Tells Us your Football Story

1 hour ago, TGHusker said:

What do you guys remember about practice?    For me 2 things stood out:

1. Cold wet Octobers in S.D. and the feeling of freezing fingers getting smashed by someone's helmet

2. Pre-season August 3 a day practices that included endless "up downs' and tackling drills  

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The favorite thing I remember about practices was, when it would rain hard, at the end of practice coach would take us to the other side where there was a dirt (now mud) baseball infield and we would do fumble recovery drills. We’d form 2 lines, one at first base and one at 3rd base. Coach would stand at the pitchers mound and toss the ball towards home plate (which there wasn’t one) and one guy from each line would sprint and dive on the ball. It was a blast. We’d be dripping wet with mud and go right in the locker room showers with our equipment on. More I think about it, that only occurred twice but it was fun. Beat the heck out of running in the heat.

 
Crusader Husker said:
Wouldn't that be Bump Novacek?  He was a decathlete.  I played against him in HS.
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No, Jay went to the olympic trials in decathlon but was actually kind of sick that week and didn't qualify.  If he would have had his average performance, he would have qualified.

Bump did decathlon too.  Bump is my age and I wasn't able to tackle him in junior high either.   :facepalm:

 
skers83 said:
I'll be serious too..I had Matt Herian on my flag team when he was in 5th grade. It was obvious then he was special and i told everyone to remember this kids name cuz we will be reading about him in the papers. I was right on that one. Being the great coach I was, I don't think I gave him the ball nearly enough.
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Matt was a great TE.  

 
In the late 1960s in Wilber,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joliet,_Illinois NE, Gomer Brigham "Gobiggergoredder" Redder dreams of playing football at Peru State. However, he lacks the grades and money to attend and the talent and physical stature to play major college football. Following high school, he works at a Runza with his father, a Peru State fan, and his older brother. When his supportive best friend Pete is killed in circus accident, Gobiggergoredder decides to follow his dream.

In 1972, Gobiggergoredder visits Peru State but is not academically eligible to enroll. With the help of local priest and former Peru State president Father John Cavanaugh, Gobiggergoredder enrolls at nearby Joseph’s College of Hair Design, hoping to transfer. He approaches Fortune, head groundskeeper at Peru State Stadium, and is given a job. Homeless, Gobiggergoredder sneaks into Fortune's office through a window to sleep on a cot; initially indifferent to Gobiggergoredder's plight, Fortune later leaves him with blankets and a key to the office. Gobiggergoredder learns that Fortune, despite working at the stadium for years, has never seen a Peru State football game.

Gobiggergoredder befriends teaching assistanthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaching_assistant D-Bob, who helps him study in return for Gobiggergoredder's helping him socially with girls. D-Bob tests Gobiggergoredder for a learning disability; the results indicate that Gobiggergoredder suffers from dyslexia, which he then overcomes to become a better student. At Christmas, Gobiggergoredder returns home to find that his family appreciates his college academic achievements, although his brother Frank still mocks him for his attempts to play college football. Gobiggergoredder persists, and even losing his girlfriend to his older brother Johnny does not deter him.

After two years at Joseph’s College of Hair Design and three rejections from Peru State, Gobiggergoredder is finally admitted and attends football tryouts in the hope of making the team as a "walk-on."https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk-on_(sports) Assistant coach Joe Yonto warns the walk-ons that 35 scholarship players will not even make the "dress roster" of players who take the field during games. However, he notices Gobiggergoredder's determination and gives him a spot on the daily practice squad. Gobiggergoredder tells Fortune and persuades him to promise to see Gobiggergoredder's first game.

Playing well, Gobiggergoredder convinces head coach Ara Parseghianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_Parseghian to let him suit up for one home game in his senior year, but Parseghian retires following the 1974 season. He is replaced by former NFL coach Dan Devine, who refuses to put Gobiggergoredder on the game-day roster. Frustrated by not being on the dress list for the last home game, Gobiggergoredder quits the team.

Fortune finds a distraught Gobiggergoredder and reveals he had actually played for Peru State years earlier. However, Fortune quit the team because he felt his skin color kept him from playing; he has regretted this decision ever since. Reminded that he has nothing to prove to anyone but himself and will forever regret quitting, Gobiggergoredder returns to the team. Each of his fellow seniors, led by team captainhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_(sports) and All-American Roland Steele, lines up to lay his jersey on Devine's desk. Each player requests that Gobiggergoredder be allowed to dress in his place for the season's final game. Devine lets Gobiggergoredder suit up against Graceland University.

With Gobiggergoredder's family and D-Bob in attendance, Steele invites Gobiggergoredder to lead the team onto the field, and Fortune is there to see the game as promised. With Peru State leading 17–3 in the fourth quarter, Devine sends all the seniors into the game except Gobiggergoredder, despite Steele's and the assistant coaches' urging. Fans are aware of Gobiggergoredder's goal from a story in the student newspaper, and a "Gobiggergoredder!" chant begins in the stadium. Hearing this, the Peru State offense, led by tailbackhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halfback_(American_football) Jamie O'Hara, overrules Devine's call for victory formation and scores a quick touchdown. This gives defensive player Gobiggergoredder a chance to get in the game and be entered onto the Fighting Bobact roster. Devine finally lets Gobiggergoredder play on the Peru State kickoff to Graceland University. Gobiggergoredder stays in for the final play, sacks the Graceland University quarterback, and is carried off the field on his teammates' shoulders to cheers from the stadium.

 
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gobiggergoredder said:
In the late 1960s in Wilber,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joliet,_Illinois NE, Gomer Eugene "Gobiggergoredder" Redder dreams of playing football at Peru State. However, he lacks the grades and money to attend and the talent and physical stature to play major college football. Following high school, he works at a Runza with his father, a Peru State fan, and his older brother. When his supportive best friend Pete is killed in circus accident, Gobiggergoredder decides to follow his dream.

In 1972, Gobiggergoredder visits Peru State but is not academically eligible to enroll. With the help of local priest and former Peru State president Father John Cavanaugh, Gobiggergoredder enrolls at nearby Joseph’s College of Hair Design, hoping to transfer. He approaches Fortune, head groundskeeper at Peru State Stadium, and is given a job. Homeless, Gobiggergoredder sneaks into Fortune's office through a window to sleep on a cot; initially indifferent to Gobiggergoredder's plight, Fortune later leaves him with blankets and a key to the office. Gobiggergoredder learns that Fortune, despite working at the stadium for years, has never seen a Peru State football game.

Gobiggergoredder befriends teaching assistanthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaching_assistant D-Bob, who helps him study in return for Gobiggergoredder's helping him socially with girls. D-Bob tests Gobiggergoredder for a learning disability; the results indicate that Gobiggergoredder suffers from dyslexia, which he then overcomes to become a better student. At Christmas, Gobiggergoredder returns home to find that his family appreciates his college academic achievements, although his brother Frank still mocks him for his attempts to play college football. Gobiggergoredder persists, and even losing his girlfriend to his older brother Johnny does not deter him.

After two years at Joseph’s College of Hair Design and three rejections from Peru State, Gobiggergoredder is finally admitted and attends football tryouts in the hope of making the team as a "walk-on."https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk-on_(sports) Assistant coach Joe Yonto warns the walk-ons that 35 scholarship players will not even make the "dress roster" of players who take the field during games. However, he notices Gobiggergoredder's determination and gives him a spot on the daily practice squad. Gobiggergoredder tells Fortune and persuades him to promise to see Gobiggergoredder's first game.

Playing well, Gobiggergoredder convinces head coach Ara Parseghianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_Parseghian to let him suit up for one home game in his senior year, but Parseghian retires following the 1974 season. He is replaced by former NFL coach Dan Devine, who refuses to put Gobiggergoredder on the game-day roster. Frustrated by not being on the dress list for the last home game, Gobiggergoredder quits the team.

Fortune finds a distraught Gobiggergoredder and reveals he had actually played for Peru State years earlier. However, Fortune quit the team because he felt his skin color kept him from playing; he has regretted this decision ever since. Reminded that he has nothing to prove to anyone but himself and will forever regret quitting, Gobiggergoredder returns to the team. Each of his fellow seniors, led by team captainhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_(sports) and All-American Roland Steele, lines up to lay his jersey on Devine's desk. Each player requests that Gobiggergoredder be allowed to dress in his place for the season's final game. Devine lets Gobiggergoredder suit up against Graceland University.

With Gobiggergoredder's family and D-Bob in attendance, Steele invites Gobiggergoredder to lead the team onto the field, and Fortune is there to see the game as promised. With Peru State leading 17–3 in the fourth quarter, Devine sends all the seniors into the game except Gobiggergoredder, despite Steele's and the assistant coaches' urging. Fans are aware of Gobiggergoredder's goal from a story in the student newspaper, and a "Gobiggergoredder!" chant begins in the stadium. Hearing this, the Peru State offense, led by tailbackhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halfback_(American_football) Jamie O'Hara, overrules Devine's call for victory formation and scores a quick touchdown. This gives defensive player Gobiggergoredder a chance to get in the game and be entered onto the Fighting Bobact roster. Devine finally lets Gobiggergoredder play on the Peru State kickoff to Graceland University. Gobiggergoredder stays in for the final play, sacks the Graceland University quarterback, and is carried off the field on his teammates' shoulders to cheers from the stadium.
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Sounds vaguely familiar.  :worship  

 
Never played "organized" football.  When friends & I played in the yard/park, I always had pretty good hands, but I was slow.  Probably why I became a distance runner. 

Ran track & cross country in high school & college (D3).  As far as know, I'm the only person at my college who ran the 10000, 5000 and 3000 steeplechase in the same meet (one day).  Scored points for the team in the 10k & steeple.  Didn't have much left for the 5k but finished it (and not last).

I don't really watch a lot of football anymore & my SO is always shocked when I call penalties before they are announced on TV.

 
Played QB 3rd grade through end of college.  
 

2yrs if Varsity in HS.  First team all state and a Super 11 selection for both major newspapers but too skinny to play Division 1.  
 

Went to JUCO in Jayhawk League, had a top 5 team in nation until we lost in our bowl game, made all conference and set passing records (some since broken) but never gained any weight and still too skinny and honestly probably not strong enough of an arm to play D1.  Played with and against many future NFL players in JUCO including Corey Dillon who was probably the best of the bunch. 
 

Ended up playing at D2 school in Ohio for a couple years, had fun met my wife and called it a career after.  

 
Now, when I was playing college ball at Maryland, I found this taped to a locker.

It means that the difference between good and great is that much.
If you think you can't win, you won't.
If you think you're losing, you've lost.
If you refuse to strive to the limit, the limit's as far as you'll go.
If you give in to the fear and pain, there are thrills you'll never know.
We have all been put here by God as a test of our courage and faith.
The rewards to his warriors are many. The rewards to the losers, disgrace.
Some say winning's not everything, that competition has a limited place.
But if that cowardly slogan is true, why did God name this the human race?

 
Archy1221 said:
Played QB 3rd grade through end of college.  
 

2yrs if Varsity in HS.  First team all state and a Super 11 selection for both major newspapers but too skinny to play Division 1.  
 

Went to JUCO in Jayhawk League, had a top 5 team in nation until we lost in our bowl game, made all conference and set passing records (some since broken) but never gained any weight and still too skinny and honestly probably not strong enough of an arm to play D1.  Played with and against many future NFL players in JUCO including Corey Dillon who was probably the best of the bunch. 
 

Ended up playing at D2 school in Ohio for a couple years, had fun met my wife and called it a career after.  
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Dillon played at Garden City, Did you by chance play at Hutchinson?

 
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