If you are a sports fan you dream of that time when you get to witness something special, that moment of greatness. You dream of getting to watch a legend. Have you ever heard your parents, or someone older talking about that great player, that great play and wished you could have been there or that you could have seen it? Well Cardinal fans Teddy Bridgewater gave us our moment.
This past week we seen a Louisville player that came out of a bad environment and bad surroundings that had trouble overcoming that and ultimately be let go by the Louisville program. But there is always the other side of these stories and today we got to see a kid who came from bad beginnings and bad surroundings leave the Louisville program but this time it is the ultimate success story. Teddy Bridgewater looked his adversity dead in the eyes and refused to be another statistic. A kid who realized that education was important early on and graduated high school early, a kid that realized early on that family is more important and was ready to give up football to take care of his ailing mother, a kid that realized what he wanted and sacrificed to move far away from all he knew to get it.
When Teddy arrived in Louisville it was a football program headed in the right direction, but it was a program in search of the leader on the field to take that next step. And boy did we get that in #5. Snap after snap, Play after play, game after game Teddy Bridgewater gave it all he had not only for himself but for the city of Louisville, the University of Louisville and Cardinal fans everywhere. He gave his all for us because that’s what Teddy does for his family. Now he moves on leaving behind many great moments, Back to Back Bowl victories, and a college degree in hand. Someday when my son and I are in Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium and we look up to those numbers that have been retired I will be the one who can say proudly that I got to watch that great player. Thanks to Teddy we now have our legend and we have had our moment.
I got this letter from a Louisville Fan through my Fan Page and I would like to share that with everyone. I hope that this fan doesn’t mind, but it pretty much says it all.
Dear Teddy,
I love you like my own son! I am extremely proud of the young man that had an infectious smile with braces transforming into a man. I want to “thank You”, personally and heartfelt.
Thank you Teddy for being and awesome kid.
Thank you Teddy for “Breathing” life back into our great football tradition.
Thank you Teddy for putting this city first across your chest, then across your shoulders.
Thank you Teddy for being the epitome of a good role model.
Thank you Teddy for all your hard work through a “hard life”.
Thank you Teddy for being one of the “Greatest” athletes the University of Louisville ever produced, certainly in football.
Thank you Teddy, when they disrespected you by at least not even “inviting” you to New York to be amongst the Heisman finalist you shook it off. And then proceeded to destroy the University of Miami in the bowl game.
Thank you Teddy for the Sugar Bowl when you annihilated the Florida Gators. I was there Teddy, and that was one of the greatest moments of my life.
I could go on and on, but Teddy as I watched you play your last game in a Louisville jersey I welled up with emotion, I was proud, happy, exuberant, even after the disappointment of earlier that day, you went out and brought it back. You made the city OK. You went out as a champion and you never did it for you. You did it for us, this city, our university, all the kids, the Monday morning quarterbacks,.. everybody.
So now its your time Teddy. Go get your money. Get it all, because if one kid deserves it,.. its you.
And remember Teddy Bridgewater no matter where you go Louisville will always be home.
Thank you Teddy Bridgewater,.. thank you!
Oh,… and one last thing,.. Thank you Teddy for never,.. ever,.. never,… ever,…losing to the University of Kentucky.. Salute..!
– Louisville fan Mike Beamon