IN MEMORY

Jimmy Whiteside (1961-2015) aka the Orginal Whitey.


A message from his teammate Rich Tegge on the NMU 80s Football FB Group '

Cats:

 The passing of Jimmy Whiteside has been very unsettling. Although I had seen very little of Jimmy over the past 30 years since we left Northern I still held to fond memories and shared a few stories with friends of some of his antics during our time together at NMU. Why do I bring it up to you? Because I shared similar stories about many of you. I find most of the best memories I share with my non-Wildcat friends center around those I grew so close to during my tim...e as a Wildcat. Although I share them with others I rarely get the chance to reminisce with those who made those great memories. We have all gotten so busy with careers and family that we find it difficult to make the time to gather and share many of our new memories with those who today we would still call our closest and dearest friends. 

 

 

 

My worry is that there may be more Jimmy’s out there that could use us checking in on. I don’t think any of us realized the struggles Jimmy had not because we didn’t care but because we just didn’t know. Had we, I am sure we would have rallied around him as we had rallied around one another during the years we shared as Wildcats. There were many times I was ready to walk away from the team but teammates like Danny Wyers and Dan Leveille wouldn’t let that happen. They took me under their wing and wouldn’t let me quit. They worked with me after practice and made sure I became part of the brotherhood of O-linemen. We all have stories of how one of our brothers on the team helped us through struggles others may not have known about.  

 

 

Saw Whiteside play against Traverse City in the 78 Class A Semi-Finals.

 

For me this has been a wakeup call about the importance of my Wildcat family. I hope to reach out to as many as I can over the coming months for no other reason than to check in and catch up. I hope many of you will do the same. We may be in different places in many ways but deep down we are Wildcats and we will always share a bond few understand (my wife included) it is important that we reinforce that bond; you never know who might benefit by the uplifting opportunity to talk with one of their Cat brothers. 

 

 

 

I hope all of you are well, I wish everyone the very best through this difficult time. The hearts of many Wildcats ache right now but I am happy for the memories I will continue to share of my times with Whitey and the rest of you I had the privilege to call teammates.
Love all of you guys!
Teg’s