Willie Burden
Encyclopedia
Willie Burden is a former professional Canadian football
player with the Calgary Stampeders
of the Canadian Football League
and is currently an academic
and sports administrator.
Burden, a running back
, was made a member of the Calgary Stampeder's Wall of Fame in 1992, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in 2001. In 2006, Burden was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
.
career at Raleigh's
Enloe High School
, Burden attended North Carolina State University
, where he played from 1971 to 1973 on scholarship. He rushed for 2,529 yards, 7th best in Wolfpack
history. He was the 1973 Atlantic Coast Conference
Football Player of the Year. He graduated with a bachelor's degree
in Economics
.
Following graduation, Burden was drafted twice in 1974, by the NFL's Detroit Lions
in the 6th round (139th overall) and by the World Football League
's Portland Storm
, in the 17th round (198 overall.) Regardless, Canada
would be his eventual professional football destination.
would be Burden's home for eight seasons, between 1974 and 1981. He thrilled fans in his first season, rushing for 541 yards on 94 carries, but it was in his second season that he broke team and league records. He set a new CFL
single season rushing record, running 332 times for 1896 yards. His best day was November 2 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
, when he tied Lovell Coleman
's team record of 238 yards in a game. Burden was rewarded with the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
and All Canadian All Star honours in 1975
. Burden was also named an All West
All Star in 1977
.
Upon his retirement, Burden had rushed for 6,234 yards, fifth best in Stampeders history after Kelvin Anderson
, Earl Lunsford
, Lovell Coleman
and Joffrey Reynolds
.
He has since received many honours. His jersey number #10 was retired by the Stamps in 1982. He was added to their Wall of Fame in 1992, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in 2001. He played at 5 foot 10 inches and a bruising 218 pounds and is remembered fondly in Canada.
in sports administration
from Ohio University
while working as an assistant football coach and instructor in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation. From 1984 to 1988 he served as Assistant Athletics Director at Tennessee Technological University
while working on his doctorate in education
at Tennessee State University
(Ed.D) which he received in 1990. In 1988, Burden returned to Ohio University
to serve as Assistant Athletic Director. In 1990, he became the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Instructor of Health and Physical Education for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
.
Presently he is an Associate Professor
in Sports Management
at Georgia Southern University
. His research has been published in several academic journals.
In 2005 Burden received another special honour, being inducted into Hall of Fame for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America of Raleigh, North Carolina
, for his lifetime of good works.
Burden currently resides in Statesboro, Georgia
, with his wife, Velma, and children Willie, Jr. and Freddie. He also has a grown daughter, Courtney.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
player with the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
and is currently an academic
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and sports administrator.
Burden, a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, was made a member of the Calgary Stampeder's Wall of Fame in 1992, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
in 2001. In 2006, Burden was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
.
College career
Following an outstanding high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
career at Raleigh's
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
Enloe High School
Enloe High School
The William G. Enloe GT/IB Center for the Humanities, Sciences, and the Arts, more commonly called Enloe High School , is a Wake County public magnet, Gifted & Talented, and International Baccalaureate high school located in east Raleigh, North Carolina. The school is named after William Gillmore...
, Burden attended North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
, where he played from 1971 to 1973 on scholarship. He rushed for 2,529 yards, 7th best in Wolfpack
NC State Wolfpack
The athletic teams of the North Carolina State University, known as the Wolfpack, compete in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and has won eight national championships: two NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles...
history. He was the 1973 Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Football Player of the Year. He graduated with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
Following graduation, Burden was drafted twice in 1974, by the NFL's Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the 6th round (139th overall) and by the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
's Portland Storm
Portland Storm
The Portland Storm were an American football team based out of Portland, Oregon, playing in the World Football League. When the World Football League was created in October 1973, the Storm was the original New York franchise. When the Boston Bulls merged with New York to become the New York...
, in the 17th round (198 overall.) Regardless, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
would be his eventual professional football destination.
Professional football career
The Calgary StampedersCalgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
would be Burden's home for eight seasons, between 1974 and 1981. He thrilled fans in his first season, rushing for 541 yards on 94 carries, but it was in his second season that he broke team and league records. He set a new CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
single season rushing record, running 332 times for 1896 yards. His best day was November 2 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
, when he tied Lovell Coleman
Lovell Coleman
Lovell Coleman is a former running back in the Canadian Football League. He was born in Hamtramck, Michigan.Coleman played his college football with the Western Michigan University Broncos from 1957 to 1959. He rushed for 1918 yards, including 1068 in the 1958 season...
's team record of 238 yards in a game. Burden was rewarded with the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
and All Canadian All Star honours in 1975
1975 CFL season
The 1975 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 22nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 18th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1975:...
. Burden was also named an All West
Canadian Football League West Division
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.-Pre-1936:...
All Star in 1977
1977 CFL season
The 1977 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 24th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 20th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1977:...
.
Upon his retirement, Burden had rushed for 6,234 yards, fifth best in Stampeders history after Kelvin Anderson
Kelvin Anderson
Kelvin Anderson is a retired professional gridiron football player. As a running back, he rushed for over 1,000 yards in eight consecutive seasons in the Canadian Football League, a league record...
, Earl Lunsford
Earl Lunsford
Earl Lunsford , known as the "Earthquake", was a fullback for the Calgary Stampeders and is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame....
, Lovell Coleman
Lovell Coleman
Lovell Coleman is a former running back in the Canadian Football League. He was born in Hamtramck, Michigan.Coleman played his college football with the Western Michigan University Broncos from 1957 to 1959. He rushed for 1918 yards, including 1068 in the 1958 season...
and Joffrey Reynolds
Joffrey Reynolds
Joffrey Reynolds is a professional Canadian football running back, currently playing for the Calgary Stampeders...
.
He has since received many honours. His jersey number #10 was retired by the Stamps in 1982. He was added to their Wall of Fame in 1992, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
in 2001. He played at 5 foot 10 inches and a bruising 218 pounds and is remembered fondly in Canada.
Post-football career
Burden's post pro football life has been equally successful. He received his master's degreeMaster's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in sports administration
Sport management
Sport management is a field of education and vocation concerning the business aspect of sport. Some examples of sport managers include the front office system in professional sports, college sports managers, recreational sport managers, sports marketing, event management, facility management,...
from Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
while working as an assistant football coach and instructor in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation. From 1984 to 1988 he served as Assistant Athletics Director at Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
while working on his doctorate in education
Doctor of Education
The Doctor of Education or Doctor in Education degree , in Latin, Doctor Educationis, is a research-oriented professional doctorate that prepares the student for academic, administrative, clinical, or research positions in educational, civil, and private organizations.-Differences between an Ed.D...
at Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
(Ed.D) which he received in 1990. In 1988, Burden returned to Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
to serve as Assistant Athletic Director. In 1990, he became the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Instructor of Health and Physical Education for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a land-grant university located in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest publicly funded historically black college in the state of North Carolina.NC A&T is a constituent institution of the University of North...
.
Presently he is an Associate Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in Sports Management
Sport management
Sport management is a field of education and vocation concerning the business aspect of sport. Some examples of sport managers include the front office system in professional sports, college sports managers, recreational sport managers, sports marketing, event management, facility management,...
at Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University is a national public university located on a campus in Statesboro, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1906, it is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia offering 117 academic majors in a comprehensive...
. His research has been published in several academic journals.
In 2005 Burden received another special honour, being inducted into Hall of Fame for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America of Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, for his lifetime of good works.
Burden currently resides in Statesboro, Georgia
Statesboro, Georgia
Statesboro is a city in southeast Georgia, United States, and is the county seat and most populous city of Bulloch County. Statesboro has a population of 28,422 and the Statesboro, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 70,217...
, with his wife, Velma, and children Willie, Jr. and Freddie. He also has a grown daughter, Courtney.