Syracuse, N.Y. — Members of Otto's Army sat in the front row of the Carrier Dome and wore copies of Dick MacPherson's famous orange and blue striped tie. His grandson, Cam MacPherson, sprinted off the Syracuse sideline and wrapped his arms around him in a hug. The Carrier Dome crowd answered the waves during his lap around the field by standing and cheering.
MacPherson looked like a popular politician, a conquering hero and a beloved grandfather all at once. And, well, that sums him up just about right.
For five minutes between the first and second quarters, a football game between Syracuse and Wake Forest paused out of respect for a man renowned for always finding the right balance between the game he loved and the people he loved.