Without saying your age, who was your favorite player when you first started watching football?

[Hank Bukowski]

I’ll start, Condredge Holloway.

Johnny Unitas. Vols? Tie between Roland James, Haskel Stanback, and Willie Gault.

 

[ArdentVol]

You go back a ways, like me.

class of 72, but different state,
i forgot larry seivers
and why not chip howard and tim townes

 

[Emperor VOLpatine]

Peyton Manning

 

[Mightyvol]

Bart Starr Green Bay Packers

 

[csmize]

Bob Griese

 

[1972 Grad]

My first time seeing a live football game was Doug Dickey's Vols vs. Boston College in 1964. From that day on I followed Paul Naumoff's career, through the NFL.

The first time I actually watched a football game on TV was with my grandfather on Thanksgiving Day, 1961. One team was obviously smaller* than the other team, so I started rooting for the underdogs--and they won! I was hooked, and started following that little team whenever they were on TV (back then only 1 NFL game was televised per week).

* Youngsters won't know this: on a black & white cathode ray television, dark phosphors are literally smaller than the white phosphors on the screen. So naturally--and literally--the dark-jerseyed players all appeared smaller than the white-jerseyed team.

Oh. That team of underdogs I started pulling for had a fullback named Jim Taylor and a quarterback named Bart Starr. I watched them every Sunday they were on TV... including the Championship Game in which they beat the Giants 37 - 0.

Yeah. My underdogs where the Green Bay Packers of Vince Lombardi. What a way to start a love affair with football!

I saw the Packers on tv a lot back then with Ray Scott announcing. Flank Dowler and split McGhee. Ball on the 48 chard line.

 

[LSG410EC83]

Dick Butkus (my all time hero-even though I was a Baltimore Colts fan), Johnny Unitas, George Blanda, Deacon Jones
As for Vols, some of my all time favorites were Reggie White, and Willie Gault (got to sublease my apartment to Willie one summer-class act)

 

[VOLSMOKE]

Walter Peyton

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

Vol wise it was Condredge Holloway, at 6-7 years old he used to make me laugh how he made defenders look so silly! GBO!

 

[bigalvol27]

Al Wilson

 

[MEDVOL]

Peyton Manning

 

[BruisedOrange]

I saw the Packers on tv a lot back then with Ray Scott announcing. Flank Dowler and split McGhee. Ball on the 48 chard line.

YES! I was trying to remember who called those games for CBS. Ray Scott. Thank you for that reminder!

 

[tomd]

John Riggins was my favorite pro player. Tony Robinson was my first favorite Vol.

 

[kcvols1]

Marcus Allen - Oakland Raiders

Danny McManus - Florida State

 

[kcvols1]

Eric Berry

Oh, bless your baby heart!

 

[GreveHaller]

Larry Seivers

 

[norrislakevol]

Alvin Harper.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

THE minister of defense, Reggie White.
GBO!!

 

[johnsonbrewer]

And later on, Art Donovan and Raymond Berry.

 

[mercuryvol]

My first time seeing a live football game was Doug Dickey's Vols vs. Boston College in 1964. From that day on I followed Paul Naumoff's career, through the NFL.

The first time I actually watched a football game on TV was with my grandfather on Thanksgiving Day, 1961. One team was obviously smaller* than the other team, so I started rooting for the underdogs--and they won! I was hooked, and started following that little team whenever they were on TV (back then only 1 NFL game was televised per week).

* Youngsters won't know this: on a black & white cathode ray television, dark phosphors are literally smaller than the white phosphors on the screen. So naturally--and literally--the dark-jerseyed players all appeared smaller than the white-jerseyed team.

Oh. That little team of underdogs I started pulling for had a fullback named Jim Taylor and a quarterback named Bart Starr. I watched them every Sunday they were on TV... including the Championship Game in which they beat the Giants 37 - 0.

Yeah.

My "little underdogs" were the Green Bay Packers of Vince Lombardi. What a way to start a love affair with football!

Whoa, Nellie! You beat me to it. My favorite first Volunteers were Naumoff on D and the incomparable Bob Johnson at center. Barely beat out my favorite Vol of all time, Hacksaw. First pro favorite was Jim Taylor FB for the dark jersey team.

 

[Illinoisvolfan2]

Dewey Warren

I said him also. We must be about the same age

 

[gr82batnvol]

Dan Marino.

 

[ArdentVol]

Curt Watson.

But listened to the radio on the porch with my dad more than watched. Good old days indeed.

the crossville comert

 

[mickey1969]

Dewey Warren, Richmond Flowers, Austin Denny, Paul Naumoff & Ron Widby !!!

 

[West-Tn-Vol]

Dick Butkus #51