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| Ernest Evans as he'll always be remembered. |
Ernest Evans '16, the former Dartmouth quarterback who fought valiantly to come back from a devastating brain injury suffered in an accident three years ago, has passed away. Chai Reece '15, his Dartmouth teammate, shared the news on the GoFundMe page he began to support Ernest and his family, and to which so many of you contributed generously.
Chai Reece wrote:
We are all shaken by this sudden unfortunate and unexpected news and want to send the Evans family all the love and support we can as they deal with this tragic loss. Please keep them in your prayers and we all thank ALL OF YOU for your constant support, thoughts, and assistance during Ern's recovery. One of our last conversations, Ernest made it known that he was very appreciative of all the help and support he received from not only those in his family but also all of his extended family here who have showed support and rooted him on since his injury.Bo Patterson '15, another teammate, shared a few memories after learning of Ernest's passing:
Ernest was my locker mate (I was #16 and he was #17) and my senior year I dislocated each of my thumbs at different times during the season. I would always get my cast(s) put on early before practice so that I didn't have to feel rushed, but that meant I couldn't effectively tie my cleats before we headed out. Ernest, seeing me struggle the first time, offered to tie my shoes and went out of his way every single day the rest of the season to lace up my cleats. I never had to ask, he would just pat his knee when it was time and I'd put my foot up there while he tied it. Such a small thing that absolutely summed up who Ernest Evans was as a teammate and as a person.
As you know, Ernest would signal in the plays for us. Nobody was more invested in the success of our offense. I was always the receiver on our sideline, which means I was always the player closest to Ernest as he signaled in the plays. He knew the offense as well as anyone and when a play was called where it seemed like I'd have a chance to make a big play, he'd signal it in and give me a reassuring nod or fist pump that I always appreciated. It was really a great adrenaline and confidence boost for me.
This is a sad day for Dartmouth football, but he embodied what it was to be a football player for the Big Green. I look forward to telling Ernest stories the rest of my life.
A huge thank you to Bo for helping those who may never have known Ernest to understand why he touched so many lives.
If you would like to share a remembrance of Ernest, CLICK HERE. That will address an email to me with the subject line, Ernest.
If you would prefer, use the contact form off to the right.
I look forward to posting your memories of Ernest here in the coming days.
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The Dartmouth football Instagram account has another page of "Welcome" cards and it includes two new names to add to the list of incoming players posted on this page numerous times the past few months.
Joining the program are Trevon Erickson, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker from Kent, Wash., and Joey Richmond, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound running back from Glen Ellyn, Ill.
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Craig Haley at STATS does a “buy and sell” column for the fall that mentions your favorite conference (LINK):
His proposition:
The Ivy League continues its roll
His take:
Sell: The Ivy League had two teams finish in the Top 25 in each of the last two seasons - the first time in back-to-back years since 2006 and '07. But the only three teams with winning records last year - co-champs Dartmouth and Yale and Princeton - all suffered significant senior losses.
And Haley also offers this one of local interest.
His proposition:
Sean McDonnell leads New Hampshire back to the postseason
His take:
Buy: After a season on medical leave, the two-time recipient of the Stats Perform Eddie Robinson Award is back to lead the Wildcats, who made 14 straight playoff appearances before missing the last two years. They return 15 starters and don't have James Madison and Villanova on their schedule.
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HERO Sports predicts every FCS conference race for the fall and here's what they write about the Ivies (LINK):Dartmouth and Yale finished 6-1 in conference play last year. They both have four returning All-Conference players. Princeton went 5-2 in the standings and has nine All-Ivy League players coming back.
The Tigers have to replace QB Kevin Davidson. But they have a pretty decent history of elite QB play.
Losing back-to-back weeks to Dartmouth (27-10) and Yale (51-14) in November no doubt has the Tigers feeling like they have something to prove after going undefeated in the conference in 2018. Princeton gets Dartmouth at home this season before traveling to Yale.
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College GameDay host Rece Davis is more optimistic than his colleague Kirk Herbstreit about the chances of football being played this fall. In part he said (LINK):I’m hopeful and optimistic that with so many people working on this that we’re going to have some kind of treatment, some type of break over the next several weeks that will make it far more feasible to have football. At this point, I’m far more optimistic. Might there be adjustments to the schedule? Might things change a little bit in terms of how the business is conducted? Sure.
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The NCAA has extended the recruiting dead period for Division I and II coaches through May 31st.
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A headline in the local Valley News reads Dartmouth-Hitchcock involved in key clinical trials; National Guard setting up at Dartmouth gym (LINK):Members of the New Hampshire National Guard were at West Gym at Dartmouth College on Wednesday, measuring the space as they prepare to convert it into a “clinical flex area.” It is one of at least eight sites around the state likely to handle an overflow of cases from an expected surge of COVID-19 cases.
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EXTRA POINTWith way too much time on my hands I've started (read: started) to go through all the boxes and junk in my home office, which has about 20 combined feet of book shelves reaching floor to ceiling on opposite sides of the room. When we moved last spring stuff just got, well, stuffed into the shelves. Something that has astonished me is the number of black USB cables gathering dust in shoeboxes tucked into the bookcases. Every camera, external hard drive, little flashlight, fan, GPS device, recorder, microphone, headphone and you name it comes with one of those ubiquitous cords. Somehow they were put in the boxes neatly and when I wasn't looking turned into an ugly rats nest of tangled wires. What I should do is pick out three or four of different lengths to keep and toss the rest.
Why is it, I ask you, that I never have to look for a USB cord but am always trying to find a white lightning cord for my iPod Touch? But I digress.
As soon as you toss something you are going to need it. That's why there seem to be almost as many corded AC adapters/transformers in a box in the corner as there are USB cords. But the transformers are worse because they all deliver different power, with different polarity, and have different connections. I've got a whole collection of them and don't know what they are for. But I promise that the ones I toss are the ones I'll need when I go to charge that electric drill or fire up that old air hockey table.
