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By Chris Bahn - 7/24/2009 10:36:52 AM
Author E. Lynn Harris, cheerleading sponsor/coach for Arkansas and a passionate Razorbacks fan, has passed away at 54. He was on a book tour of the West Coast. Harris, a best-seller whose work dealt with black, gay culture and delved into athletics, was a passionate Razorbacks fan. For the past eight semesters, Harris served as a "visiting" professor for the English department. Harris detailed his life, inspiration and passion for the Razorbacks in a September 2008 Q&A with ArkansasSports360.com Most recently, Harris' wrote his 11th novel, "Basketball Jones", which involved an NBA player and the player's gay lover. Before "Basketball Jones," Harris penned "Just Too Good To Be True," a novel detailing the life of Heisman Trophy candidate Brady Manning. Harris' novel focused on the pressures surrounding Manning and the support system the star athlete leaned on to help him through dark and troubling times. Below are excerpts from Harris' Best Seat in the House feature. ArkansasSports360.com will update this story as more details become available. With all the Arkansas athletics you've been a part of as a cheerleader, cheer coach and alumni, can you pick a favorite moment? Well, in the [1978] Orange Bowl we beat Oklahoma and weren't supposed to beat them. That was a great memory. I cheered in Coach [Frank] Broyles' last game in Austin [in 1976] when he and [Texas Coach] Darrell Royal went out. Of course beating Texas at Texas in 2003 is a great recent memory. That was my first time back at the university as an instructor and cheer coach. That was a beautiful day, you know? That really stands out. You're a teacher to student-athletes, but what have you learned from them? One of the things I was happy to learn, this generation of college athlete is different, and different in a good way. They're more open. They see more of the world and they're not as judgmental as I think student athletes were when I was coming up. Everybody wanted to be that jock all the way through. ... I never felt the need to be anybody different around my student athletes - black or white. They all took me just as Professor E. That's why I've stayed for so long. I had every intention of teaching one semester and being done with it. This will be my seventh semester teaching. Complete this sentence: "I have the best seat in the house because..." I'm right there. I'm right where the action is. I'm pacing the sidelines. I'm able to look into the eye of the opponent and smile at the Razorbacks. That's the best seat in the house - even though I'm not sitting down.
On a rare personal note: Harris was a dear friend to me and my wife, Toni. Obviously, he'll be missed by a lot of people whose lives he touched as an author, educator, coach, friend and son.
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