The Pride of The University of Nevada Volume II: Nate Burleson
During my time at the University of Nevada the football teams were less than stellar. Head coach Chris Tormey recruited a lot of suspect players, on the field and in court, and the Pack faltered. There were bright spots here and there but for the most part following the Wolf Pack was a test in true devotion to one’s squad. Wide receiver Nate Burleson was one of the few bright spots to line up at Mackey Stadium for a team that went 10-25 during his career that lasted from 2000-2002.
Burleson’s breakout season was 2002 when he finsihed the year with 138 receptions, second highest total in NCAA history, for 1,629 yards and was a finalist for the Blitnekoff Award. For his career at Nevada Burlseon was third in a ll time receiving yards with 3,287 yards. Third in receptions with 248 and in 2001 he set the school record when he burned San Jose State for 326 receiving yards. Left with no more mountains to climb declared for the draft after his junior season.
Sports Illustrated gave praise to Burleson’s skills before the 2003 draft. A relative unknown to many football fans the scouts acknowledged his talents despite playing in a small venue.
One of the nation’s most prolific pass catchers the past three years. Natural receiver with terrific innate skills. Fluid releasing off the line of scrimmage, quick in all aspects of his game and an excellent route runner that gets separation from defenders. - Sports Illustrated
The Minnesota Vikings used their third round pick on Burleson and he would line him up on the opposite side of the field as All Pro wide receiver Randy Moss. Getting acclimated to his
new surrounding he put up modest numbers during his rookie year, 29 receptions for 455 yards and two touchdowns. The folowing season he exploded for 68 receptions and 1,006 yards and 10 touchdowns, including one on a punt return.
In 2005, after Moss had been traded to the Oakland Raiders, Burlseon became the focal point of the Vikings passing attack but stumbled as the Vikings also dealt with losing their starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper for the season with a knee injury. A free agent after the season Burleson signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with his hometown Seattle Seahawks.
The 2006 season has been a struggle for Burleson as the Seahawks flutter after going to the Super Bowl last season. So far he has eight receptions for 125-yards and one touchdown.
The Pride of The University Nevada Volume I: Papa Shango/The Godfather
The University of Nevada is one of the west coast’s oldest institutions, founded in 1874, but despite there vast alumni in a myriad of professions the school is over looked as a hot bed of athletic and cultural development. Charles Wright, aka Papa Shango and the Godfather, is another chapter in Nevada’s proud legacy of producing not only men but athletic perfection for the world to envy.
Wright is a former member of the Wolf Pack after moving north from Las Vegas. Though his football career was non-descript he used his, speed and tenacity to embark on a wrestling career that has shown a worldwide audience the diverse characters within Nevada greatest sons. Wright gained prominence after beating Jerry “The King” Lawler in the fall of 1989. His alter ego at the time was the Voo Doo based Soul Taker. Wright would parlay this basis as he moved from the USWA to the brighter lights of the WWF. While in Vince McMahon’s empire Wright took his initial character Soul Taker and changed him to Papa Shango. Shango had the ability to cast spells over his opponents to gain an advantage in the ring. Shango is likley based upon the Live and Let Die character Baron Samedi who may or may not have been killed by James Bond and produces fear in his fellow man with mystical spells and his size.
Papa Shango eventually faded away and Wright changed his bit into The Godfather a pimp with a propensity to bring his hos to the ring before each match. This would prove to be Wright’s greatest gimmick and he would ride this popularity until his retirement in 2002.
These days Wright is now the General Manager of Cheetah’s Gentlemen’s Club in his native Las Vegas. Though his career as member of the Wolf Pack was short he remains a favorite son of the University of Nevada.
