Salaam Inducted Into Colorado Sports Hall Of Fame

BOULDER — The late Rashaan Salaam, the only Heisman Trophy winner in state of Colorado history, was inducted posthumously into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Wednesday evening, with his mother, Khalada Salaam-Alaji, accepting the honor with an emotional speech that included some of the passages her son had written his in final note to the family.

Salaam took his own life on December 5, 2016, as the 1994 winner of the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back, the Walter Camp Trophy as the national player of the year and unanimous All-American in addition to winning the Heisman was just 42. That year he led the University of Colorado to an 11-1 record and a No. 3 final national ranking in becoming the fourth player at the time to rush for 2,000 yards in a season; he finished with 2,055 yards to lead the nation, while also topping the NCAA in all-purpose yards and scoring.

One of the evening's co-emcees, former Buff Dave Logan, began Salaam's introduction by noting that he was the analyst for CU football games on local television. "It was a good time to be in Boulder calling those games, Mac (coach Bill McCartney) really had the program rolling. I recall watching Rashaan play, and I can honestly say I knew at that moment I was watching greatness."

Highlights then rolled, beginning with a key block Salaam threw on the play that has become known as "The Miracle in Michigan," and culminating with his 67-yard touchdown run in the season finale against Iowa State that thrust him over the 2,000-yard mark.

Khalada began the acceptance speech by telling the audience of over 900 people that, "Blessed are those who believe in life, who do not let death defeat them, who celebrate and live life fully, and who can enjoy a beautiful song in the midst of the bleakest moments. Blessed are those who say to those who have departed, we have done for you what we could; we have been a good friend, mother, father, brother sister, cousin, aunt and uncle. We have shared the beautiful times with you and have assured you with and without words that our love is everlasting, and our only regret is when we remember you now is that you did not stay with us nearly long enough."

She had eloquently set the stage for the first public reading of portions of Rashaan's note that he had left for the family in his Superior apartment, one they found when going through his belongings after his burial; undated, it was likely written a little bit ahead of his death and not in his final hours.

"When Rashaan left this world," she said, "These were his parting words:"

                    'Death is not final, I have lived a full life;
                    That I have filled empty cups and lit lamps for those who lost their way;
                    That I have done my duty to myself and others;
                    I have leaped above the low, and let the weak walk in my shadow;
                    That I have seen beauty in the midst of ugliness, found treasures hidden by trash and took the bitter with the sweet without complaint;

                    'May you learn to love and like each other as you did me;
                    May you overcome your grief, replacing it with the joy of having known me;
                    May your struggles always make you stronger, not wear you away like the weak;
                    May the thoughts of me bring smiles, for I want to always bring happiness not grief, joy not pain, for you know how I was.
                    May happiness visit you and stay, and may your enemies evaporate.

                    'May my friends remember my name and children learn it with love;
                    May the joy you wish for me be yours, may the gifts you wish for me be given to those you love;
                    May you forgive and forget my small and large faults;
                    Remember, I was only human, and may those in my house at the University of Colorado never forget I was there;
                    Smile when you remember me, and know that it was my decision to leave.'

She closed by saying, "May this evening remind us of the never-ending need for love, and for those of us left behind, may our love for each other and for Rashaan keep his memory alive in a meaningful way."

Wednesday night's other inductees were Alex Burl (Colorado State, football and track), Joe Glenn (head football coach, Northern Colorado), Tracy Hill (Ridgway High School girls basketball), Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos) and Sam Pagano (longtime Fairview High School football coach).

HYNCICOVA HONORED: Senior skier Petra Hyncicova was honored as the state's Female College Athlete of the Year for 2017, as she swept the cross country races at the NCAA Championships and in all, won five of eight races last winter. "Not being an American, this is really a special honor for me," she said. "I guess most people think that cross country is an individual sport, and I thought so too until four years ago when I joined the CU ski team. You also need a really good coach, and I had one with Jana Weinberger. She was more than just a coach, I met someone who became my second mom, a training partner and a good friend."

OTHER CITATIONS: Three other Buffaloes earned citations from the Hall for their accomplishments in the 2017 calendar year, Dani Jones (cross country and track), David Ketterer (skiing) and Phillip Lindsay (football).

CU PRESENCE: Salaam became the 51st athlete, coach or administrator associated with CU to be inducted into the state's Hall of Fame, more than double the next contributor (25 from the Denver Broncos including their latest in Manning). Several were in attendance Wednesday, including Logan, McCartney (Salaam's head coach), Dick Anderson, Ceal Barry, Joan Birkland, Irv Brown, Darian Hagan, Billy Kidd, Dean Lahr, Joe Romig, John Stearns and Larry Zimmer.

Colorado University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Phillip Lindsay

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