RIP Vada Murray
I'm a bit too young to have anything personal to say about Vada Murray. I don't remember him playing, as anything other than a guy with cancer.
It's one of the great things about the internet, though, that the collective can make up for any one individual's shortcomings. Wolverine Historian put together a Murray highlight reel that lets you see what Jamiemac wrote about a couple years ago in HTTV—Murray and Tripp Welborne blocking everything in sight—amongst other things:
RIP. Also if you would talk to God about lightening up on the safeties now that would be good.
That UCLA game was one of those rare deals where Michigan actually came back to snatch a victory out of the jaws of defeat. It was the culmination of a great day and great football doubleheader. Ohio State got CRUSHED by USC in the Coliseum, and from there, we loaded up on a chauffered bus to Pasedena and saw the Michigan-UCLA nightcap. My seats were such that the onside kick came straight at me.......I think it was JD Carlson (?), who closed the deal with a last minute FG for the win.
As they used to say in the old beer commercial."It doesn't get any better than this"
Bo Schembechler knew how to pick 'em!
Being a huge MICHIGAN Football Fan growing up in suburban Detroit in the 70's, 80's, and through today, I knew of and enjoyed watching Vada's superior defensive play on TV. In otherwords in our house, Vada Murray was a common name used in describing MICHIGAN's superior defense. It wasn't unitl August of 1999, I meet Vada at Schoolcraft College's Police Academy. I as a canidate and Vada as my Physical Training Instructor and Mentor.
Ofc. Murray (Ann Arbor Police Department) while in the Academy, he never spoke or bragged about his accomplishments on the MICHIGAN Grid Iron. Oh, he would talk to you about it, only if you asked and showed a genuine interest. He showed us canidates a mental toughness that we would need to utilize as police officers in working the streets. Needless to say, your teachings of mental toughness and never say die attitude, have stuck with me. These teaching are the cornerstone in my accomplishments as a police officer and in my recovery in a near death incident.
God Bless your Wife and Children and Rest In Peace Vada, you will never be forgotten. Hail to the Victor! You are the Leader and Best!
K-9 Ofc. Robert Fortney #311
Wayne County Airport Police
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