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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 28 Digital 6

Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.

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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 6 9 At 87, Dale Samu- els is the oldest living member of Purdue's Cradle of Quarterbacks. We caught up with Samuels in mid- June at his induction into Indiana Foot- ball Hall of Fame. Samuels lives outside of Milwaukee with his wife Dawn — they've been married 66 years — but makes it to campus for several football games per year. Gold and Black: You have had many blessings in your life. How do you put the Indiana Hall of Fame induction into perspec- tive? Samuels: "It's tough to do. If you had told me in 1948 when I was en- tering my senior year in high school that I'd be here today with this hon- or from the Joe Tiller chapter of the National Football Foundation ... it's unbelievable. The Douglas MacAr- thur speech to the cadets at West Point says it well: 'All soldiers never die, they just fade away.' I thought that's what happened to quarter- backs. So it is great to be remem- bered." Gold and Black: What does your Cradle of Quarterbacks designation mean to you? Samuels: "That's another (sim- ilar) issue. When I first learned that I made of that I thought, 'Boy, our family really lobbied hard.' To be in- cluded with the likes of Bob Griese and Drew Brees and Mike Phipps and Mark Herrmann is kind of unbelievable. I don't know that I deserve it, but I'm certainly apprecia- tive of it and very humbled." Gold and Black: Let's talk about three random members of The Cradle: Len Dawson, Griese and Brees. What qualities made them great quarterbacks? Samuels: "I've been in Bob DeMoss' company when he's been asked that same question, and he refused to answer. I'm not going to refuse to answer it because I know all of those fellas. The one common thing they have is (they are) great people. Their abilities are all a little bit different, but the end results were the same — they're all winners." Gold and Black: What do you think of Jeff Brohm and what he has brought to the table? Samuels: "Purdue football means so much to me, and I've been here through the highlights and the lowlights. For a period of years here, we've kind of been in a doldrums and didn't have much respect around the Big Ten or the country. Coach Brohm, his staff and these kids, you've got to give them credit for buying into it. It has been amazing. They've made Purdue football fun again." Gold and Black: Did you ever dream football would be what it is now with all this hoopla and everything else that goes into the college game? Samuels: "No. The players are dissected, and it starts with their recruiting. Television has made it what it is. Game times, you're at its mercy. It's tough on the fans finding out when a game is going to start. You do get a week's notice but, if you're coming from any distance, it may affect you. I still think there's too many bowl games. You can be mediocre and still get rewarded for it, and I don't buy into that. But that's just my opinion." — As told to Alan Karpick Photo by Sandra Dukes

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