Kurt Roper is Tennessees newest assistant football coach. Ive been listening but I never heard the applause.
Some who have not met Kurt, and wouldnt know him if they saw him at Littons, frowned on the selection.
They wanted Kippy Brown or Jon Gruden or Vince Lombardi. Jerry Rice would have been nice.
I dont know Kurt but I know his dad. And I believe in bloodlines, which means I count young Roper as a win for Tennessees football family. He has a royal pedigree. Bobby Roper was one of the finest football coaches Ive known in more than half a century of knowing football coaches.
Let me tell you about Kurts dad. He played for Frank Broyles on some really good teams at Arkansas (when John Majors was an assistant coach for the Razorbacks).
Paul Bear Bryant baptized Bobby Roper into coaching as a graduate assistant at Alabama. After that, he went his own way, to Wichita State, The Citadel, Virginia, to Iowa State with Majors and Pittsburgh with Majors. He was defensive coordinator for Majors national championship team.
When Majors returned to Tennessee, Roper came as defensive coordinator. He didnt have as much talent to coordinate as at Pitt but Roper worked every bit as hard, maybe harder. He had an absolutely great rapport with players.
Roper got up close and personal in coaching linebackers. One spirited afternoon, he got too close in a goal-line drill. He was rolled for a full flip, got up leaking a few drops of blood and immediately hugged the hitters who knocked him upside down. I dont remember who did it. Could have been Greg Jones, Danny Spradlin or Craig Puki or all three.
None of the coaches who came with Majors from Pittsburgh lasted long at Tennessee. Roper learned in a strange way that it was time to go. I told him.
Accidentally.
On a beautiful May day in 1980, Majors promoted Frank Emanuel to defensive coordinator. I received a timely phone call from an unimpeachable source and managed to get the story into the afternoon News Sentinel before the boss told Roper about his demotion.
This was very unsettling for coach Majors. By the time he called the newspaper, I had departed for Louisville to inspect Kentucky Derby colts. He called Louisville.
I hadnt arrived. He finally found me near dawn of the next day. He told me exactly what he thought and hung up. He thought of something else he wanted to say and called back six times. I am not making this up.
There was no debate. I got in only a few words edgewise. No, I was not deliberately trying to complicate his life. Yes, I was happy for Frank Emanuel and no, I certainly wasnt trying to hurt Bobby Ropers feelings. Somebody else took care of that.
Alas, a good man was lost in the wreckage. Roper went away, to Oregon State (with Joe Avezzano) and eventually to Texas A&M (with Jackie Sherrill).
I do believe in Tennessee thoroughbreds. I never considered it an accident that Ralph Chancey was a fullback and captain in the late 1940s and Steve Chancey was a winner in the early 1970s; that Norbert Ackermann was center and captain in 1940 and Bert Jr. grew up to be a center, exceptional student, outstanding official and a remarkable businessman.
I noticed that middle guard Steve DeLong was a Tennessee captain, an all-American, winner of the Outland Trophy, in 1964 and linebacker Keith DeLong was a Vol captain and all-American in 1988. Ken, brother and uncle, wasnt bad as tight ends go. Do you think all that just happened?
Scattered throughout the wonderful years of Volunteers are dozens of very special family connections, none more famous than the Majors brothers, John, Bill and Bobby.
John is a legend, perhaps the most famous name in Tennessee football history. As he went out the door, an all-American tailback, deserving of the Heisman Trophy, in came Bill. The cast around him was not as good but this Majors never complained. He had the heart of a lion. Cant say for sure but Bobby might have had the most athletic ability of the three.
There was a crowd of colorful Canales from Memphis and identical twins Reggie and Raleigh McKenzie from east Knoxville. The punting Colquitts come to mind as do kickers Fuad and Carlos Reveiz. Ill save the quarterbacking Clausens until we see what Jimmy does.
It could be the Lowe boys from Fountain City started the family trend in 1914. Chink was first, all-Southern and captain, to be followed by Andy, two-time captain J.G. and Ted.
J.G. was my favorite, a great historian, a meaningful news source. I still have a document he gave me about the early years of the Volunteers.
Abe Shires was a great tackle on the sensational teams of 1938, 1939 and 1940. Little brother Pat was Tennessee tailback in 52.
Royal bloodlines? Jim McDonald, Ohio State great, served for a season as Tennessees head coach. Son Jim was a very good defensive end. Quarterback Daryl Dickey saved the 1985 season, was MVP in the Sugar Bowl and added greatly to his fathers fame and popularity.
Is Kurt Roper a chip off the old block? Probably. Do you suppose he learned some football from his father?
Most likely. Is it possible he can fill the need at Tennessee? Bet on it.
(Marvin West invites reader reaction, good or bad, to westwest6@netzero.com)
http://hallsnews.com/columns/west.htm
Some who have not met Kurt, and wouldnt know him if they saw him at Littons, frowned on the selection.
They wanted Kippy Brown or Jon Gruden or Vince Lombardi. Jerry Rice would have been nice.
I dont know Kurt but I know his dad. And I believe in bloodlines, which means I count young Roper as a win for Tennessees football family. He has a royal pedigree. Bobby Roper was one of the finest football coaches Ive known in more than half a century of knowing football coaches.
Let me tell you about Kurts dad. He played for Frank Broyles on some really good teams at Arkansas (when John Majors was an assistant coach for the Razorbacks).
Paul Bear Bryant baptized Bobby Roper into coaching as a graduate assistant at Alabama. After that, he went his own way, to Wichita State, The Citadel, Virginia, to Iowa State with Majors and Pittsburgh with Majors. He was defensive coordinator for Majors national championship team.
When Majors returned to Tennessee, Roper came as defensive coordinator. He didnt have as much talent to coordinate as at Pitt but Roper worked every bit as hard, maybe harder. He had an absolutely great rapport with players.
Roper got up close and personal in coaching linebackers. One spirited afternoon, he got too close in a goal-line drill. He was rolled for a full flip, got up leaking a few drops of blood and immediately hugged the hitters who knocked him upside down. I dont remember who did it. Could have been Greg Jones, Danny Spradlin or Craig Puki or all three.
None of the coaches who came with Majors from Pittsburgh lasted long at Tennessee. Roper learned in a strange way that it was time to go. I told him.
Accidentally.
On a beautiful May day in 1980, Majors promoted Frank Emanuel to defensive coordinator. I received a timely phone call from an unimpeachable source and managed to get the story into the afternoon News Sentinel before the boss told Roper about his demotion.
This was very unsettling for coach Majors. By the time he called the newspaper, I had departed for Louisville to inspect Kentucky Derby colts. He called Louisville.
I hadnt arrived. He finally found me near dawn of the next day. He told me exactly what he thought and hung up. He thought of something else he wanted to say and called back six times. I am not making this up.
There was no debate. I got in only a few words edgewise. No, I was not deliberately trying to complicate his life. Yes, I was happy for Frank Emanuel and no, I certainly wasnt trying to hurt Bobby Ropers feelings. Somebody else took care of that.
Alas, a good man was lost in the wreckage. Roper went away, to Oregon State (with Joe Avezzano) and eventually to Texas A&M (with Jackie Sherrill).
I do believe in Tennessee thoroughbreds. I never considered it an accident that Ralph Chancey was a fullback and captain in the late 1940s and Steve Chancey was a winner in the early 1970s; that Norbert Ackermann was center and captain in 1940 and Bert Jr. grew up to be a center, exceptional student, outstanding official and a remarkable businessman.
I noticed that middle guard Steve DeLong was a Tennessee captain, an all-American, winner of the Outland Trophy, in 1964 and linebacker Keith DeLong was a Vol captain and all-American in 1988. Ken, brother and uncle, wasnt bad as tight ends go. Do you think all that just happened?
Scattered throughout the wonderful years of Volunteers are dozens of very special family connections, none more famous than the Majors brothers, John, Bill and Bobby.
John is a legend, perhaps the most famous name in Tennessee football history. As he went out the door, an all-American tailback, deserving of the Heisman Trophy, in came Bill. The cast around him was not as good but this Majors never complained. He had the heart of a lion. Cant say for sure but Bobby might have had the most athletic ability of the three.
There was a crowd of colorful Canales from Memphis and identical twins Reggie and Raleigh McKenzie from east Knoxville. The punting Colquitts come to mind as do kickers Fuad and Carlos Reveiz. Ill save the quarterbacking Clausens until we see what Jimmy does.
It could be the Lowe boys from Fountain City started the family trend in 1914. Chink was first, all-Southern and captain, to be followed by Andy, two-time captain J.G. and Ted.
J.G. was my favorite, a great historian, a meaningful news source. I still have a document he gave me about the early years of the Volunteers.
Abe Shires was a great tackle on the sensational teams of 1938, 1939 and 1940. Little brother Pat was Tennessee tailback in 52.
Royal bloodlines? Jim McDonald, Ohio State great, served for a season as Tennessees head coach. Son Jim was a very good defensive end. Quarterback Daryl Dickey saved the 1985 season, was MVP in the Sugar Bowl and added greatly to his fathers fame and popularity.
Is Kurt Roper a chip off the old block? Probably. Do you suppose he learned some football from his father?
Most likely. Is it possible he can fill the need at Tennessee? Bet on it.
(Marvin West invites reader reaction, good or bad, to westwest6@netzero.com)
http://hallsnews.com/columns/west.htm