Grambling Rose

[Wayne23]

(Note: Computer crashed on Friday. BAD crash. Lost everything. Had to go back to original, out of the box configuration. Lost the dynasty. Below is where I was going.)

April 30

President Nixon invades Cambodia.

May 1
Massive anti-war protests and demonstrations begin at Kent ST University in Ohio. The focus is on the fact that the invasion of Cambodia is a violation of international law and is a significant escalation of the war.

May 2

The National Guard is called in to Kent ST when demonstrators burn the R. O. T. C. building. I know Kent ST well, and was on campus several times, since they were a rival when we coached at Western Michigan. I fear for the students there.

May 4

A huge crowd at Kent ST refuses to disperse. Chaos ensues. Members of the National Guard fire into the crowd. Four people are killed, nine wounded. It is later proven that two of those killed were simply walking to their classes. As many as 67 shots were fired into the crowd.

Colleges throughout the U. S. close for the remainder of the semester in solidarity with Kent ST. Worldwide sentiment leads to protests in cities all over the world against illegal U. S. aggression in Cambodia.

May 14

This may be the most difficult thing I will ever write. A few hours ago Callie and I were informed that our beloved daughter Ruth Ann was shot and killed by police during anti-war protests at Jackson ST University. I immediately fly to Jackson ST.

May 15

Ruth Ann’s friend and roommate tells me that the two of them were walking to class when shots rang out. One of the shots struck and killed Ruth Ann.

“Ruth Ann’s last words were that she wanted to stay away, that this was dangerous.”

Reactions to Ruth Ann’s murder are pouring in from all over the world. She is, of course, known throughout the world as Vaneece, the former Chanel model, and to a lesser extent as Dr. King’s personal assistant, and briefly, as an aide in the Robert Kennedy Presidential campaign. Ruth Ann is the face of the victims at Kent ST and Jackson ST.

Of course all sorts of rumors are being spread by the media- she was involved in the protests, she was a leader of the protests… I simply am not up to trying to dispel this nonsense but Ruth Ann’s roommate is incensed, and is granting interviews to tell the real story.

May 16

A song, “Ohio”, is being heard everywhere. I am told it was released two days ago. I listen once, and simply cannot listen to it again. Here are the lyrics:

“Ohio"
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

While the lyrics are simple, they are unbelievably powerful. After listening only once I fear I will hear them in my sleep. Even though the song is about the massacre at Kent ST, it is equally relevant to what happened here at Jackson ST, and it simply hits too close to home. I am told it was written by a rock and roll star named Neil Young, who, ironically, is from Canada; he wrote it on the night of the Kent ST shootings, immediately upon hearing about the shootings. He and his group, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young recorded it ten days later and it was rushed to release.

Tonight we fly Ruth Ann’s body to Berkeley for burial.

I have taken a leave of absence from my job as head coach at Cal-Berkeley, where the demonstrations are ongoing. I am not sure when, or even if, I will be able to return to coaching.

(Note: Thus ends the dynasty.)

[SonOfShibe]

Sorry to see this end; I thought it was a great dynasty and you write very well. Hope to see you back here with a new story.

[SonOfShibe]

Sorry to see this end; I thought it was a great dynasty and you write very well. Hope to see you back here with a new story.

[Wayne23]

Thanks.

[JMD]

Basketball at Gramblin'!