41 years ago today a plane crashed into the hills just short of the Huntington airport in West Virginia, killing 75 people. On board the plane were members of Marshall University football team, coaches, and boosters, headed back from a loss at the hands of East Carolina. Its a terrible thing when people die well before their term in this life is to expire, so many dreams and aspirations that extended well beyond the football field were cut short that day.
The crash and the aftermath were depicted in two films: We Are Marshall and Marshall University: Ashes to Glory. I highly recommend the later as the documentary talks about the struggles to rebuild the program and the community, the dark wilderness years of always finishing DFL, and the high notes of NCAA I-AA championships.
"We are Marshall" is also recommended. However, be forewarned: Part of this movie may impress on many viewers a new-found respect for Bobby Bowden.
Bowden basically gave his offense to Marshall, something you would never see in a long long time.