Today was the first step in a long journey

George Curry said it was good to be back at Temple
By Mike Gibson
The calendar says there are four full months left before Temple University's home opener with Navy.
The way Wayne Hardin had it figured out today, the Owls are halfway home.
"I guaranteed to sell out the stadium without even knowing who the first opponent was," Hardin said. "I asked who it was. Bill (Bradshaw, the Temple athletic director), told me Navy. I said, "Well, it's half full now.' "
Hardin was only joking when he said that.
His stated goal from last November, made public on the radio, was to fill the stadium with mostly Temple people.
If it gets full, it's going to have to be with Temple people.
That's why today was an important first step in a long journey.
The university hosted the students in an informal feel-good get together at the Edberg-Olson Football Complex and everyone involved had a good time.
Hardin was there.
So was another legendary coach, Wyoming Valley West's George Curry. At Berwick, Curry, a Temple grad, won two USA Today mythical national high school championships. He is the all-time winningest Pennsylvania high school coach.
"This is my alma mater," Curry said. "This whole atmosphere is great here now. It's good to be here."
It was the first time anyone could remember Curry coming back to watch a practice, but he brought some of his big Wyoming Valley West boys with him.
Hardin mined the coal region of Northeastern Pennsylvania for some of his best players, most notably fullback Henry Hynoski (Mount Carmel), and having Curry back in the Temple fold couldn't hurt.
Today, though, was all about energizing the students about the mission. Food fueled their stomachs. Getting excited about an on-campus football team for a change will fuel their minds. At the function, a promotional plan was laid out which includes a billboard soon to show up on I76 promoting the game. Soon to follow will be billboards on I95, both here and near Navy. A student attending the game will receive free tuition. Another fan at the game will receive a two-year free lease on a car. More giveaways are yet to be announced. Try getting those perks at the Eagles' game the night before.
As Bush 41 would say, "Not gonna happen."
Both Hardin and current head coach Al Golden called it Mission Possible, to help fill the stadium. Hardin and Golden are in this for the long haul, not just one day, and are committed to beat this war drum for the full four months. Hopefully, the 250,000 living Temple alumni and 34,000 full-time students will answer the call to arms and fannies.
Filling the stadium? Hardin used the word guarantee back in November. He wasn't backing away from it in April.
"When people who know me heard that, some of them thought I'd lost it," Hardin said. "I don't know if I ever had it."
He did and he does. Come Aug. 31, God-willing, Temple will have it, too.