As I anxiously await my chance to see Ernie Davis come to life on the big screen tonight, I can't help but wonder why it is that I didn't know more about him before the talk of this movie. Like Ernie, I grew up in Elmira and graduated from Elmira Free Academy. I even went to Ernie Davis Junior High School (now Ernie Davis Middle School and was actually Elmira Free Academy until the early 60’s when the current Elmira Free Academy was built). You would think that my classmates and I would have all been well educated on the life of Ernie Davis and unfortunately, this just wasn’t the case. I knew the very basics, but was shocked after doing my own research that Ernie Davis was truly an American hero. For this reason, I can’t help but agree with many individuals who have acknowledged Ernie as “one of America's forgotten heroes."We live in a world that lives and breathes the media, so maybe it will take this film to create awareness of Ernie and his greatness. Visit www.theexpressmovie.com to view the official movie trailer, learn more about the cast, and the filming of the movie. Dennis Quaid, who plays Syracuse University football coach Ben Schwartzwalder, recently said, “This film really is about meeting life’s challenges with grace. That was Ernie. It is an inspirational story that is uplifting and emotional. There is something more than football." From what I know now, Ernie Davis was much more than football.
I am excited to hear reactions to the movie! I invite you to post your comments.
