times, during coaching changes, during all of the tough days on the scoreboard, during criticism and everything all of you seniors have endured during your time as Lights, let me tell you, that says something about who you are as men, as people, as student-athletes.

The fact that you seniors have stayed committed, stayed passionate about and stayed true to being Lights, the fact that you’ve stayed true to your teammates, to your coaches and to your school, that says something about your character and your integrity, it says something about your honor.

And trust me, in this day in age, both in sports, and in life, having character, honor and integrity isn’t a given. A lot of athletes don’t, you guys do — and that’s what I’m always going to remember about you Northern seniors. I’m going to remember how hard you played, how dedicated you were, how much you gave of yourselves, when a lot of others wouldn’t.

Yes, it won’t be the scores I remember, or the records, or even the games so much, I will remember you, the Northern seniors of 2018 for who you are, and for what you did for the Northern football program. Because in the end, being a good person, being unselfish, being dedicated, being honorable, having character and integrity means a hell of a lot more than wins and losses, at least in my book it does. You guys have all of those traits in spades.

I know you do because I have covered all of you, interviewed many of you, watched you in practice, on the sidelines, in the huddle and in games. You have the traits of guys I’d certainly want on my team, no matter the sport.

So once again Northern seniors — thank you. And just know, I for one will not forget what you did for Northern football.

 

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