Another thread started me thinking. I have always thought that Tennessee needs some statues around Neyland. Who do you think should get the first 3?
For me:
1) Gen Neyland
2) Reggie White
3) John Ward
You asked first 3, I think we should also consider what is the criteria for inclusion? All American status? Fame as a college athlete? NCAA records? Retired jersey?
Guys who I think should be in a UT museum so people can learn about the all time greats and who should be prominently included in the statues include
Lauricella, Cafego, Atkins, Herman Hickman, Gene McEver, Carl Pickens, Johnny Majors, Manning, R. White, and maybe Bobby Dodd (who is certainly important in TN history but who is more famous for what he did at Georgia Tech where he is their Neyland.
Hard to leave off guys like C. Coleman who won an NC and had such great NFL careers, but I think he and Tee Martin would both be okay with an Al Wilson statue that listed on a plaque how amazing Tee (who did get a street), Cosey, Jamal, Raynoch, etc were.
Only player on todays team I think who can get a statue is Eric Berry. I also think that he will never have kids named after him as Peyton did because he is gone after his junior year. I do not begrudge him that, but it is a fact. I think in the next crop it remains to be seen but Bryce Brown could certainly earn a statue and surpass some studs like Jamal, T Henry, T Stephens, Hayden and Stewart in breaking UT records.
If we ended up giving guys who did amazing things while at UT like Jeff Hall who still holds some points records and who was a but for cause for our only national championship in my lifetime, I fear we would end up with a bronze army that looked like the terracotta one in China.
My list is at 12 right now if you include Ward. If you did one per gate, we should not run out and it would be a pretty awesome way to do it. There are 26 gates and we could start the statues at 1, 10, 20 and 21 and then expand. If in 2050 after Kiffin has won 4 NCs and retired you have more than 26 statues, just start putting another one across from the first at each gate. Geez it would be awesome looking. It would also fit if we kept them in style and casting like the Torchbearer. However instead of 9 feet, I think lifesize and on a dais would suffice. It will be harder to do the old ones than the new ones, and I am sure the UTAD will figure out which NFL stars are most likely to donate more to the school if they have a statue. Haynesworth may well end up with one using that logic.
Traditions at UT Scroll down here to see the picture of the UT torchbearer