[Rhodes22-list] Wally! It's Football Time in Tennessee

[TN Rhodey]

Brad,

I am heading to the lake today!

Wally


>From: "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com>
>Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Wally! It's Football Time in Tennessee
>Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2006 20:32:34 -0500
>
>The game tomorrow is the talk of the town here, ten years since Memphis 
>beat
>the Vols.  Here is an article from today's Commercial Appeal.  Jeremy is a
>regular at the 'think tank' and a close friend of my ex UofM quarterback
>buddy. Steve (the QB) brought a huge signed photo of Jeremy on the final
>drive to RP Tracks today and we had Jeremy sign his photo from today's
>newspaper for patrons.  A lot of regulars didn't know who he was but
>remembered the play.  I missed his first fight because of work (he got the
>snot beat out of him) but am going Tuesday night to watch him fight.  He's 
>a
>really nice guy!  I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of him.
>
>Brad
>
>------------------------
>
>'Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'
>
>*By Phil Stukenborg
>Contact <http://contacts.commercialappeal.com/reporters/emailreporter.cfm>*
>*September 29, 2006*
>
>He's been a bounty hunter, a professional football player and now, at age
>30, Jeremy Scruggs is trying his hand, or hands, at boxing.
>
>No matter how successful Scruggs becomes in this next phase of his career,
>the fledgling cruiserweight will always be remembered -- as long as he
>trades his punches in Memphis -- for contributing to a stunning knockout
>blow on Nov. 9, 1996.
>
>On that late afternoon nearly 10 years ago, Scruggs delivered a powerful
>punch to the Vols' midsection -- a 13-yard run to the Tennessee 3-yard line
>in the closing minute -- to help the University of Memphis to an improbable
>21-17 victory over sixth-ranked Tennessee.
>
>''I was a little upset for a second that I didn't score on my run,'' said
>Scruggs, a fullback. ''Then I remember saying 'Get back in the huddle, 
>we've
>got three yards to get.'''
>
>Most remember Scruggs popping up from the pile after the run and
>emphatically signaling first down.
>
>''I don't know if I'll ever live that down, that play, that game,'' Scruggs
>said. ''And I don't think I want to. When I busted through the line and 
>made
>a little move and saw the end zone, I just kept saying 'Don't fumble, don't
>fumble.' Then I got stopped and got up and signaled first down.''
>
>Scruggs was given a chance to score the winning touchdown, but was stopped
>for no gain by Vols linebacker Al Wilson. On the ensuing play, quarterback
>Qadry Anderson tossed the game-winning 3-yard pass to tight end Chris
>Powers.
>
>''I was just very happy to have the opportunity to play in that game,''
>Scruggs said.
>
>In the mid-1990s -- several years before Tommy West would take over the
>program and lead the UofM to three straight bowls -- Tiger football was
>mired in mediocrity. The UofM hadn't been to a bowl since 1971. The 1996
>team wasn't going, either. It had struggled to a 3-6 record before 
>Tennessee
>came calling.
>
>''It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people who play at a school
>like Memphis, where you didn't always get the exposure and chance to play
>teams like that on a regular basis, to play a team like Tennessee,'' 
>Scruggs
>said. ''It was our time to say we were somebody, that we had good players
>and could succeed playing somebody at the highest level.''
>
>Scruggs said he felt as if the Tigers would complete the comeback when
>receiver Chancy Carr caught a 41-yard pass from Anderson to give the UofM a
>first down at the Tennessee 16.
>
>''After that I said to myself there is no way we can't score here,'' 
>Scruggs
>said. ''At the minimum, we'll get a field goal, but we aren't kicking a
>field goal.''
>
>Scruggs, 1-1 in his young fight career, has a bout scheduled for Tuesday at
>the New Daisy on Beale. While he loves his newest sport, it may be a while
>before it creates the memories his former sport did, especially the one 
>from
>10 years ago.
>
>''I remember (Tiger basketball stars) Cedric Henderson and Chris Garner and
>all those guys were in our locker room after the game,'' Scruggs said.
>''People were in tears. It was unbelievable. And a lot of the Tennessee
>people were very supportive. They came up and said, 'Y'all lined up and 
>beat
>us.'
>
>''It was just electric. If anyone would have said before the game, 'I'll
>take Memphis to win,' they would have been laughed all the way to China.''
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