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<P>There are those who will say this should not be written, and there are those who will say it has no place in a football program.

<P>They could be right. But when the heart speaks, one has to listen. When the heart says "write," one has to write. One has to do what the heart says to do. We Auburn people have long understood the affairs of the heart.

<P>This column is being written on a bright, clear Sunday afternoon, 10 days before the start of the season. It is being written after seeing "Saving Private Ryan."

<P>If you are one of the few who have not seen it, go see it.
It begins on D-Day, June 6, 1944. It demonstrates the horrors of war -- real war -- better than ever before. No film or video tape, not even the terrible and horrible pictures from Vietnam, bring home the reality of war as this film does. Now I understand why my Daddy wouldn't talk about it.

<P>One can not watch this movie without a renewed appreciation for the men who have fought for this country. One in particular came to mind, Ralph Jordan, the man for whom this stadium is named.

<P>We know him as "Shug" because of his early love of sugar cane, and we remember him as the football coach who made possible much of the success we enjoy today.

<P>We do not remember him as a soldier, a soldier who took part in four major invasions, North Africa, Sicily, D-Day and Okinawa and was preparing for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. "Saving Private Ryan" will give you a greater appreciation for what these men endured, for what they went through, and it will give you a greater appreciation for Coach Jordan and all he and his generation represent.

<P>Sherman was right. War Is Hell. Throughout recorded history, old men have sent young men to die to prove their -- the old men's -- manhood. There are wars that have to be fought, but they should come only once in a very long while. They should be few and they should be far between.

<P>Someone else came to mind during the search for Private Ryan. Alf Van Hoose. That's right, Alf Van Hoose, Sports Editor of The Birmingham News. The late Sports Editor of The Birmingham News.

<P>Thirty years after the Battle of the Bulge, Alf went back and wrote about the Europe he had known as a soldier and the Europe of that modern day. His journeys to the battlefield took him back to the site of what had been a bombed out church, with only the walls and part of the altar standing. Alf had gone into that church as a young man, a young GI. When he was sure it was safe, he paused and prayed to God, the Maker of all men. It is not an uncommon thing for a soldier to do in time of war.

<P>Suddenly, he became aware that he was not alone in the ruins of the church. In the shadows at the back, a German soldier was praying to the same God, the same Maker of all men.

<P>Their eyes met. Not a word was spoken. They each picked up their weapons and walked out of the church, each to his own fate and his own destiny.
I talked to Coach Jordan more than 20 years ago about D-Day. It was for the story The Birmingham News wanted on the 30th anniversary of D-Day. He said something that struck me that day and strikes me even to this day.

<P>It was the manner and tone in which he said it: "I've never seen an atheist on a landing craft headed for the beach!"

<P>His countenance said far more than the words he spoke.

<P>So let us live good lives and let us be good men and women.

<P>Those who have seen "Saving Private Ryan" will understand.

<P ALIGN=CENTER><A HREF="./" target="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> | <A HREF="../" target="_top">PROGRAM INDEX</A> | <A HREF="../../index.html" target="_top">HOME</A></P>

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	<H1 ALIGN=CENTER> <IMG ALT="Housel's Desk " ALIGN =CENTER WIDTH=434 HEIGHT=102 BORDER=2 SRC="../pic/housldsk.jpg"> </H1>
	<BR><BR>

	<P>There are those who will say this should not be written, and there are those who will say it has no place in a football program.

	<P>They could be right. But when the heart speaks, one has to listen. When the heart says "write," one has to write. One has to do what the heart says to do. We Auburn people have long understood the affairs of the heart.

	<P>This column is being written on a bright, clear Sunday afternoon, 10 days before the start of the season. It is being written after seeing "Saving Private Ryan."

	<P>If you are one of the few who have not seen it, go see it.
	It begins on D-Day, June 6, 1944. It demonstrates the horrors of war -- real war -- better than ever before. No film or video tape, not even the terrible and horrible pictures from Vietnam, bring home the reality of war as this film does. Now I understand why my Daddy wouldn't talk about it.

	<P>One can not watch this movie without a renewed appreciation for the men who have fought for this country. One in particular came to mind, Ralph Jordan, the man for whom this stadium is named.

	<P>We know him as "Shug" because of his early love of sugar cane, and we remember him as the football coach who made possible much of the success we enjoy today.

	<P>We do not remember him as a soldier, a soldier who took part in four major invasions, North Africa, Sicily, D-Day and Okinawa and was preparing for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. "Saving Private Ryan" will give you a greater appreciation for what these men endured, for what they went through, and it will give you a greater appreciation for Coach Jordan and all he and his generation represent.

	<P>Sherman was right. War Is Hell. Throughout recorded history, old men have sent young men to die to prove their -- the old men's -- manhood. There are wars that have to be fought, but they should come only once in a very long while. They should be few and they should be far between.

	<P>Someone else came to mind during the search for Private Ryan. Alf Van Hoose. That's right, Alf Van Hoose, Sports Editor of The Birmingham News. The late Sports Editor of The Birmingham News.

	<P>Thirty years after the Battle of the Bulge, Alf went back and wrote about the Europe he had known as a soldier and the Europe of that modern day. His journeys to the battlefield took him back to the site of what had been a bombed out church, with only the walls and part of the altar standing. Alf had gone into that church as a young man, a young GI. When he was sure it was safe, he paused and prayed to God, the Maker of all men. It is not an uncommon thing for a soldier to do in time of war.

	<P>Suddenly, he became aware that he was not alone in the ruins of the church. In the shadows at the back, a German soldier was praying to the same God, the same Maker of all men.

	<P>Their eyes met. Not a word was spoken. They each picked up their weapons and walked out of the church, each to his own fate and his own destiny.
	I talked to Coach Jordan more than 20 years ago about D-Day. It was for the story The Birmingham News wanted on the 30th anniversary of D-Day. He said something that struck me that day and strikes me even to this day.

	<P>It was the manner and tone in which he said it: "I've never seen an atheist on a landing craft headed for the beach!"

	<P>His countenance said far more than the words he spoke.

	<P>So let us live good lives and let us be good men and women.

	<P>Those who have seen "Saving Private Ryan" will understand.

	<P ALIGN=CENTER><A HREF="./" target="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> \| <A HREF="../" target="_top">PROGRAM INDEX</A> \| <A HREF="../../index.html" target="_top">HOME</A></P>

	<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>© 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>


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