who is the best player in state history

[purpletrock]

I must be showing my age....Doug Atkins was named the UT player of the century....many time ALL-PRO Defensive End for the Chicago Bears in the 60's and now a member of the

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME.....YOU CAN' TOP THAT..even Reggie can't top that....by the way, Doug played high school ball at Humboldt, Tn...about 10 miles from Milan and about 10 miles north of Jackson, Tn....he played at 6'7

and around 280 lbs....really big for that era....

[TheInsider]

Doug Atkins, Reggie White are very good choices. I too thought about Albert Davis as from being from this area. Was Lynn Swann not from Tennessee or was it he just has family in Alcoa? John Henderson was the most intimidating athelete ever to step on a field in Tennessee high school sports for my money. Time will tell if he matchs Reggie White`s career, but he certainly has the tools. I actually remember Spurrier playing in the pros.

[Edited by TheInsider on 11-13-02 5:02P]

[JaxMan]

I would second Doug Atkins. ESPN still shows clips of him as a pro and he is amazing. However, no Tennessee list should include Spurrier, even if it's true. LOL.

[dumptruck]

was terrell owens from tennessee or did he just go to UTC for college? and i would like to put in tito lee as one of the best ones to ever play.

[dumptruck]

was terrell owens from tennessee or did he just go to UTC for college? and i would like to put in tito lee as one of the best ones to ever play.

[Redtwin]

ingle martin will prove himself as one of the best.

[supersteve17]

Terrell Owens is from Alabama I think. He played basketball and football at UTC. I agree with Jaxman. Spurrier shouldn't count! He can't even say "Tennessee" without smirking!

 

I'd take these three defensive lineman compared with any three from any other state: Doug Atkins, Reggie White and Ed "Too Tall" Jones.

[rhinob59]

How about John Hannah? NFL Hall of Famer from Baylor..he might not have been from TN, but he at least went to school in TN. Reggie White definatley deserves it, as does Steve Spurrier, although he wasn't much as a pro. I agree with the comment about Ingle Martin. He was the best athlete I've ever seen on the high school level, much better than the more touted Gerald Riggs Jr., and he's done awesome things in the little bit of playing time he's gotten so far at Florida

[supersteve17]

Hannah and his brothers did go to Baylor, but they were from Alabama -- Gadsden or Guntersville, I think. The jury is still out on Ingle Martin. He is obviously a very talented athlete. Give him some more time and we'll see. To say he is "much better" than Gerald Riggs is a little bit of a stretch. I personally heard more than one college coach say that Riggs was the "best running back" they had ever seen. By the way, the jury is still out on Riggs also. I'm not ready to put him on this list even though he is the best running back I have seen in over thirty years of observing high school football.

[REBELRON]

All the older fans in Blount County tell me that Albert Davis was 2nd to none. I never saw him play because I was too young.

 

The best player hands down that I ever saw was John Henderson. He was a man playing with boys. He will be a star in the NFL.He was a star at UT.

 

Lynn Swann was born in Alcoa. I met his uncle one time in 1984. I was wearing a Steelers shirt since that was my team until the Titans come to Tennessee.Lynn's uncle stopped to talk to me and we talked about football for 2 hours straight. I met him at Midland shopping center. I went to Wynn's sporting goods and he happen to walk by and he told me story after story about Lynn Swann. I enjoyed listening to him. I can't remember his name but I wonder if he is still alive?

[Edited by REBELRON on 11-14-02 12:06A]

 

[meanjean]

It would have to be Burl "Swivel Eyes" Avery who was a star running back for Culleoka during the depression era. Swivel eyes was blessed with periperal vision that encompassed 360 degrees. It was like having eyes in the back of your head and in your hips, ankles and jaws. Nobody could tackle the guy because he knew you were coming before you decided to leave. Some felt that he was also a psychic?

 

He never went to the next level because he was 28 when he graduated and took a job with Arvell Hutto's taxi service where he was awarded driver of the year honors three times in a four year span. His "shifty eyes" and incredible preception boded well for a cab driver!

[BigSneaky]

Mark Brown from Germantown has a chance to be on this list if he keeps playing as well on sundays like he has this year for Auburn.