We Are Marshall, Reliving the Movie

Note: T.D. is a guest contributor to ADC. His premier post is a review of a recent movie that he viewed. What is interesting is the personal tie that he has to one of the characters in the movie. Therefore he adds a unique personal slant to his review. - gregjaye

Last night I saw the movie “We are Marshall”. I wanted to see the movie because I remember when the airplane crashed killing that college’s football team, coaches and others associated with the team. Also, when I was a freshman at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio in the fall of 1962 there was a young assistant football coach by the name of Jack Lengyel. See his bio for more information.

The same Jack Lengyel was destined to be named the head coach at Marshall following the tragic plane crash in the fall of 1970. His task would be to keep the football program going and start the rebuilding process. I don't know if most people can imagine how devastating that plane crash was to Marshall and the whole community. They lost the whole football team except for a handful of players that were injured and one player that overslept and missed the plane. They also lost the whole coaching staff except for one assistant coach who drove up to Virginia after the game on a recruiting trip. They most likely lost all the managers and trainers and maybe even a team doctor. There were also boosters and other important people from the community that lost their lives in the crash.

I happened to be one of the football managers and I remember the good times we managers and trainers had playing touch football with the coaches after the football team’s practices. That is how the coaches and staff unwound and tried to stay physically fit and healthy ourselves. I remember Jack as being easy going and laid back. But there was something about him that seemed to inspire those around him to do their best in whatever situation they were in.

I thought that the movie brought that out very well. He was only at Heidelberg that one year and we only won 2 games that season so maybe the Lord was preparing Jack for what he would face one day in the future at Marshall. The next time I had heard about Jack was when he became the head coach at Marshall. Several years after that, I saw him after the football game when Marshall played Toledo at the Rockets stadium in Toledo. It was good to see him again and to wish him well.

I thought the movie was well worth seeing and I would recommend it to everyone. It is rated PG and tells a true story. There was no foul language in the movie. This movie illustrates the value of a sport like football can have in shaping a young man’s life. It was the best movie I’ve seen in quite while due to its content. The movie will hold your attention all the way through and after you’ve seen it you won’t feel like you wasted your time.

This review was written by T.D. and posted by gregjaye for T.D.