Jerry LeVias with Norm

[LA_Mustang]

Not sure if any of you caught it, but Jerry LeVias was just on with Norm for about 30 minutes. What a great interview with a great Mustang. We should all be very proud to have Mr. LeVias representing SMU.

[huntnfish]

he should be the new AD

[MrMustang1965]

he should be the new AD

He's making too much $$$ in Houston with his law-related business. But it's a nice thought.

[Dr Jeske friend]

To hear him tell of all the abuse both internal and external. About death threats and being spit on by opposing players. Unbelievable how he kept his self control.

after hearing the interview, it made me remeber the 67' Bluebonnet Bowl game I watched on TV. That was the game that made me a SMU fan.

Also I have a new found respect for Coach Fry. He did a lot for Jerry.

Best line was Jerry saying that the more touchdowns he scored the Whiter he got.

your a great man Jerry Levias

[Stallion]

for all the negatives I wonder if he knows just how many young kids (and old kids) considered him their hero. We all fought to be No. 23 in his honor. Its pretty hard to hate your hero no matter what the color of his skin is. He brought people together who never would have been otherwise.

I have my own personal story from the eyes of a 9 year old -one that might seem rather patronizing today but I'll tell it anyway. I remember to this day when SMU played Texas A&M on National TV in College Station. This may have been the first games I ever saw in color and we were all sitting around the new color TV watching the game.

In the back yard was a our yard man named Clyde who had worked for the generations of our family doing landscaping and odds and ends for litterally decades. He was a strong proud man who even in his 50s looked like he could play middle LB. All the kids looked up to Clyde with respect and he was our friend -in a way-the way lonely kids look up to any grown-up that will put up with them. Anyway I was so excited about our first color TV, SMU and my hero Jerry LeVias who was having one of the greatest games in SMU History. I ran outside and told Clyde all about it and how he had to see it for himself. Well of course, Clyde was excited too because of LeVias but demurred coming inside out of respect even after the whole family pleaded for him to watch what we all recognized as one those important moments in history. We finally convinced Clyde after much prodding to watch the TV with the window to the back room open so he could see. We literrally opened up the window pane as far as we could and Clyde leaned in the window to watch from outside.

This was the famous Inez Perez game where he connected with LeVias on about 5 passes in the final drive-easily one of the best drives in SMU History. LeVias was so exhausted that he hyperventilated on the last drive. Finally, he returned and caught one of the greatest catches in SMU History in the corner of the end zone with about :13 seconds with Aggies drapped all over him. We all went crazy except Clyde who literrally had a tear running down his face but still beaming with pride that showed over his entire face.

I realized even as a 9 year old that there were large barriers between us as races- some of which I didn't fully understand- that were just as big as the wall and barrier that kept him from coming inside to watch the the game from iside but nevertheless we had shared a very important moment-for me it was about SMU and my hero Jerry LeVias but something much bigger to Clyde who had no connection to this lilly white private school in North Dallas.

Thank god for sports, music and actors which helped bring down these stupid barriers. And thank god for Jerry LeVias who played his very important role in Texas in tearing them down.

[mustangbill67]

Thanks Stallion, great story. Unfortunately , we still have a long ways to go.

[Water Pony]

Jerry and I were in school at the same time. As a swimmer, all the athletes ate in the old Letterman Hall basement. When Jerry first came, it was a novelty, but total respect was easy to give.

Hayden Fry made it happen and SMU was a real leader in the SWC, giving the first scholarship to a black athlete. The times were a changing.

I am pleased that Jerry has renewed his interest in his alma mater. We are all better for it.

Thanks for the memories . . . Bob Hope

Class of 1968
(Laura Welch Bush's class, btw)