COMMENTARY: Massillon's thrill ride 20 years ago led to lifetime respect for their city and program

 COMMENTARY: Massillon's thrill ride 20 years ago led to lifetime respect for their city and program

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--People from Catholic families are taught to love those as they want to be loved.

As I was sitting in the East press box before a Tigers game writing down some final notes, I felt a snapping, wet feeling on the right side of my face. My body got warm rather unseasonably. I thought to myself "what was that."

A Massillon mother, Renee, who is Catholic, had kissed me from behind and told me "Keno, that was a really nice article you wrote on the Tigers." Briefly I was surprised how she knew who I was before we both embraced and had a great talk before the Tigers game. During halftime I went to the men's room and saw she left a shining, wet, pink lip glossed imprint on my face. Wow. I smiled and left it untouched as a badge of respect from her. I felt her love. I felt her faith. I felt the touch of Massillon greatness. That kiss on my cheek was my sacrament to Massillon. That kiss on my cheek was my Communion to Massillon  But where did it all start?

It all started back to the 2004 season when I was an intern for a semi-pro football team with kicking expert and general manager Bill Shafer who hired me on as the team director of media relations. It was after being around former Tigers and the city in general, I figured about the possibility of writing for the Massillon football team. As a student at Mount Union College (now University of Mount Union) and having graduated from McKinley High School, I was always going on MassillonProud to see what was going on with the Tigers. I couldn't believe the support they received year after year after year. As a college sophomore I dabbled with the thought of wanting to cover them locally for The Repository. From talking to a former writer I personally know who is retired, many people didn't want to cover the team because everyone knew Massillon was going to pass the ball a whole lot and the contest would not end until the deadline for publication.

It was then as a college senior I got the break I was looking for. I was going to be an assistant writer for the Tigers football team. Massillon was coming off two straight 4-6 seasons and were desperate to regain relevance. Massillon was kicked into two straight losing seasons with the start of it being an agonizing 21-20 Division I state semifinal loss to undefeated Warren Harding, whose head coach, Thom McDaniels had tormented Massillon for years as McKinley's field commander and now had done it to them again.

Tom Stacy, who was the Ashland offensive coordinator was now tasked to be the one to lead the Tigers. Most people thought Tigers defensive coordinator Tyrone Partridge was going to nail down the post with his Einsteinian knowledge as a defensive genius and ability to subtract teams opposing offenses as evidenced by his work in the 2001 and 2002 season as Massillon defensive coordinator.

As a Mount Union senior, I made my way over to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium after my final class, American Government History ended at 3:50 p.m. I was excited. What I didn't know was this was the beginning of something that would lead to a respect that would become lifetime.

Me and former Massillon head coach Tom Stacy. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Massillon was opening up their regular season against the Dover Tornadoes and their long tenured patriarch Dan Ifft. The game was sold out in front of 18,000 and it was the first non-McKinley regular season sellout since the Tigers 2002 game against St. Ignatius. 

As I got my food in the pressbox, a lady told me "Keno, you better get that Obie cake first." I questioned her with an expression that read "are you kidding me"? Her response? "Does it look like I'm kidding?" I knew that was serious. It's been said dessert is the last thing you eat after the meal but I knew if I wanted to last long in the Tiger City, I had to eat that cake first!

Everything went Massillon's way in a 34-0 victory over the Tornadoes and it jumpstarted an unbelievable path. The 2005 Massillon Tigers were a team that found ways to win games. Along the way they finally recorded wins over St. Ignatius and Warren Harding, two teams that were construction roadblocks in Massillon's previous seasons.

But in the 10th week, everything had gone Massillon's way. Everything also was going the way of the school I graduated from. Both teams were 9-0 heading into the 113th renewal of the rivalry. No tickets were sold at the door. Media coverage was humongous. Massillon's regular season came crashing down in a nasty 38-8 loss to McKinley and now for the first time, we would see how the Tigers were going to respond.

I wrote in a story "the pride of the Massillon Tigers is on life support. Whether they will be able to get back up from this loss will tell a lot about them." I was called out by a fan who at the time said for me to say their pride was on life support was a crime in their city. I understood his anger. But for the first time, I knew just how much pride Massillon had. They not only got back up but left an unspeakable path of immolation, scoring playoff wins over North Canton Hoover, Findlay, Canton McKinley and Lakewood St. Edward going into their showdown against #1 ranked Cincinnati St. Xavier.

Downtown Massillon was on fire after the comeback win over St. Edward. For the first time, I felt chills. I felt the pride of the city. I felt my destiny within me. All week, experts were predicting a blowout for the Bombers, who left teams in tatters and had a national ranking of ninth in the nation. No one gave Massillon a prayer except for their fans. Tigers fans were irate and they showed it before kickoff when 19,000 Massillon fans in Fawcett Stadium took their jackets off in the seven degree cold in unison as a sign of bravery that Massillon Tiger football was not going to be scared of the Bombers.

Massillon played St. Xavier tough unlike no one else had. Sadly it ended with a 24-17 loss to the Bombers. Even in defeat, the fans continued their chants of "T-I-G...E-R-S" and "We Are Massillon". I did enough to fight back tears as even in defeat, I gained an appreciation for their fans. Those same Massillon fans who stood up for me when fans from other schools disrespected me and said things about me at times that hurt and internally angered me. 

What I learned from that 2005 season as it will be 20 years ago they played for that state title was that Massillon will never back down from anyone. Massillon's class that I witnessed still burns radiant whenever I return to the city. The student-community-athletes, coaches, faculty, administrators, alumni are all a part of my heart. The tailgates, the good times, the excitement is still always there.

Although I am not Catholic, that kiss I got from Renee is one I still feel to this day 14 years ago. I still feel the brimming zealousness of Bill Shafer, who I am proud to say is my friend and longtime general in the department of my profession. I still feel the excitement of the 2005 Tigers who left great memories that are still talked about to this day.

There are many people I can thank here but I am just going to say a big thank you to everyone who provided what was a sparkling thrill ride 20 years ago, one that not only led to my eventual graduation from Mount Union but also a lifetime respect for the city of Massillon and their program.

In memory of former Massillon CB Troy Ellis.

Keno Sultan (Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.