Boise State football player marries fiancee despite racial threats

[marmar]

AP, via Yahoo:


July 28, 2007

BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Before Boise State running back Ian Johnson married the girl he proposed to on national television, the couple prayed to end prejudice.

Johnson and Chrissy Popadics, the cheerleader he proposed to after scoring the winning points in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma, were married Saturday in a traditional ceremony at Cathedral of the Rockies First United Methodist Church.

Johnson, who is black, has said he received phone calls and about 30 letters, including personal threats from people who objected to his plans to marry his white fiancee. Johnson has not described the threats, and it is unclear where they came from.

The ceremony began with the prayer and ended with the couple jumping over a broom -- an African tradition signifying the couple jumping into a new life together.

As they drove away in a stretch limousine, Johnson kissed his new wife and said, "Let's play ball," the Idaho Statesman reported.

Johnson ran for a 2-point conversion on a "Statue of Liberty" to give the underdog Broncos a 43-42 overtime win over Oklahoma on Jan. 1 in Glendale, Ariz. Boise State finished the season 13-0 and No. 5 in the AP Top 25.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=ap-boisestate-johnson&prov=ap&type=lgns

[peacebird]

1. Best wishes to the happy couple!

:toast:

[wake.up.america]

2. Best wishes!

[trumad]

3. best wishes

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. May their life together be a happy one! n/t

[IDemo]

5. Wedding pic from the front page of this morning's Idaho Statesman

[Berry Cool]

6. Oh, that's beautiful.

Hurray for them.

[marmar]

7. Nice pic....

Love conquers hate and ignorance.

[Missy Vixen]

8. Congratulations!

I hope they have a long and blissfully happy life together.

Julie