VC Looks Back at 1970 WSU Plane Crash

VC looks back at 1970 WSU plane crash

It was Friday, October 2, 1970. Two twin engine propliners took off from Denver's Stapleton Airport headed for Logan, Utah. They carried coaches, players and Wichita State University officials.

One plane safely touched down later. But at 1:14 p.m. Mountain time, a Martin 4-0-4 aircraft flown by Golden Eagle Aviation crashed eight miles west of Silver Plume, Colo. Shortly before the crash, several witnesses described seeing a plane fly unusually low towards the Continental Divide. Some witnesses located on higher mountainside locations like Loveland Pass reported seeing the plane flying below them. The overloaded aircraft, nearing Loveland Pass as it flew up Clear Creek Valley, became trapped in a box canyon and was unable to climb above the mountain ridges surrounding it on three sides.

The National Transportation and Safety Board report stated a belief that many on board survived the initial impact, based on the testimony of survivors and rescuers. The load of fuel on board did not explode immediately, allowing survivors to escape the wreckage, but the passenger cabin would eventually be consumed by an explosion before those still alive and trapped inside could escape.

Twenty-nine passengers as well as the Captain and Flight Attendant were killed. Two of the initial 11 survivors later died of their injuries.

The October 3 game between WSU and Utah State was cancelled. The Utah State football team held a memorial service at the stadium where the game was to be played and placed a wreath at midfield. WSU officials and family survivors were flown to Denver on a plane made available by the State of Kansas. Classes were cancelled Monday, October 5, and a memorial service was held that evening at Cessna Stadium.

The remaining WSU team was given permission by the NCAA and Missouri Valley Conference to allow freshmen to fill out the squad. The Shockers decided to continue the 1970 season which was later designated the "Second Season."

That Second Season began three weeks later in a game at Arkansas. The Razorbacks won 62-0, but most people in the stands that day knew that wasn't the most important lesson learned that day. Those listening to the game on radio back in south central Kansas cried as 18-year-old young men had brought football back to south central Kansas. Kansans were proud of their Shockers no matter what the scoreboard said.

One man who survived the crash was Rick Stephens, who still calls Wichita home. Minutes before impact, Stephens walked toward the cockpit and questioned the pilots why the plane was flying so low. Before he could return to his seat, the plane's wings began clipping trees. The 22-year-old Stephens was thrown a safe distance from the cabin.

When rescuers carried him down the mountain to safety, Stephens had broken several bones. Rehabilitation followed. He recovered fully, but he never played football again.

"We should all be in awe of the miraculousness of our own existence," Stephens told The Kansas City Star earlier this year.

Now 62 and a grandfather, the retired high school educator embarked this spring on his fourth Wichita-to-Winnipeg bike ride. The 1,009-mile, 10-day journey has been the most challenging adventure of his life.

That's amazing, considering what happened 40 years ago.

The Shockers did away with football after the 1986 season. All that's left now is a monument on the WSU campus honoring those who perished as well as a 30,000-seat white elephant (Cessna Stadium) that occasionally hosts a junior college or high school game. There is also a roadside memorial plaque listing the names of the victims on I-70, about one mile east of the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado.

Sadly, it wasn't the only plane crash that year that took the lives of young athletes. Less than one month after the October 2 accident, 75 players, coaches and staff of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team died in a crash of Southern Airways Flight 932 near Ceredo, W.Va.

Lions, Tigers, Elephants and Chiefs???? by MP

Exciting, imaginative, fun, risky, opportunistic and electrifying. These are all adjectives not heard much around Arrowhead Stadium over the past 10 years unless you were talking about the visitors. Not anymore! These are all actual comments heard during the Chiefs 31-10 drilling of the road favorites, the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

It's been awhile since the circus has come to Kansas City, but Coach Todd Haley and OC Charlie Weiss could have been mistaken for Barnum and Bailey because they brought it back to Arrowhead!

Whether it was naked bootlegs, Wildcat formations, end arounds pitched back to split out QB's, gutsy calls on 4th down, SportsCenter highlight catches, or on-side kicks, the Chiefs threw everything short of the kitchen sink at the Niners and it was awesome!

Haley set the tone early in the first half, going for it on 4th and 1 at about mid-field. That alone was a far cry from the normal conservative Chiefs gameplan, and to top that off Haley then cat and moused San Fran by showing they were going for it, then showing punt, then bringing back the offense. The move got the Niners to call timeout and ultimately the Chiefs got a first down igniting the crowd and establishing the early advantage. That was the beginning of an exciting day and one that the Chiefs would test the mechanics of the scoreboards in Arrowhead.

All 3 phases of the game were highlights and when can you remember the last time that was the case with the Chiefs? Offensively they racked up a whopping 457 yards! Dexter McCluster was unreal again with a special 31 yard TD reception from Cassel in the first half. Rookie TE Tony Moeaki was Tony Gonzalez-esque and Jamaal Charles was ultra effective again with 97 yards on 12 carries. Warhorse Thomas Jones ground out 95 yards on 19 tries.

Special Teams were highlighted by a big return from McCluster, another fearless day of returns from Javier Arenas, and great tackling all day.

LB Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson and Brandon Flowers led the new and improved Chiefs defense to 4 sacks and one INT with solid play all day. “I credit the defensive line. With them stopping the run, that allowed us to rush the quarterback. The offense played tremendous on that side of the ball by scoring a lot of points and making them throw the ball. Credit those guys for allowing me to rush this week.” Hali said.

Scoring shook out like this for the Chiefs: It started with McCluster and the 31 yard screen play in the 2nd quarter. After a Ryan Succop 32 yard FG, the Chiefs took a 10-7 lead to halftime. The second half scoring for the Chiefs began with a play you may see in a sand-lot game. Cassel was split out left at WR, McCluster in motion, comes down the line gets the handoff and pitches to Cassel who hits a wide open D Bowe down the left sideline for 45 yards and a touch. Moeaki struck next on the one handed, circus job late in the 3rd. Thomas Jones capped the scoring and put the game on ice for the Chiefs with a 3 yard run mid 4th quarter.

"It was exciting," rookie tight end Tony Moeaki said. "Matt just threw a really great ball and put it in a great spot. I just tried to make the catch."

Anyone who thinks the 49ers were a cupcake win are crazy. They gave the Saints all they wanted last week on MNF and came to town hungry for a win. The Chiefs now 3-0, the first time since 2003, get to take a week off and get ready for 2 tough games on the road in Indianapolis and the Houston Texans.

Around the ole horn.....it was great to see the game with VC! We tailgated and enjoyed a fantastic day at Arrowhead. I am lucky to have the friends I do and as always I appreciate you reading our blog!!!!

A "Beauuuuuutiful" day for Chiefs! by VC

Simply put, it was a Beauuuuuutiful day!

On a day when the Chiefs honored 62-year broadcaster Bill Grigsby, who made a living with his "beauuuuuutiful" descriptions on the air, the Chiefs were every bit a Super Bowl contender with their 31-10 pasting of the San Francisco 49ers.

Prior to kickoff, Grigs and his family were flanked on the Arrowhead Stadium turf with Mitch Holthus and Len Dawson, whom Grigs teamed with for the final years of his radio career. Now in a wheelchair and battling throat cancer, Grigs could be seen smiling as the team paid tribute to the man who called the Super Bowl IV victory over Minnesota. I had goosebumps when Grigs' voice was calling that January 1970 game over the PA while the video portion was centered on Hank Stram, whose "come on boys" and "that's the way boys" could be heard while the ole coach was smiling with his rolled up program in hand.

Nice!

Wow!

Awesome!

I'm sure Grigs' smile never left as the Chiefs began their dismantling of the 49ers, who entered the game as 2 1/2-point favorites. KC jumped out to a 7-0 lead before San Francisco cut the margin to 7-3. But the defense clamped down and pitched a shutout the rest of the way before the Niners scored a meaningless touchdown late in the game.

Standing in Section 111, Row 6, Seat 16 I turned to ole buddy Matt Patterson when the Chiefs lined up to punt near the end of the first quarter. "I'm going for it," I told Patterson. "Are you?"

"Nope, field position baby," Patterson countered with his as-usual conservative approach.

"Not me," I said as the Chiefs faced fourth-and-short from near midfield. "I'm goin for it."

The Chiefs lined up to punt then all of a sudden switched their punting team with their offensive unit. San Francisco, obviously confused, quickly called timeout.

"HA, told you," I said.

The Chiefs brought their punt team back on the field during the TV timeout. "I'm still going for it," I told Matt.

Then the Chiefs did it again. Once again, they hustled the offensive unit back on the field as the play clock was nearing 15 seconds. They got the first down on a short running play which kept the ball out of the 49ers' hands.

"You were right, VC," said Patterson after giving me a fist-five. "Good call."

The Chiefs rolled up 457 yards of total offense, including 250 yards passing and three touchdowns from QB Matt Cassel, who was 16-for-27 on the day. That included a one-handed grab from tight end Tony Moeaki in the back of the end zone that put the Chiefs up 24-3 late in the third quarter.

"It was a great day for the Chiefs," linebacker Derrick Johnson told The Topeka Capital-Journal. "Each win, we're getting more and more confident."

Now 3-0, the Chiefs enjoy their bye week while preparing for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 10.

But this day belonged to the Chiefs. My Ole Pottnuh Tex, Grigs' nickname dubbed by Dawson, had to be smiling after this one. Because it was a Beauuuuuuutiful Day at Arrowhead!

MNF at Arrowhead and 2 Weeks of the NFL.....by MP

Week 2 is in the books for the 2010 NFL season. Many strange things are certainly taking place, the least of which not being the Kansas City Chiefs at 2-0 and atop the AFC West!

I was at the Monday night opener at Arrowhead and the atmosphere was unbelievable. I knew were in for a wild night when getting to the parking lot 3 hours early and seeing the entire N lot almost full!

The wildness continued as a torrential rain storm hit at about the start of the 2nd quarter and basically lasted all night. We got pummelled!! Maybe what caused the heavens to open was a 56 yard run by Jamaal Charles. His second touch of the game, toward the end of the first quarter he bounced out left and BOOM, took it to the house! That triggered the rain and despite the downpour, we were still in for many great things that night.

Most of you saw the game I am sure, but of course the defense and 12 tackles from Derrick Johnson were highlights. The return game from Javier Arenas and Dexter McCluster, who was barely able to play and still busted a 94 yard return for a TD, was electrifying. Those were the obvious ones.

I liked Glenn Dorsey for the first time since he was at LSU. I have read the criticism of lack of carries for Charles and I am one of the few who likes the split carries with Thomas Jones. I think that makes for a nice thunder and lightening type of attack! Most of all that night I liked the Chiefs toughness. They hung on and ground it out against a better team. They could have easily given that game up and they didn't. They gutted it out!

What I didn't like was our rook Safety Eric Berry who was schooled by Antonio Gates and our QB Matt Cassel, who in one word was, atrocious! So let me transition or segue...

Fast forward to today and the Chiefs on the road at Cleveland. First of all the Chiefs and the Browns played a watchable game, which is unusual, and of course a great outcome for us, a 16-14 win. Cassel looked like a different guy. Granted he had more time to throw, but he actually looked down the field and despite having trouble getting the plays on time, finished with one of the best games he has had as a Chief. Berry continues to miss coverage and almost cost us the game. The announcers rave about how fast he is, but I see how much he is hurting us. Maybe I am too hard on he kid and he will smarten up!

McCluster was no factor today and Charles still split carries with Jones. That was effective today too I thought as Jones ran for 83 yards on 22 carries and Charles grabbed 49 yards on 11 carries with a 20 yard burst included. I was impressed with the play-calling today, the highlight being a 4th and 1 with just over 2 minutes left and Haley going for it on around the Browns 40. Jones went over the top and barely got the yard but allowed the Chiefs to run out the clock. Gutsy call for sure!

Don't get me wrong, I am still only hoping for 8 wins at best, but seeing some good signs from the Chiefs. I will be back at 1 Arrowhead Drive next week to see if they can go 3-0 against the Niners!!! A favorable game for a marginal team in my opinion to continue a nice start.

So check around the league in the bizzarro world of the NFL. Dallas and Minnesota are winless and Tampa and KC undefeated! You can never figure these deals, but wow, Wade Phillips has to be almost gone in Dallas. Brett Favre looks maybe even beyond his age and the Vikes are on the ropes. Other noted stuff: Jay Cutler off to a great start in Chicago with Mike Martz calling the plays...I am suffering through this horrific Colts, Giants, Manning bothers love fest deal, and surprised how bad the Giants defense is and how the Colts are totally dominating them. The NY Jets are over-hyped, but I am impressed at how they played against New England today especially with all of the injuries their defense has sustained. Check the the return of Michael Vick. He looks as quick as ever and has led the Eagles to an even start. Last NFL bit....I like Jim Schwartz Head Coach of the Detroit Lions a lot! They get beat on that horrific catch rule where Calvin Johnson gets robbed and the Coach does not complain about the call or rule one time. Great stuff. And on that rule....explain how the ground cannot cause a fumble....but it can cause an incompletion. Make sense to anyone?

Other stuff collegiate style: very disappointed as I really thought Texas Tech would beat Texas or at least play them tougher. I still like Tech as my pick for the South...have you seen OU and Texas play? Air Force gave OU all they wanted and Texas had trouble with some other rummies. I am not surprised and predicted the difficulties the Jayhawks would have. Have you been watching Daniel Thomas from KSU? He is the best player so far in the country. I know I can get an amen from my man VC, who watched him in the Farmageddon game go for 181 on 30 plus totes in the 90 degree heat. One tough mother for sure!!! Another kid I like is Taylor Martinez, the frosh from Nebraska. He has unreal quicks and did a job on the Washington Huskies!! Call of the year goes to Mark Dantonio coach of the Michigan State Spartans....fake field goal in OT to beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and send them to 0-2. Unreal!!!

That is all I have....you have to love the fall and football season!! As always thank you for reading our blog!! Go Chiefs!

DT Makes Statement in Opener! by VC

He had something to prove in last week's season opener against UCLA. Boy, did he ever.

Daniel Thomas was no doubt the best player on the Bill Snyder Family Stadium turf. He made enough statements he may be one of the best players in the country after his 234-yard outing on 28 totes in K-State's 31-22 win.

But after the game, he wasn't thinking Heisman Trophy speech or Big XII player of the year honor.

"I wanted to go out there and prove I'm the best athlete in the family," Thomas told The Topeka Capital-Journal as brother Jerrett was in attendance. "He played Division II football, and he still thinks he's got it."

Ha, any doubt who is the best now?

I stood there along with 51,056 other fans and marveled at his jukes and cuts. He was definitely a man among boys as the Wildcats avenged last year's 23-9 loss at The Rose Bowl.

"He's a very accomplished back," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said after the game. "They use him in a lot of different ways. He's very powerful from the waist down and he was too much for us today. We could not get him down."

Good thing for us purple faithful. Thanks to an anemic passing game that generated only 64 yards through the air, the Wildcats prevailed. No doubt, if it wasn't for DT, K-State probably loses this game. Although it would have been interesting, simply for the fact that another running back had a pretty good day in William Powell, who added 72 yards on six carries including a 28-yard TD scamper in the first half.

"We need to have more than what we got," K-State coach BIll Snyder said earlier this week, referring to his passing game.

Hopefully that will improve. Hopefully, we get a better look at the passing attack in today's 6:10 p.m. game against Missouri State. The Football Championship Subdivision and coached by former KU coach Terry Allen won't have the defense that UCLA had when it sacked Carson Coffman six times. The Bears surrendered 315 yards passing to Eastern Kentucky last week.

I've heard a couple people on sports talk radio this week compare DT to Darren Sproles, who ironically had the last 200-yard game in a Cat uniform.

The stats don't lie, either. Thomas got 181 yards in the second half, including a 35-yard jaunt that was the blow that knocked down the Bruins for good.

"I think we just learned from last year that you have to come out in the second half and continue to push and work hard," Thomas said. "Coach said that we needed to come out and finish the game and fortunately we did."

"Daniel was outstanding," Powell said. "Words cannon explain it. He is a great running back, and that is all I can say. Daniel gets the whole team excited. I see him making plays, and that just makes me want to play that much harder. When he comes out and I go in, I don't want there to be any discrepancy. I want to get in there and be able to produce just like he does."

"He's a great back," left guard Zach Kendall said. "I think he's the best in the nation. I hope for Daniel that the (Heisman) hype goes up, because he deserves it."

Oh, K-State make sure Daniel's family is at every game from now on. If his brother can motivate him like that, give him front row tickets, baby!

"My mom and dad, my brother and my cousin, this is the first time they've seen me play together since high school," Thomas said. "I thought about that last night. I just wanted to go out and play good in front of them."

My shout this week goes to Hodgeman County High senior Evan Kreger. All the Kansas 8-man football player did in his team's opener was score 10 TDs in his team's 74-8 win against Pawnee Heights. That is a Kansas 8-man record and ties a national 8-man record, according to the National High School Record Book. Oh, his TD's were via running, interception return and punt return. Nice!

VC Picks Big XII To Go 12-0 in Opening Weekend

I won't get very rich doing this, but sometimes the fact that I can puff out my chest and say I was right is more satisfying.

The Big XII will go 12-0 in Week 1 of the college football season, which began with Iowa State's victory Thursday night over Jerry Kill's Northern Illinois Huskies. Coach Kill is known in Kansas having graduated from Southwestern College, was an assistant at juggernaut Pittsburg State and later was was Emporia State's head coach.

The Game of the Weekend in the conference, and the one that could put an end to a perfect weekend, takes place in Manhattan. That will be me in the south end zone of Bill Snyder Family Stadium wearing purple. Oh yeah, forgot to mention, 50,000 others will don the purple and white as well.

An ABC regional audience will be tuning in to watch Snyder's Wildcats and Rick Neuheisel's UCLA Bruins. These two coaches are very familiar with each other as Neuheisel is the former coach at Colorado. The Bruins beat the Cats 23-9 last year at the Rose Bowl.

Snyder announced earlier this week that senior Carson Coffman would quarterback the Wildcats. Coffman had an exceptional spring, and sources indicate that his arm is healthy going into the fall. I hope. In six games last year, the son of former K-State great Paul Coffman only had two TD passes and 860 passing yards. That won't get the job done and won't take K-State even within a sniff of a division title in 2010.

Chances are, it's feast or famine for Coffman. If he struggles Saturday, look for Sammuel Lamur to get the nod next week against Missouri State.

No doubt, senior Daniel Thomas is K-State's go-to guy. Thomas had 1,265 yards rushing last year and was named the Big XII Offensive Newcomer of the Year.

Coffman will have two dandies to throw to in transfers Chris Harper (Oregon) and Broderick Smith (Minnesota). That will bolster the K-State passing game which sets up DT in the ground attack.

K-State is a 1 1/2-point favorite. Look for the Cats to cover the spread. The Wabash Cannonball chugs on!

K-State 19, UCLA 13.

North Dakota State at Kansas. Before you Jayhawk faithful start waving too much wheat, you might take notice. The Bison aren't that bad. They're not that good, but they're not that bad. They were 3-8 last year, but since 2006 have beaten Ball State, Central Michigan and Minnesota.

The Turner Gill era begins at KU. Defense, once a staple of Mark Mangino's teams, must improve from last year's No. 85 ranking in scoring defense.

All eyes will be on lefty Kale Pick, who had a monster spring game. He's trying to fill the shoes left behind by Todd Reesing. Ouch, not good!

There's no line on this game since NDSU is an FCS member. I'd venture to guess this would be a 28-point line if there was one.

KU wins, but not by four TDs...by six.

KU 45, Bison 3.

Colorado vs. Colorado State (at Denver). Beware of the Colorado defense, which for the first time since 1996, had at least one sack in each game in 2009. The Buffs return seven starters and 26 lettermen on defense.

The Rams prevailed 23-17 in Boulder last year. Dan Hawkins may be coaching for his Buffalo life, and this would get some support back in his favor.

Colorado is a 12-point pick in this one. CU wins but doesn't cover the spread.

Buffs 22, Rams 14.

Missouri vs. Illinois (at St. Louis). Illinois used to own its neighbor to the west. Now it's the Show-Me State that doesn't lose to the Illini. Last year it was all Tigers, 37-9.

MU coach Gary Pinkel nearly has as many coaching victories as Snyder at K-State. Snyder has 142 and Pinkel 140. Go figure.

It'll be interesting to see how Mizzou handles the Derrick Washington dismissal from this week.

Too much Blaine Gabbert, who threw for 24 TD passes in 2009.

Vegas says MU by 11 1/2. Take the Tigers.

Mizzou 33, Illinois 11.

Western KY at Nebraska. Not much to say about this one. The ninth-ranked (coaches poll) Huskers are coming off a 10-win season, and the Hilltoppers were 0-12. The Huskers are favored by 37 1/2 points.

The big question? Who quarterbacks the Big Red?

Nebraska 56, Hilltoppers 2.

Utah State at Oklahoma. The Sooners are 34-point faves. OU is the No. 7 team in the land according to the coaches poll.

Landry Jones broke Sam Bradford's OU record for passing yards by a freshman with his 3,198 yards last year. Jones also led the nation's freshmen in touchdown passes (26) and passing yards.

This will be ugly.

Sooners 61, Utah State 6.

Washington State at Oklahoma State. The homestanding Cowboys have won nine games in a year only seven times, and coach Mike Gundy has done that back-to-back.

You think K-State runs the ball? You haven't seen the Pokes running, have you? OSU led the conference in rushing for the fourth straight year.

WSU was 1-11 in 2009. OSU was 9-4.

OSU is 15 1/2-point favorite. Sounds good to me.

OSU 36, WSU 20.

Texas vs. Rice. A 2:30 pm ESPN game, Texas begins life without Colt McCoy. Taking his place is sophomore Garret Gilbert, who ended his freshman season by playing his first full collegiate game in the national title game. He completed 15 passes for 186 yards and two TDs.

Texas is ranked in the top five. The Longhorns are 30 1/2-point favorites. That's a lot for a road team.

Hook 'em Horns, but not by the spread. Texas 30, Rice 7.

Stephen F. Austin at Texas A&M. Yawwnnnnnnnn!

Aggies 50, SFA 0.

SMU at Texas Tech (Sunday). This one is a 2:30 pm ESPN game. The Tommy Tuberville Era begins for the Red Raiders, who return Taylor Potts at QB. Potts threw for 3,440 yards and 22 TDs.

Only 14-point favorites? Gimme a break!

Tech's scoring doesn't miss a beat. Tech 55, SMU 10.

By 6 pm Sunday, if you see me sticking my chest out, you'll know why. Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone!

My shout this week goes to Bubba Starling. Remember this kid's name. He's the quarterback at Gardner-Edgerton High just outside of KC. This dude is getting attention from every major college. And football isn't even his sport. He wants to play baseball and pitch in the bigs. Bubba quarterbacked the Trailblazers to the 4A state championship game in 2009 where they lost to juggernaut Hutchinson.