In 1971, Don McLean released his soon-to-be number one hit, "American Pie." McLean sings about "the day the music died," referring to February 3, 1959, when a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, claimed the lives of rock and rollers Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson, a.k.a.

The Big Bopper and Lubbock's own Buddy Holly.

I believe events that began on July 1, 2021, signaled the death of many things we loved about college sports.