PLATI-'TUDES LIVE BLOG FROM CU'S HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

Welcome to a notes and comment column (and tonight a blog) in its 19th year, penned by CU Associate Athletic Director David Plati, who is his 36th year as the Buffaloes' director of sports information.

Plati-'Tudes No. 111 ... Blogging once again from our 15th CU Athletic Hall of Fame class induction ceremony at the CU Events Center … This event sold out faster than the previous ones, as the inductees gobbled up most of the tables in a hurry … This is one of the most enjoyable events we host annually (along with the CUSPY's, put on by our own student-athletes every spring); it's great to see how many former Buffs return to celebrate the inductions of their classmates. With Gary Barnett and Brian Cabral being enshrined, expect to see a cavalcade of their former players in attendance (that might be the first time I've ever used that word).

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The 2019 Inductees

Here's who is going into our Hall this evening:

Gary Barnett, Football Coach (1984-91; 1999-2005)
Jenny (Barringer) Simpson, Cross Country & Track (2005-09)
Brian Cabral, Football: Player & Assistant Coach (1974-77, 1989-2012)
Fred Folsom, Football Coach (1895-99, 1901-02, 1908-15)
Bruce Gamble, Skiing (1975-78)
Barry Helton, Football (1984-87)
Ed Pudlik, Football & Baseball (1946-49)
Dan Reese, Cross Country & Track (1982-87)
Jana (Rehemaa) Weinberger, Skiing (2003-06)
Jane Wahl, Women's Athletic Director (1975-79)

Once again, the voice of the Buffaloes, Mark Johnson is serving as the emcee (with his predecessor, Larry Zimmer, in attendance as well. He rolled through the standard celebrity introductions, then brought Paxton Smith to the stage, a member of the track team and the president of CU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, who in turn introduced some members of the SAAC board. Kimbirly Orr then spoke about the Alumni C Club, and she was followed by, fresh off a plane from China where he spent the week with CU's men's basketball team, athletic director Rick George addressed the 300-plus in attendance.

He talked about how he annually enjoys calling the inductees to inform them of their selection, including the calls to Gary Barnett and Brian Cabral, reaching Jenny Simpson overseas while she was having dinner, how he went over to Bruce Gamble's house to tell him in person.

So we're off and running... Mark goes through some of the accomplishments of all prior to bringing them up to the stage. All receive a bronze buffalo statue honoring their induction.

Gary Barnett was the first to be enshrined, and received the evening's first standing ovation. He noted that it takes a village for someone's success, and that he sharing this honor with his village. Spoke about how he and his wife Mary moved to Colorado in 1971 and how much she has supported him along the way, including how she sewed logos on his high school's team jerseys. He then rolled through some of the coaches he worked with at Colorado, and credited his successes to the people who surrounded him. Coaches, administrators, including athletic directors Bill Marolt and Dick Tharp, his administrative assistants, and of course, all the players ... also specifically cited Jamie Guy in sports video for his weekly creative videos he made for the team.

Next up, Jenny Barringer Simpson. Another standing ovation, as Mark noted she is the fourth to be inducted in her first year of eligibility..

"I am not done," was her opening statement, as she is trying to make her fourth Olympic team next summer. "Ive ahd an number of honors in my career, but this one is really special." She referenced competing at CU and some funny stories from Balch Fieldhouse, like when the lights would automatically shut off at a certain time. Jenny also spoke of how her coach Mark Wetmore constantly tested her, and what he meant to her. "The culture of my team helped me to cultivate my conviction and my courage." She, too, thanked everyone from the administration to her professors, tutors, advisors, and trainers to the grounds crew, and her coaches, Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs.

Brian Cabral is the next inductee, headed to the stage wearing several Hawaiian leis. Mark cited his longest tenure of any assistant coach in CU athletic history -- 24 years -- and mentioned the All-Americans that he both recruited to and coached at Colorado. Those who know Brian no doubt know he'll likely me the most emotional recipient of the night. He opened with a Bible verse, and mentioned that it took "a village to raise a man like me." He thanked everyone for their love and support along the way of his playing and coaching journeys, in particular his wife Becky." He went on to cite the top influences in his life, Bill Mallory as his coach when he was a player, and Bill McCartney for recognizing in his what he had to become a coach and for bringing him back home to CU. He ended with noting some of the players he had the joy to coach ("great players make great coaches.").

And yes, Brian was emotional, but that's Brian. "I am truly blessed to be a Buffalo."

Fred Folsom was next, being honored posthumously (he passed in 1944, when the stadium was named in his honor). His grandson, Fred Folsom III, accepted in his honor. He brought us all back over a century when his father started playing football in the 80s. In the 1880s. He spoke about how dangerous the game was at that time, but how rule changes in 1906 made the game safer. Referring to his grandad as "Professor Folsom" (he taught law at CU after his coaching days), he referenced how his grandfather deconstructed and then reconstructed the team after those rules.

Here's something I never knew, and probably most don't -- Folsom taught Byron White in CU's law school and the lessons and impressions he left on White that he would utilize later in his life. Folsom III ended with simply, "Go Buffs."

Four-time NCAA champion Bruce Gamble was our next inductee, a member of Bill Marolt's run of seven straight national titles. "This is truly honor to be inducted into this great group. But I want to talk about the CU ski team and its amazing legacy. Many of my teammates traveled from al over the country to be here tonight. I'm going to self indulge here, but we have won 20 national titles. We won eight in a row from 1972 to 1979. Friends, its hard to win one; two or three is tough, but eight in a row? We never lost, we won them all. It was a tremendous feat that will never be duplicated. How did we do it? We recruited the best athletes, we had the best coach and we worked the hardest. And who wouldn't want to come to CU? We've had 500 All-Americans and 36 Olympians. We came to dominate and conquer all. Again, eight years in a row and never lost. And we were really cool doing it -- Boulder, Colorado, the 1970s, oh what a time!"

"Ski racers are adrenalin junkies. Of course, that led to high speed crashes. One year, I tore a heart valve. "It's not bad coach (Marolt) said. Just a bruised sternum. You'll be fine." He closed by telling Bill, who is here in person, "Thank you for kicking my a-- for four years." And then mentioned the five endowments worth over a million dollars, all started by skiers. "We give back."

Barry Helton from the eastern Colorado town from Simla is the first kicker to be enshrined. Well, the first one that specialized in punting, not doing it on the side kicking a PAT or a punt here or there. Another standing ovation -- all of have had one. It's also his parent's 60th wedding anniversary.

"I've known Gary Barnett since high school, I went to his quarterback camp in high school. I came to CU first wanting to be a quarterback. Gary was my coach, taught accountability. He spoke about the time when Barry Sanders returned a punt for a touchdown against him and how he "missed" the tackle. He had a lot of good times at Colorado, but what he said he cherished the most was all the Colorado (high school) kids that were on the team. And he's still proud that he and Lance Carl were the only players able to throw a snowball over the old scoreboard at Folsom Field. And being a punter, he rightfully thanked his longs napper. "Jim Smith was the best long snapper I've ever seen." Along with how CU put its best athletes on the punt team. He closed by mentioning how his daughter was recently married to a CU graduate who was "Chip the mascot" for four years.

The second inductee to be honored posthumously was Ed Pudlik. He's representing the decade of the 1940s, which of course had World War II split the careers in two of many athletes. Ed served in the military prior to enrolling at CU and starred in both football and baseball. He passed in 1999, and his stepson, Joe Frye, accepted in his honor. Frye spoke about he was part of that great generation that fought in WWII and what a great athlete he was during his time; he was the first CU player to average over 20 yards per catch, comparing him to Tony Brown on CU's team today. He said he could have played professional baseball but went into the dairy business and then built golf courses, including Bear Creek in southwest Denver.

And those of in Colorado drove by his eventual business hundreds of times -- the old dairy on Highway 93 just outside of Golden.

The "Godfather of the Steeplechase" at Colorado is next ... Dan Reese. who competed in the challenging event for 12 years and over 100 races internationally. "This award is not about me, it's about the support I've had through the years. My family has traveled around the country to watch me run, been there at every turn." He went through a virtual roll call of all his siblings that have also competed in track through the years and their inspiration to him. He credited his college coach, David Troy, for getting him into the steeplechase (Troy was here in person), it's a cool event, right Jenny?" He also gave nods to the late Jerry Quiller and the US West Track Club, citing how that team in particular helped him (and lasy year's inductee, Donna Waller) travel around the world to race.

He appreciated his entire team, minus Mark Scrutton who lives in London, attended to night to celebrate his induction. He made jackets for all his teammates, the first inductee to bring schwag for his teammates,.

Current CU Nordic ski coach Jana Rehemaa Weinberger is the next to last to be honored, She talked about how skiing was always a big part of her family growing up n Estonia when it was still a part of the Soviet bloc. "We were only allowed to buy eight liters (5 gallons) a month, so my dad had a to be creative to get gas to be able to take me and my brother skiing in the winter."

She talked about having scholarship offers to CU and Nevada-Reno, "both that were just places on a map to me." But she chose Boulder and has loved every minute since, as she became the top Nordic skier in the school's history. She met her husband, Dan, also a CU skier, and replaced the coach that recruited her, Bruce Cranmer.

Tonight's final inductee is Jane Wahl, CU's first women's athletic director who started the program first through CU's recreation center after the passage of Title IX in 1972. She was pivotal in merging the women's department into the men's in 1977-78. "This is a virtual dream come true," she opened with. I was a youngster on the flat plains of Nebraska who loved running, swinging the bat and playing shortstop. She wanted other women to experience that same joy. Opportunities beyond my imagination soon unfolded. I am honored that I played a part in developing the athletic institution here at the University of Colorado that has benefited many in so many ways."

She has an award at CU named for her that is presented annually to a member of the CU women's basketball team.

And that wrapped the evening -- at 8:16 p.m. I must say, we have this down to a science, it's the perfect length, everyone stays close to their allotted speaking time (Kordell Stewart still holds the record at 17 minutes).

Good night all, and go Buffs!!!

Colorado University Athletics

PLATI-'TUDES LIVE BLOG FROM CU'S HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

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