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Pat Summitt (Henrietta, Tennessee Lady Volunteers) - She's led the Lady Vols to eight National Titles and has the most wins on all levels of college basketball for a coach.
Wilma Rudolph (Clarksville, Tennessee State Tigers) - The legendary Gold medalist at the 1960 Olympics in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.
Reggie White (Chattanooga, Tennessee Volunteers) - The Hall of Famer was an All-American at Tennessee and a 13-time Pro Bowler for the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers and won a Super Bowl with the Packers.
Peyton Manning (Tennessee Volunteers) - The Volunteer holds most University of Tennessee passing and total offense records and is a three-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion.
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This list is pretty good. However, I'd leave Peyton off the list. He's not a Tennessean, and I think, if you're gonna do this, only native born, or people raised in Tennessee.
His replacement, could either be.........
Oscar Robertson - Charlotte, Tennessee native. One of the greatest basketball players of all-time. Only player in NBA history to average a triple-double throughout the season. Basketball Hall of Famer. My only gripe is, he grew up in Indy, not Tennessee.
Ed "Too Tall" Jones - Picked 1st overall in the 1974 NFL Draft from Tennessee State, and a Jackson, TN native. Had 106 sacks in 15 years playing for Dallas, playing in 224 games.
Johnny Majors - Lynchburg, Tennessee native. Runner up for the 1956 Heisman Trophy. Won a national championship as a coach at Pittsburgh. Coached the Vols for 15 years, and won multiple SEC championships.
Jackie Parker - If you don't know who this is, I won't blame you. Born in Knoxville. Voted the 3rd best Canadian Player of All-Time by TSN. Played 4 different positions(QB, RB, DB, K). Made his name with the Edmonton Eskimos, where he won the Most Outstanding Player of the CFL 3 times(1957, 1958, 1960). Still holds the longest fumble return in Grey Cup(Canada's Super Bowl) history. Parker's jersey #91 currently hangs on the Wall of Honour at the Eskimos' Commonwealth Stadium. "Jackie Parker Park" in Edmonton, Alberta was named in his honor.
Jackie Parker was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1971, the Mississippi State University Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1972, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1976, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.
Robert Neyland - While not born in Tennessee, he called Knoxville his home from 1926, until his death in 1962. You know the story. 4 national championships. 6 SEC championships, and 2 SoCon titles before the SEC was formed in 1933. Laid out the planning for then Shields-Watkins Field, that had all the expansion projects that are still being used to this very day. Had 3 stints in military service, due to WWII, and served with General Joe Stillwell in the Pacific Theatre. Won 173 games, in 21 seasons, with about half of those games, the opposing team failing to score.
Steve Spurrier - Yes, he's evil. But, he's also the only Heisman winner from Tennessee(born in NJ, raised in TN however), coached the Gators to their first national championship. Is in the College Football Hall of Fame. Played at Science Hill HS in Johnson City, and has the stadium named after himself.
Well, that's a few I can think of. I'm sure there's more, but I'm kinda tired of writing.
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