To the editor:

No one more embodied the concept of “bleeding Crimson and Blue” than Coach Don Fambrough. His love for KU was fierce, relentless, abiding, even when it wasn’t always returned.

His warm drawl always seemed to get a little more pronounced when he started telling one of his wonderful stories. We were fortunate to get recorded “Marching Band wins Iowa State game,” which ought to be required watching for all new Marching Jayhawks.

I hope there are multiple recordings of the multitude of “Missouri Week” stories used to motivate teams and fans for decades, the series usually starting with “Quantrill surely was a Mizzou alum.” Just mention Missouri to him, and he’d start, eyes fiery, foam flecks starting to appear at the edges of his mouth. Usually admitting he might be embellishing a bit, he’d launch into the litany. When he was on the radio, sometimes he’d have to apologize for his word choices after the fever had subsided. Always, when he was done, players and fans alike were whipped into a frenzy, ready to avenge over a century of Missouri transgressions.

I’d like to imagine him now, pacing the heavenly sidelines with Otto Schnellbacher, Ray Evans and their other ’48 Orange Bowl teammates and coaches, cheering on the oh-so-young new players. Truly our very own “greatest generation”!

God bless you, Coach Fambrough.