MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2011 By: Senator(s) Harden, Butler (38th), To: Rules Carmichael, Davis, Dawkins, Dearing, Fillingane, Frazier, Hopson, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Jones, Moffatt, Turner, Watson SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 577 1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND CONGRATULATING FORMER 2 ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL STAR LESLIE A. FRAZIER AS THE NEW 3 HEAD COACH OF THE NFL MINNESOTA VIKINGS FOOTBALL TEAM (THE 13TH 4 AFRICAN-AMERICAN HEAD COACH IN THE NFL) AND DESIGNATE "LESLIE 5 FRAZIER DAY IN MISSISSIPPI." 6 WHEREAS, on January 1, 2011, Minnesota Vikings Interim Coach 7 Leslie Frazier was made Head Coach of this famous NFL franchise 8 after coaching his team to a 24-14 victory against the 9 Philadelphia Eagles on December 28 in Philadelphia. The former 10 Alcorn State University football star is the 13th African-American 11 Head Coach in NFL history; and 12 WHEREAS, Leslie Antonio Frazier (born April 3, 1959, in 13 Columbus, Mississippi) played cornerback/safety in the National 14 Football League for the Chicago Bears. He played college football 15 at Alcorn State University, where he lined up in the defensive 16 secondary next to Roynell Young; and 17 WHEREAS, Frazier was a part of the 1985 Chicago Bears Team 18 that won Super Bowl XX. During the 1985 Championship Season, 19 Frazier led the team with 6 interceptions. His career was cut 20 short due to a knee injury he suffered returning the opening 21 kickoff of the Super Bowl. He was also a member of the "G Crew" 22 in the video "The Super Bowl Shuffle"; and 23 WHEREAS, his path to becoming the 13th African-American Head 24 Coach in the NFL was filled with twists. He earned the unofficial 25 title as "Big Man on Campus" at Columbus Lee High School, Hall of 26 Fame student, Mr. Lee High School, Class Favorite and was a 27 three-sport star. Following his senior season in 1977, he was 28 recruited by a handful of schools: Jackson State, Ole Miss, S. C. R. No. 577 *SS01/R1198* N1/2 11/SS01/R1198 PAGE 1 29 Southern Mississippi, Southwestern Oklahoma State and Alcorn. 30 Alcorn State won the Southwestern Athletic Conference in Leslie's 31 senior season, and at the time, Coach Marino Casem's staff played 32 an aggressive, blitzing defense that required two lock-down 33 cornerbacks who embraced one-on-one coverage. That training would 34 one day serve Frazier well. The Braves won a share of the SWAC 35 Title in 1979, Frazier's junior season. He earned All-SWAC honors 36 and was named a team captain entering his senior year; and 37 WHEREAS, Coach Frazier started his coaching career in 1988 as 38 the first Head Coach at Trinity College in Illinois, now known as 39 Trinity International University. He held the position for nine 40 seasons, built the NAIA program from the ground up, and won a pair 41 of Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Conference titles before he 42 moved on to the University of Illinois in 1997 as the Illinois 43 Defensive Back's Coach. In 1999, Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy 44 Reid gave Frazier his first NFL job, as Defensive Back's Coach. 45 He was named Defensive Coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals in 46 2003, then joined coach Tony Dungy in Indianapolis in 2005 as 47 Defensive Back's Coach and Special Assistant. The Colts won the 48 Super Bowl his second year there, defeating the Bears. "That time 49 with Tony was invaluable," Frazier says. "It confirmed in my mind 50 that it is so important to stay who you are. His approach is 51 similar to mine." Frazier joined Minnesota as Defensive 52 Coordinator in 2007 and came within one game of the Super Bowl 53 last season, losing a bruising thriller to the New Orleans Saints. 54 When the Vikings fell to 3-7 in 2010, Frazier was tabbed interim 55 coach; and 56 WHEREAS, "Have faith, no matter your circumstances," Leslie 57 Frazier, a 51 year-old Christian, says. "It's not always going to 58 be perfect, but the reality is, it is perfect because of who is in 59 control. I have a lot of work to do to achieve my goals." Those 60 who know him best say it's just a matter of time before he does 61 so; and S. C. R. No. 577 *SS01/R1198* 11/SS01/R1198 PAGE 2 62 WHEREAS, Coach Frazier commands great respect from people 63 which is the leading reason the Columbus native is the new Head 64 Coach of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings. "He has a terrific way with 65 those who play for him and work with him," Vikings owner Zygi Wilf 66 said following Frazier's hiring; and 67 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we acknowledge the 68 special career of this Christian athlete and coach who has brought 69 honor to his community, his university and to the State of 70 Mississippi: 71 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 72 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 73 we do hereby recognize and congratulate former Alcorn State 74 University football star Leslie A. Frazier as the new Head Coach 75 of the NFL Minnesota Vikings Football Team (the 13th 76 African-American Head Coach in the NFL), extend our best wishes to 77 Coach Frazier and his family and team, and designate March 8, 78 2011, as "Leslie Frazier Day in Mississippi" in his honor. 79 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 80 Coach Frazier, forwarded to the President of Alcorn State 81 University and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of 82 Higher Learning, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps. S. C. R. No. 577 *SS01/R1198* 11/SS01/R1198 ST: Recognize Leslie Frazier as the new Head PAGE 3 Coach of the NFL Minnesota Vikings Football Team. .