All-time Greatest at your school

[mynameis]

This Barry O'Neal wouldn't be writing in to nominate himself would he?

[Blue21SallyAt7]

no he isnt, boneal52 is bobby. Al Davis Sr from Alcoa High school. Jason Davis from Seymour. Danny Spradlin from Maryville.

[boneal52]

Blue, my teammate for one glorious week, is right. mynameis, mynameis Bobby. Barry is my brother. He also was a fine player. Much better than I. Is nepotism so wrong?

 

Besides, I really do think I'm right. Anyone who knows our program, as young as it is, knows that he's the best to come through it.

[GovMan]

Blue Sally,

 

Some pretty good and astute picks my man. Al Sr. may have been the best ever from the Blount County area. Many might argue the Maryville pick, there's been a lot of great Rebels to wear the black and red, but very few have had the total package that Spradlin had. Danny was a "man-child" in high school. I would have to guess that he would still rank as one of U.T.'s fastest linebackers ever.

 

I've not kept up with Heritage much, but two great running backs I remember in the late 70's early 80's period are Danny Mathis and Richard Hyatt. I think Hyatt once had 6 td's in a game against Austin East, which I'm sure would be a school record. There's been some years the whole team hasn't scored much more than 6 tds in the entire season.

 

Wm. Blount is a toughie for me. I'm more familiar with their program than any other. Josh Lawhon, a senior this year, is one of their best defensive players ever I think. My pick would probably be a guy by the name of Tony "Meathead" Robinson, a running back back in the early 80's. Wasn't the fastest they've ever had, but probably the most elusive runner to ever suit up for the Govs. One of his claims to fame was that he once scored 7 td's in a game for his midget league team.

 

GovMan

[Redtwin]

i'm gonna disagree with you rollred. i know bill wade was a very good player, and he has some very impressive stats, but i think that with the way that football and athletes in general have evolved, that a phenomenal player in 1952 may not be as talented as a very good player today. today's athletes are almost like genetically engineered machines, putting up freakish weightlifting and running stats, that, due to little knowlede of strength training at the time, would probably not have been achieved in 1952. my top five in no order. will bartholemew(fb), ingle martin(qb,db,p,k), moses osemwegie(fb/lb), john markham(p/k), and bill wade(qb). i think there was a punter named russ that did some time in the pros too.

[rollredroll]

I wouldn't necessarily disagree with you, Redtwin. I also think you need to throw Hillenmeyer in the mix. Hillenmeyer and Bartholomew get my votes for modern players. Ingle is obviously a great talent; he may be the best all-purpose player, but not the overall best. Also, the kicker in question is Andy Russ (I don't think he did much, if anything, in the NFL).

 

I answered Wade more so on the opinion that I don't foresee any current or former Big Red players being a number one draft pick or a 13-year player in the NFL or a two-time Pro Bowler, much less all three. Admittedly, the difference in era is a factor.

[Edited by rollredroll on 2-12-03 4:47P]

 

[Redtwin]

Rollred, I remember seeing Andy Russ split the uprights with kickoffs when he was in high school and then earn mvp honors of a post season bowl his senior year in college (i think it was the blue/grey classic). hunter should definately be on the list. I think in terms of older players you would have to consider Damon Reagen who had a great career at Vandy as well as Tommy Roady or Barry Banker, and heck why not Tom Moore. Also, as regards to quarterback, I dont think that MBA has a ever had a finer one than Ingle Martin. True he does not look to be a first round draft pick, but he was the center piece of three state championships so that has to count for something

[rollredroll]

Damon Regen was my position coach - he was a good player (also played at Vandy when Parcells was an assistant there) and is a great guy. Too bad MBA let him get away.

 

As for QBs, I'd pick Ingle, too, as MBA's finest in terms of high school play. You will find a lot of old schoolers, though, who will say Wade or even Fisher (Fred).

[Edited by rollredroll on 2-12-03 4:55P]

 

[bigred11]

andy russ was a punter at MBA in the early 90's and went to Miss. St., where he holds the record for highest average in a season (46.5 yds). In the '97 Hula Bowl, he set three kicking records; av. punt (52.0 yds.), most field goals (4), and most points (14). john markham was a great kicker while at MBA and vandy, but had a bad tryout with the giants.

 

i think that in raw athleticism, there is no comparing to ingle martin or ricky bowers at MBA. both men lettered in several sports, some of which they only competed at state tournaments or a couple of games.

[Edited by bigred11 on 2-12-03 5:00P]

[Edited by bigred11 on 2-12-03 5:00P]

 

[boneal52]

The last four posts have been about MBA and their greatest players. How is that for a longstanding, great program.

[ThaDeuce]

I'd say at LaVergne it would have to be Mario Kelso, although I would like to say myself ,but Mario was one hard hitting ###### !! He was great . He's now playing in the AFL with Detroit !

[REBELRON]

Danny Spradlin was the greatest football player at Maryville.