D
LYNDON DAILEY
SMALLISH WING WHO LASTED ABOUT A YEAR.
POSSUM CAREER: 1993
POSSUM NUMBER: 175
POSITION: WING
JON DAVIES
FULL NAME: JONATHAN WATSON DAVIES
POSSUM CAREER: 1996-2005
POSSUM NUMBER: 180
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 180
RESIDES: DAYTONPOSSUM NUMBER: 180
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 180
JOHN DAUGHERTY
SELECTED TO ALL-TIME POSSUM TEAM AS A SIDE FLANKER
IT WAS BEST TO KNOW WHERE FLANKER JOHN DAUGHERTY WAS IF YOU WERE AN OPPOSING DEFENDER AGAINST THE POSSUMS.
BEST FOR YOUR, CHIN, LIPS, TEETH, NOSE AND FACE IN GENERAL, BECAUSE DAUGHERTY MAY NOT HAVE INVENTED THE "FEND," BUT HE DAMN SURE NEAR PERFECTED IT.
"A FEND IS AN OPEN-PALMED SMASH MUCH MORE DEVASTATING THAN A STIFF-ARM," SAID PAT DORWIN. "I DON'T KNOW WHERE JOHN LEARNED IT, BUT IT WOULD ROCK YOU."
AFTER A NARROW A SIDE LOSS AT GREENVILLE, DAUGHERTY KEPT UP HIS STRONG WORK RATE. WHEN GREENVILLE B-SIDERS STARTED TO COMPLAIN TO THE REF, WHO WAS ALSO THEIR COACH AND EIGHTMAN. HE RESPONDED, "IT'S A FEND, GUYS. IT'S PERFECTLY LEGAL."
INDEED, DAUGHERTY'S GAIN-LINE-BREAKING RUNS AND POWERFUL DEFENSIVE PRESENCE AT FLANKER LED TO HIS BEING VOTED TEAM MVP TWO SEASONS IN A ROW.
"JOHN WAS A HARD-NOSED, UNDERRATED PLAYER MOST OF HIS TIME WITH KNOXVILLE," SAID DORWIN. "HE DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN CONSIDERATION FOR THE LOCAL UNION TEAM AS WELL AS WHATEVER UNION WE WERE IN AT THE TIME, NOT SURE IF IT WAS THE MIDWEST OR SOUTH RFU."
BUT LATER IN HIS CAREER, DAUGHERTY'S FEND TURNED MORE AND MORE TO AN ELBOW TO THE FACE, INSTEAD OF AN OPEN PALM, UPPING HIS PENALTY COUNTY AND PUTTING HIMSELF UNDER AUTOMATIC SCRUTINY OF MOST AREA REFEREES.
STILL, WHEN DORWIN PICKED UP A GAME VS. KNOXVILLE, HE WASN'T TAKING ANY CHANCES.
"I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHO I PICKED UP WITH, JUST THAT THE ONLY TWO TIMES JOHN CAME AT ME WITH THE BALL, I DOVE INTO HIS LEGS TO TACKLE HIM. I GOT PENALIZED THE SECOND TIME, BUT KEPT MY TEETH.
"AFTER THE MATCH, JOHN ASKED, 'SO WHAT WAS UP WITH THOSE BODY BLOCKS ANYWAY, PAT?' DORWIN SAID. "I JUST SMILED AND SAID I WAS PARTIAL TO MY GUMS."
INDEED, HIS LOOSENED OR KNOCKED OUT COUNT OF TEETH PROBABLY NEARED 40 OR 50 DURING HIS CAREER.
"DON'T GET THE WRONG IDEA," DORWIN SAYS. "JOHN WAS CLEARLY THE BEST ALL-AROUND PLAYER ON OUR TEAM FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE MOVING TO JAPAN."
POSSUM CAREER: 1992-2002
POSSUM NUMBER: 115
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 201
POSITIONS: FLANKER/#8
PERSONAL HONORS: TWO-TIME KNOXVILLE MVP
TEAM HONORS: 1998
PERSONAL QUOTE: "PAT (DORWIN) GOT INTO A FIGHT AND RYAN (MILLER) SCORED A TRY, AND I MISSED THEM BOTH?!" DAUGHERTY SAID AFTER A RAINY NASHVILLE 7s TOURNEY IN WHICH DORWIN GOT IN A FEW GOOD PUNCHES AGAINST HIS OPPOSING SCRUMHALF AND ROOSTER SCORED HIS FIRST POSSUM TRY (FOR KNOXVILLE, THAT IS.")
DAUGHERTY WAS OBVIOUSLY A BIT BUSY FENDING SOME OPPONENTS' FACE INTO THE MUD.
PERSONAL QUOTE: "PAT (DORWIN) GOT INTO A FIGHT AND RYAN (MILLER) SCORED A TRY, AND I MISSED THEM BOTH?!" DAUGHERTY SAID AFTER A RAINY NASHVILLE 7s TOURNEY IN WHICH DORWIN GOT IN A FEW GOOD PUNCHES AGAINST HIS OPPOSING SCRUMHALF AND ROOSTER SCORED HIS FIRST POSSUM TRY (FOR KNOXVILLE, THAT IS.")
DAUGHERTY WAS OBVIOUSLY A BIT BUSY FENDING SOME OPPONENTS' FACE INTO THE MUD.
FRED DAVIS
BULKY EIGHTMAN FRED DAVIS RAN THROUGH OPPONENTS FOR SEVERAL A SIDE YEARS AND THE POSSUMS LET HIM DESPITE HIS MOVING HERE FROM ALABAMA.
ALSO PLAYED SOME 7s AND SOME FUNNY THINGS HAPPENED WHEN BRIAN NIEKERK TRIED TO TEACH A HOBBLED TOW WILSON HOW TO USE A VIDEO CAMERA WHILE AT A TOURNEY IN ATLANTA ON THE KARS 1994 VIDEO HIGHLIGHT TAPE.
"ARE YOU SEEING ANYTHING?" BRIAN ASKED AS TOM PANNED ACROSS THE FIELDS TO A GIRL FRED BROUGHT TO THE TOURNEY.
"OH YEAH," TOM REPLIED. "PRAISE. PRAISE."
LATER, HE CAUGHT OSCAR DOSTER ON HANDS AND KNEES, SEEMINGLY THROWING UP HIS STOMACH LINING AFTER A MATCH.
"OSCAR DOSTER, PLAYER OF THE GAME," TOM DEADPANNED.
FULL NAME: FREDERICK LEE DAVIS
NICKNAME:
POSSUM CAREER: 1991-1995
POSSUM NUMBER: 104
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 245
POSITIONS PLAYED: #8
OTHER CLUBS: UNIV. OF ALABAMA, BIRMINGHAM
ALSO PLAYED SOME 7s AND SOME FUNNY THINGS HAPPENED WHEN BRIAN NIEKERK TRIED TO TEACH A HOBBLED TOW WILSON HOW TO USE A VIDEO CAMERA WHILE AT A TOURNEY IN ATLANTA ON THE KARS 1994 VIDEO HIGHLIGHT TAPE.
"ARE YOU SEEING ANYTHING?" BRIAN ASKED AS TOM PANNED ACROSS THE FIELDS TO A GIRL FRED BROUGHT TO THE TOURNEY.
"OH YEAH," TOM REPLIED. "PRAISE. PRAISE."
LATER, HE CAUGHT OSCAR DOSTER ON HANDS AND KNEES, SEEMINGLY THROWING UP HIS STOMACH LINING AFTER A MATCH.
"OSCAR DOSTER, PLAYER OF THE GAME," TOM DEADPANNED.
FULL NAME: FREDERICK LEE DAVIS
NICKNAME:
POSSUM CAREER: 1991-1995
POSSUM NUMBER: 104
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 245
POSITIONS PLAYED: #8
OTHER CLUBS: UNIV. OF ALABAMA, BIRMINGHAM
PERRY DEMPSEY
("I) FIRST BECAME INVOLVED WHEN I MET PHIL (GRAVES, WHO LATER DIED IN A SCUBA ACCIDENT) OUT AT THE ASPEN TOURNEY CIRCA 1994-5-6. I HAD LIVED IN K'VILLE FOR OVER A YEAR BUT DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE POSSUMS," DEMPSEY SAID. "I WENT OUT TO THE NEXT MATCH AT THE FORKS, MET THE CLUB AND VOLUNTEERED TO COACH.
"MY FIRST CLAIM TO FAME, SO TO SPEAK, WAS TAKING THE CLUB MY FIRST YEAR AS COACH FROM A 2-9 RECORD THE PREVIOUS YEAR TO A 9-2 RECORD. OUR TWO LOSSES WERE AWAY GAMES IN ATLANTA AND GREENEVILLE.
"MY ONLY OTHER CLAIM TO FAME WAS WHEN WE INAUGURATED OUR PITCH," DEMPSEY CONTINUED. "BY THE WAY, I'M PROUD TO BE PART-OWNER ... THE FIRST MATCH EVER WAS A 'B' GAME. I PLAYED FULLBACK, AND WE WON 19-0, A SHUTOUT. OSCAR DOSTER AND BGE (ERIC JOHNSON) WERE BIG CONTRIBUTORS TO THAT VICTORY."
YOURS IN RUGBY,
PERRY, a.k.a., "DR. D."
FULL NAME: PERRY HERBERT DEMPSEY
NICKNAME: DR. D
POSSUM CAREER: 1995-1997
POSSUM NUMBER: 158
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 220
POSITIONS PLAYED: FULLBACK, COACH, LOCK
"MY FIRST CLAIM TO FAME, SO TO SPEAK, WAS TAKING THE CLUB MY FIRST YEAR AS COACH FROM A 2-9 RECORD THE PREVIOUS YEAR TO A 9-2 RECORD. OUR TWO LOSSES WERE AWAY GAMES IN ATLANTA AND GREENEVILLE.
"MY ONLY OTHER CLAIM TO FAME WAS WHEN WE INAUGURATED OUR PITCH," DEMPSEY CONTINUED. "BY THE WAY, I'M PROUD TO BE PART-OWNER ... THE FIRST MATCH EVER WAS A 'B' GAME. I PLAYED FULLBACK, AND WE WON 19-0, A SHUTOUT. OSCAR DOSTER AND BGE (ERIC JOHNSON) WERE BIG CONTRIBUTORS TO THAT VICTORY."
YOURS IN RUGBY,
PERRY, a.k.a., "DR. D."
FULL NAME: PERRY HERBERT DEMPSEY
NICKNAME: DR. D
POSSUM CAREER: 1995-1997
POSSUM NUMBER: 158
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 220
POSITIONS PLAYED: FULLBACK, COACH, LOCK
OSCAR DOSTER
SELECTED TO ALL-TIME POSSUM TEAM AS B SIDE UTILITY
THE "IRON MAN" OF POSSUM RUGBY, OSCAR DOSTER PLAYED THROUGH A HALF-DOZEN SHOULDER SEPARATIONS, THREE BROKEN ELBOWS, 112 TORN TENDONS, A BOATLOAD OF BROKEN FINGERS, MORE THAN 200 ANKLE SPRAINS, TWO BROKEN HEELS, A KNEECAP THAT WAS TURNED 360 DEGREES FOR SIX STRAIGHT MONTHS AND ONE TIME, A VICIOUS HANGNAIL THAT HAD TEAMMATES PLEADING WITH HIM TO SIT OUT THE MATCH.
WITHOUT A DOUBT, O.D. IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST POSSUMS EVER.
"HE WAS ALSO VERY VERSATILE, A STEVE CUNNINGHAM-LIKE PLAYER," SAID LONGTIME TEAMMATE PAT DORWIN. "I'M PRETTY SURE HE PLAYED EVERY POSITION AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER."
AS YOU CAN TELL, GOING FULL BORE ALL THE TIME TOOK ITS TOLL ON DOSTER,
BUT WHEN HEALTHY HE WAS AN A SIDE PLAYER OR AN IMPACT SUB OFF THE BENCH. CAME OFF THE BENCH IN THE SOUTH RFU SEMI-FINALS IN APRIL 2010 IN A HOME LOSS TO LITTLE ROCK - AND "THE AGELESS WONDER" WAS AT IT AGAIN IN FALL 2010.
FULL NAME: OSCAR WILDE DOSTER
NICKNAME: O.D.
POSSUM CAREER: 1987-CURRENT
POSSUM NUMBER: 55WITHOUT A DOUBT, O.D. IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST POSSUMS EVER.
"HE WAS ALSO VERY VERSATILE, A STEVE CUNNINGHAM-LIKE PLAYER," SAID LONGTIME TEAMMATE PAT DORWIN. "I'M PRETTY SURE HE PLAYED EVERY POSITION AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER."
AS YOU CAN TELL, GOING FULL BORE ALL THE TIME TOOK ITS TOLL ON DOSTER,
BUT WHEN HEALTHY HE WAS AN A SIDE PLAYER OR AN IMPACT SUB OFF THE BENCH. CAME OFF THE BENCH IN THE SOUTH RFU SEMI-FINALS IN APRIL 2010 IN A HOME LOSS TO LITTLE ROCK - AND "THE AGELESS WONDER" WAS AT IT AGAIN IN FALL 2010.
FULL NAME: OSCAR WILDE DOSTER
NICKNAME: O.D.
POSSUM CAREER: 1987-CURRENT
HEIGHT: 5-9
WEIGHT: 185
POSITIONS PLAYED: UTILITY
TEAM HONORS: FINDING THAT PATCH OF MUSHROOMS ON THE BACK FROM THE SHALIMAR 7s IN A FLORIDA CATTLE FIELD!
PERSONAL QUOTATIONS: "NO REALLY, THEY TAUGHT THIS IN SCHOOL," RIGHT AFTER HE DID A BACKFLIP OFF A FLORIDA GAZEBO. "WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (IN FLORIDA), I GOT TO GO TO A SPECIAL SCHOOL."
WEIGHT: 185
POSITIONS PLAYED: UTILITY
TEAM HONORS: FINDING THAT PATCH OF MUSHROOMS ON THE BACK FROM THE SHALIMAR 7s IN A FLORIDA CATTLE FIELD!
PERSONAL QUOTATIONS: "NO REALLY, THEY TAUGHT THIS IN SCHOOL," RIGHT AFTER HE DID A BACKFLIP OFF A FLORIDA GAZEBO. "WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (IN FLORIDA), I GOT TO GO TO A SPECIAL SCHOOL."
OF COURSE YOU DID, BIG FELLA.
MEMORABLE GAMES/SEASONS: ANY SEASON HE COMPLETED HEALTHY.
MEMORABLE GAMES/SEASONS: ANY SEASON HE COMPLETED HEALTHY.
PAT DORWIN
SELECTED TO ALL-TIME POSSUM TEAM AS A SIDE WING AND B SIDE FULLBACK
ALMOST PLAYING IN THE FIRST RUGBY MATCH HE SAW, PAT DORWIN WENT ON TO HAVE A 15-YEAR CAREER AS A POSSUM, THE MAJORITY OF IT AS AN A SIDE WING OR FULLBACK, ALTHOUGH HE SPENT A FEW FULL SEASONS AT SCRUMHALF, DID SOME TIME AT FLYHALF AND SNUCK IN A GAME EVERY NOW AND THEN AT OUTSIDE CENTER.
KNOWN MORE FOR HIS ABILITY WITH BALL IN HAND THAN TACKLING, DORWIN HAD A KNACK FOR SCORING TRIES THAT TIED GAMES OR PUSHED KNOXVILLE AHEAD AT KEY TIMES. OF COURSE, A MISSED TACKLE BY HIM MAY HAVE ALREADY LET THE OTHER TEAM FIND THE TRY ZONE.
"PAT WAS MORE OF A JERSEY-GRABBER WHO WOULD DRAG YOU DOWN AND THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY AS THE RUCK FORMED," SAID FORMER KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "SOMETIMES IT WORKED, SOMETIMES IT DIDN'T."
INTRODUCED TO RUGBY BY WALT MONTGOMERY, DORWIN CAME OUT TO A THURSDAY PRACTICE THEN TO THAT SATURDAY'S HOME MATCH. KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN ROBERT PEAGLER (A YOUNG ROBERT PEAGLER) ASKED THE NEWCOMER IF HE'D LIKE TO PLAY AS THERE WERE ONLY 14 POSSUMS AS GAME TIME APPROACHED.
"I'D KIND OF LIKE TO WATCH A GAME FIRST," DORWIN SAID, AND GOT HIS REPRIEVE WHEN GREG WENDT SHOWED UP 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE MATCH.
DORWIN PLAYED IN THE B SIDE MATCH, THEN FOUND HIMSELF AS A FIXTURE ON THE WING FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS AFTER KNOXVILLE TRAVELED WITH JUST 15 PLAYERS TO THE 1986 MID-SOUTH RFU CHAMPIONSHIP IN NASHVILLE THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND.
"FORT CAMPBELL HAD A BIG NO. 8 COME BARRELING TOWARD ME EARLY IN THE GAME," DORWIN RECALLED. "I DID WHAT MADE SENSE TO ME, DOVE INTO HIS KNEES TO TACKLE HIM.
"HE WAS PISSED, THE REFEREE WAS PISSED - AND I HAD NO IDEA WHY. I TACKLED THE MOOSE, HADN'T I?"
THE REF EXPLAINED TO DORWIN ABOUT WRAPPING UP THE BALLCARRIER AND PLAY CONTINUED ON, WITH THE POSSUMS ROLLING TO A 32-6 WIN WITH DORWIN EVEN FINDING THE TRY ZONE IN HIS INITIAL POSSUM A SIDE MATCH.
"SCORING WAS FUN, BUT WHAT I REMEMBER IS ART REYNOLDS CRASHING INTO ME WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TACKLE, KNOCKING ME IN THE JAW WITH HIS ELBOW, AND SENDING ME FLYING BACKWARD," DORWIN SAID. "ART MADE THE TACKLE, THEN TACKLED THE NEXT FORT CAMPBELL PLAYER AFTER HE PICKED UP THE LOOSE BALL, THEN TACKLED ANOTHER GUY.
"I REMEMBER THINKING, 'SO THIS IS RUGBY, PRETTY COOL,' ALL THE TIME WATCHING FROM THE GROUND AND RUBBING MY JAW."
IT WOULD BE A FULL YEAR BEFORE DORWIN WOULD FIND THE TRY ZONE AGAIN, ON A 75-YARD BREAKAWAY FROM FULLBACK IN A WIN OVER CHATTANOOGA, AGAIN IN THE MID-SOUTH RFU CHAMPIONSHIP.
"WE LATER PLAYED CHATTANOOGA AT FORKS OF THE RIVER," DORWIN SAID. "MARCUS 'AJAX' WILLIAMSON (A FUTURE EAGLE WITH NASHVILLE) HAD JUST STARTED PLAYING (WING) AND HE WAS ABOUT THE FASTEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE, BUT I WAS CLOSE WHEN I WAS YOUNG. THEIR FULLBACK PUNTED DEEP TO ME AND CHASED ALONG WITH AJAX, WHO WAS ON MY LEFT AND I REMEMBER HEARING HIM TELL THE FULLBACK HE HAD THE RIGHT SIDE COVERED.
"SO I FIGURED THE LAST THING HE EXPECTED WAS FOR ME TO COME TOWARD HIS SIDE OF THE FIELD," DORWIN CONTINUED. "SO I FAKED LEFT, THEN WENT LEFT, LEAVING THEM BOTH FLAT-FOOTED AND PICKING UP ABOUT 40 YARDS.
"THAT PLAY GAVE ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE TO RELY ON MY ATHLETIC ABILITY."
DORWIN SOON FOUND HIMSELF BEING GROOMED TO REPLACE AN AGING VAL REICH (POSSUM NO. 12) AT SCRUMHALF.
"VAL WAS MORE THAN GENEROUS IN TEACHING ME THE NUANCES AND TRICKS OF THE GAME SCRUMHALVES USE," DORWIN SAID. "BUT I WAS FAR FROM READY TO TAKE OVER - IT WAS QUITE OVERWHELMING TO MOVE INSIDE AFTER HAVING LOTS OF ROOM TO RUN AT WING AND FULLBACK. IT TOOK AWHILE FOR THE GAME TO SLOW DOWN FOR ME."
EIGHTMAN BRIAN NIEKERK SOON JOINED THE TEAM AND HELPED REICH EXTEND HIS CAREER.
"THOSE TWO REALLY WORKED WELL TOGETHER," DORWIN SAID. "VAL WOULD RUN PLENTY OF NO. 8 PICKUPS, BRIAN WOULD RUN OVER THREE OR FOUR FEFENDERS, THEN VAL WOULD SPIN THE BALL OUT TO THE BACKS. TEAMS KNEW BRIAN WAS HEADING RIGHT AT THEM, BUT THEY COULDN'T STOP THE BIG BOY IN GREEN KNEE PADS."
DORWIN LATER MOVED TO SCRUMHALF FOR A SEASON UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF AUSTRALIAN COACH JOHN HOLLIDAY - WHO HAD WON HIS COUNTRY'S EQUIVALENT OF THE HEISMAN TROPHY AS A WALLABY SCHOOLBOY.
"I REMEMBER SOMEBODY TELLING ME THAT JOHN SAID I WAS A BETTER PLAYER THAN I THOUGHT I WAS," DORWIN SAID. "THAT WAS A DEFINITE CONFIDENCE-BUILDER COMING FROM A PLAYER OF HIS QUALITY."
INDEED, IN A RACE WITH OSCAR DOSTER FOR THE SCRUMHALF POSITION THAT WENT DOWN TO THE OPENING MATCH SLECECTIONS IN SPRING 1994, DORWIN WON OUT IN A CLOSE RACE ("NOTHING LIKE KNOWING YOU'RE STARTING 10 MINUTES BEFORE GAME TIME," DORWIN SAID,") AND TALLIED TWO TRIES IN A 46-26 ROMP OVER ASHEVILLE.
"I WAS DEFINITELY A PLAYER OF CONFIDENCE," DORWIN SAID. "IF MY HAMSTRINGS FELT GOOD AND THE INSIDE BACKS WEREN'T BALL HOGS, I ALWAYS FELT I COULD SCORE OR SET UP A TRY OR TWO EACH GAME FROM WING OR FULLBACK."
DORWIN ALSO GOT A BOOST OF CONFIDENCE WHILE PLAYING VOLLEYBALL AT THE McCORD FARM. "DOUG BROWN SPIKED ONE ON ME AND I REMEMBER ART REYNOLDS LAUGHING HIS LAUGH AND SAYING,'HA,HA, DOUG JUST SLAMMED ONE PAST THE BEST ATHLETE ON THE TEAM.'"
KNOWN MORE FOR HIS ABILITY WITH BALL IN HAND THAN TACKLING, DORWIN HAD A KNACK FOR SCORING TRIES THAT TIED GAMES OR PUSHED KNOXVILLE AHEAD AT KEY TIMES. OF COURSE, A MISSED TACKLE BY HIM MAY HAVE ALREADY LET THE OTHER TEAM FIND THE TRY ZONE.
"PAT WAS MORE OF A JERSEY-GRABBER WHO WOULD DRAG YOU DOWN AND THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY AS THE RUCK FORMED," SAID FORMER KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "SOMETIMES IT WORKED, SOMETIMES IT DIDN'T."
INTRODUCED TO RUGBY BY WALT MONTGOMERY, DORWIN CAME OUT TO A THURSDAY PRACTICE THEN TO THAT SATURDAY'S HOME MATCH. KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN ROBERT PEAGLER (A YOUNG ROBERT PEAGLER) ASKED THE NEWCOMER IF HE'D LIKE TO PLAY AS THERE WERE ONLY 14 POSSUMS AS GAME TIME APPROACHED.
"I'D KIND OF LIKE TO WATCH A GAME FIRST," DORWIN SAID, AND GOT HIS REPRIEVE WHEN GREG WENDT SHOWED UP 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE MATCH.
DORWIN PLAYED IN THE B SIDE MATCH, THEN FOUND HIMSELF AS A FIXTURE ON THE WING FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS AFTER KNOXVILLE TRAVELED WITH JUST 15 PLAYERS TO THE 1986 MID-SOUTH RFU CHAMPIONSHIP IN NASHVILLE THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND.
"FORT CAMPBELL HAD A BIG NO. 8 COME BARRELING TOWARD ME EARLY IN THE GAME," DORWIN RECALLED. "I DID WHAT MADE SENSE TO ME, DOVE INTO HIS KNEES TO TACKLE HIM.
"HE WAS PISSED, THE REFEREE WAS PISSED - AND I HAD NO IDEA WHY. I TACKLED THE MOOSE, HADN'T I?"
THE REF EXPLAINED TO DORWIN ABOUT WRAPPING UP THE BALLCARRIER AND PLAY CONTINUED ON, WITH THE POSSUMS ROLLING TO A 32-6 WIN WITH DORWIN EVEN FINDING THE TRY ZONE IN HIS INITIAL POSSUM A SIDE MATCH.
"SCORING WAS FUN, BUT WHAT I REMEMBER IS ART REYNOLDS CRASHING INTO ME WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TACKLE, KNOCKING ME IN THE JAW WITH HIS ELBOW, AND SENDING ME FLYING BACKWARD," DORWIN SAID. "ART MADE THE TACKLE, THEN TACKLED THE NEXT FORT CAMPBELL PLAYER AFTER HE PICKED UP THE LOOSE BALL, THEN TACKLED ANOTHER GUY.
"I REMEMBER THINKING, 'SO THIS IS RUGBY, PRETTY COOL,' ALL THE TIME WATCHING FROM THE GROUND AND RUBBING MY JAW."
IT WOULD BE A FULL YEAR BEFORE DORWIN WOULD FIND THE TRY ZONE AGAIN, ON A 75-YARD BREAKAWAY FROM FULLBACK IN A WIN OVER CHATTANOOGA, AGAIN IN THE MID-SOUTH RFU CHAMPIONSHIP.
"WE LATER PLAYED CHATTANOOGA AT FORKS OF THE RIVER," DORWIN SAID. "MARCUS 'AJAX' WILLIAMSON (A FUTURE EAGLE WITH NASHVILLE) HAD JUST STARTED PLAYING (WING) AND HE WAS ABOUT THE FASTEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE, BUT I WAS CLOSE WHEN I WAS YOUNG. THEIR FULLBACK PUNTED DEEP TO ME AND CHASED ALONG WITH AJAX, WHO WAS ON MY LEFT AND I REMEMBER HEARING HIM TELL THE FULLBACK HE HAD THE RIGHT SIDE COVERED.
"SO I FIGURED THE LAST THING HE EXPECTED WAS FOR ME TO COME TOWARD HIS SIDE OF THE FIELD," DORWIN CONTINUED. "SO I FAKED LEFT, THEN WENT LEFT, LEAVING THEM BOTH FLAT-FOOTED AND PICKING UP ABOUT 40 YARDS.
"THAT PLAY GAVE ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE TO RELY ON MY ATHLETIC ABILITY."
DORWIN SOON FOUND HIMSELF BEING GROOMED TO REPLACE AN AGING VAL REICH (POSSUM NO. 12) AT SCRUMHALF.
"VAL WAS MORE THAN GENEROUS IN TEACHING ME THE NUANCES AND TRICKS OF THE GAME SCRUMHALVES USE," DORWIN SAID. "BUT I WAS FAR FROM READY TO TAKE OVER - IT WAS QUITE OVERWHELMING TO MOVE INSIDE AFTER HAVING LOTS OF ROOM TO RUN AT WING AND FULLBACK. IT TOOK AWHILE FOR THE GAME TO SLOW DOWN FOR ME."
EIGHTMAN BRIAN NIEKERK SOON JOINED THE TEAM AND HELPED REICH EXTEND HIS CAREER.
"THOSE TWO REALLY WORKED WELL TOGETHER," DORWIN SAID. "VAL WOULD RUN PLENTY OF NO. 8 PICKUPS, BRIAN WOULD RUN OVER THREE OR FOUR FEFENDERS, THEN VAL WOULD SPIN THE BALL OUT TO THE BACKS. TEAMS KNEW BRIAN WAS HEADING RIGHT AT THEM, BUT THEY COULDN'T STOP THE BIG BOY IN GREEN KNEE PADS."
DORWIN LATER MOVED TO SCRUMHALF FOR A SEASON UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF AUSTRALIAN COACH JOHN HOLLIDAY - WHO HAD WON HIS COUNTRY'S EQUIVALENT OF THE HEISMAN TROPHY AS A WALLABY SCHOOLBOY.
"I REMEMBER SOMEBODY TELLING ME THAT JOHN SAID I WAS A BETTER PLAYER THAN I THOUGHT I WAS," DORWIN SAID. "THAT WAS A DEFINITE CONFIDENCE-BUILDER COMING FROM A PLAYER OF HIS QUALITY."
INDEED, IN A RACE WITH OSCAR DOSTER FOR THE SCRUMHALF POSITION THAT WENT DOWN TO THE OPENING MATCH SLECECTIONS IN SPRING 1994, DORWIN WON OUT IN A CLOSE RACE ("NOTHING LIKE KNOWING YOU'RE STARTING 10 MINUTES BEFORE GAME TIME," DORWIN SAID,") AND TALLIED TWO TRIES IN A 46-26 ROMP OVER ASHEVILLE.
"I WAS DEFINITELY A PLAYER OF CONFIDENCE," DORWIN SAID. "IF MY HAMSTRINGS FELT GOOD AND THE INSIDE BACKS WEREN'T BALL HOGS, I ALWAYS FELT I COULD SCORE OR SET UP A TRY OR TWO EACH GAME FROM WING OR FULLBACK."
DORWIN ALSO GOT A BOOST OF CONFIDENCE WHILE PLAYING VOLLEYBALL AT THE McCORD FARM. "DOUG BROWN SPIKED ONE ON ME AND I REMEMBER ART REYNOLDS LAUGHING HIS LAUGH AND SAYING,'HA,HA, DOUG JUST SLAMMED ONE PAST THE BEST ATHLETE ON THE TEAM.'"
HOWEVER IT WAS A FEW YEARS BEFORE HE WOULD GAIN A TRIAL WITH THE MID-SOUTH RFU SELECT SIDE.
"JOE MAMMY (NASHVILLE AND MID-SOUTH COACH STEVE McCLAMAROCH) WAS STANDING ON THE SIDELINE WITH ME AT A HUNTSVILLE TOURNAMENT," SAID BUCK ROGERS. "PATTY GRUBBED THE BALL DOWN THE SIDELINE PAST HIS WING, PICKED UP A NICE HOP AND SCORED.
"JOE MAMMY SAID, 'WHO IS THAT KID?'" ROGERS SAID. "I SAID, 'THAT'S PAT DORWIN, HE DOES THAT ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE A GAME.' IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING."
A PLAY DORWIN MADE AT THE MID-SOUTH SELECT SIDE TRIALS IN MEMPHIS AGAINST OLD NO. 7 IN THE EARLY 1990s WAS ALSO A TOPIC OF MUCH DISCUSSION FOR SEVERAL YEARS. NOT CHOSEN FOR THE A SIDE GAME, DORWIN FOUND HIMSELF SLOTTED AT OUTSIDE CENTER AND HE AND BRIAN NIEKERK BOTH SCORED TRIES IN A 28-10 MID-SOUTH WIN.
BUT IT WAS OFF AN OFFENSIVE LINEOUT DEEP IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY THAT DORWIN HUSTLED TO MAKE AN OUTSTANDING PLAY.
"WE KNOCKED THE BALL STRAGHT BACK ABOUT 25 YARDS AND IT ROLLED INSIDE OUR 22," HE SAID. "I JUST REACTED, AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRETTY FAR AWAY, I SPED BACK TO BEAT THE DEFENSE, PICKED THE BALL UP WITH MY BACK TOWARD THEM AND KICKED THE BALL BACK OVER MY HEAD. IT WENT ABOUT 40 YARDS, AND BOUNCED OUT FROM ABOUT FOOT AWAY FROM TOUCH."
TEAMMATES AND OPPONENTS ALIKE CONGRATULATED HIM ON THE PLAY.
DORWIN AGAIN FOUND HIMSELF IN THE BACK THREE AFTER A SEASON AT SCRUMHALF WHEN GREG BROYLES MOVED OVER FROM UT TO PARTNER FLYHALF MARTY BRADLEY.
BUT IT WAS OFF AN OFFENSIVE LINEOUT DEEP IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY THAT DORWIN HUSTLED TO MAKE AN OUTSTANDING PLAY.
"WE KNOCKED THE BALL STRAGHT BACK ABOUT 25 YARDS AND IT ROLLED INSIDE OUR 22," HE SAID. "I JUST REACTED, AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRETTY FAR AWAY, I SPED BACK TO BEAT THE DEFENSE, PICKED THE BALL UP WITH MY BACK TOWARD THEM AND KICKED THE BALL BACK OVER MY HEAD. IT WENT ABOUT 40 YARDS, AND BOUNCED OUT FROM ABOUT FOOT AWAY FROM TOUCH."
TEAMMATES AND OPPONENTS ALIKE CONGRATULATED HIM ON THE PLAY.
DORWIN AGAIN FOUND HIMSELF IN THE BACK THREE AFTER A SEASON AT SCRUMHALF WHEN GREG BROYLES MOVED OVER FROM UT TO PARTNER FLYHALF MARTY BRADLEY.
DORWIN HAD SPELLED BRADLEY AT FLYHALF THE YEAR BEFORE AT THE DOGWOOD TOURNAMENT, LEADING THE POSSUMS TO A HUGE ROUT OVER THE ATLANTA RENEGADES. THE POSITIONAL MOVE (BRADLEY WENT TO FULLBACK) WAS INITIATED BY SELECTOR JOHN ROSE.
DORWIN KICKED JUST THREE TIMES AGAINST THE RENEGADES, SCORING OFF A LEFT-FOOTED CHIP (NOTED ATLANTA REFEREE SEEGAR SWANSON WAS STANDING ON THE SIDELINE AND TOLD ROSE DORWIN MUST BE LEFT-FOOTED AND ROSE REPLIED, "NO, HE'S JUST WORKED VERY HARD TO KICK WITH BOTH FEET.") , GETTING A NICE BOUNCE ON A LONG RIGHT-FOOTED BOOT AHEAD FOR OUTSIDE CENTER TOM WILSON FOR ANOTHER TRY, WITH THE THIRD KICK GOING FROM INSIDE HIS 22 TO TOUCH INSIDE ATLANTA'S 22 OFF DORWIN'S LEFT BOOT.
"IT WAS NEVER MY DECISION TO MAKE ON WHERE I PLAYED, AS I WAS CHOSEN AS A SELECTOR FOR JUST ONE SEASON," DORWIN SAID. "SEEMS LIKE WE ALWAYS CHOSE A COUPLE OF BACKS (LIKE THE FLYHALF, WHETHER IT WAS ROBERT, MARTY OR MIKE McSALLY) AND THEN EITHER SOMEONE WHO KNEW THE GAME WELL (BARRY LAIL, MARTY, OR STEVE CUNNINGHAM OR STEVE LINK, GUYS WHO BOTH PLAYED IN THE PACK AND THE FORWARDS.
"SO I GUESS THE THIRD FORWARD WAS THERE TO BREAK TIES IN THE VOTING. SO, I GUESS IF THERE IS A REGRET IN MY CAREER, IT WAS BEING BYPASSED TO HELP WITH SELECTIONS," DORWIN SAID. "I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE HAD SOME DIFFERENT IDEAS."
"TO BE HONEST, I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN SOME MORE TIME AT FLYHALF, ESPECIALLY DURING THE TIME WE WOULD TRANSITION BETWEEN THE GUYS THAT WOULD END UP PLAYING A LOT OF NO. 10."
DORWIN RANKS BRADLEY AS HIS ALL-TIME POSSUM FLYHALF:
"HE WAS THE BEST BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID MARTY DO THE THINGS A FLYHALF WAS SUPPOSED TO - MAKE THE BEST OF THE SERVICE HE GOT FROM HIS SCRUMHALF, KICK US OUT OF TROUBLE, KEEP THE DEFENSE HONEST THAT HE WOULD GO FORWARD AT TIMES," DORWIN SAID, "BUT HE DID THE LITTLE THINGS SO WELL - HE RARELY,RARELY KNOCKED ON, NO MATTER WHAT HIS NO. 9 WOULD SCATTER HIS WAY (MARTY WOULD AVERAGE MAYBE TWO OR THREE UNFORCED ERRORS A SEASON), HE KEPT HIS COOL AND, OF COURSE, HE KEPT US GOING FORWARD.
"MARTY WAS SORT OF NEW TO KNOXVILLE AND JOHN (ROSE) WAS A SELECTOR WHO HAD SEEN A REVOLVING DOOR OF FLYHALVES IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS." DORWIN RECALLED. "NEW GUYS WOULD JOIN THE TEAM AND SAY THEY PLAYED FLYHALF AND THE SELECTORS WOULD IMMEDIATELY SLOT THEM INTO THE POSITION.
"THAT HURT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AS WE HAD SLOW GUYS WHO WOULDN'T PASS AT A KEY POSITION. LUCKILY, THE SELECTORS CAME TO THEIR SENSES AND MOVED MARTY BACK TO FLYHALF, WHERE HE BECAME A FIXTURE FOR MANY YEARS," DORWIN SAID. "MARTY RARELY KNOCKED THE BALL ON, NO MATTER HOW SHAKY THE SERVICE WAS FROM THE SCRUM, WAS A GREAT PASSER AND KICKER WITH STRONG FIELD VISION AND A CALM PRESENCE ON THE PITCH. THE SELECTORS GOT THAT ONE RIGHT, BUT I SAW A LOT OF QUESTIONABLE MOVES OVER THE YEARS."
DORWIN EVENTUALLY FOUND A HOME AT FULLBACK FOR MANY YEARS, BUT SHIFTED TO WING FOR THE LIKES OF WILSON, A COLLEGIATE ALL-AMERICAN AT UT, AND THE SUPER-ATHLETIC KEVIN BLALOCK.
DORWIN KICKED JUST THREE TIMES AGAINST THE RENEGADES, SCORING OFF A LEFT-FOOTED CHIP (NOTED ATLANTA REFEREE SEEGAR SWANSON WAS STANDING ON THE SIDELINE AND TOLD ROSE DORWIN MUST BE LEFT-FOOTED AND ROSE REPLIED, "NO, HE'S JUST WORKED VERY HARD TO KICK WITH BOTH FEET.") , GETTING A NICE BOUNCE ON A LONG RIGHT-FOOTED BOOT AHEAD FOR OUTSIDE CENTER TOM WILSON FOR ANOTHER TRY, WITH THE THIRD KICK GOING FROM INSIDE HIS 22 TO TOUCH INSIDE ATLANTA'S 22 OFF DORWIN'S LEFT BOOT.
"IT WAS NEVER MY DECISION TO MAKE ON WHERE I PLAYED, AS I WAS CHOSEN AS A SELECTOR FOR JUST ONE SEASON," DORWIN SAID. "SEEMS LIKE WE ALWAYS CHOSE A COUPLE OF BACKS (LIKE THE FLYHALF, WHETHER IT WAS ROBERT, MARTY OR MIKE McSALLY) AND THEN EITHER SOMEONE WHO KNEW THE GAME WELL (BARRY LAIL, MARTY, OR STEVE CUNNINGHAM OR STEVE LINK, GUYS WHO BOTH PLAYED IN THE PACK AND THE FORWARDS.
"SO I GUESS THE THIRD FORWARD WAS THERE TO BREAK TIES IN THE VOTING. SO, I GUESS IF THERE IS A REGRET IN MY CAREER, IT WAS BEING BYPASSED TO HELP WITH SELECTIONS," DORWIN SAID. "I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE HAD SOME DIFFERENT IDEAS."
"TO BE HONEST, I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN SOME MORE TIME AT FLYHALF, ESPECIALLY DURING THE TIME WE WOULD TRANSITION BETWEEN THE GUYS THAT WOULD END UP PLAYING A LOT OF NO. 10."
DORWIN RANKS BRADLEY AS HIS ALL-TIME POSSUM FLYHALF:
"HE WAS THE BEST BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID MARTY DO THE THINGS A FLYHALF WAS SUPPOSED TO - MAKE THE BEST OF THE SERVICE HE GOT FROM HIS SCRUMHALF, KICK US OUT OF TROUBLE, KEEP THE DEFENSE HONEST THAT HE WOULD GO FORWARD AT TIMES," DORWIN SAID, "BUT HE DID THE LITTLE THINGS SO WELL - HE RARELY,RARELY KNOCKED ON, NO MATTER WHAT HIS NO. 9 WOULD SCATTER HIS WAY (MARTY WOULD AVERAGE MAYBE TWO OR THREE UNFORCED ERRORS A SEASON), HE KEPT HIS COOL AND, OF COURSE, HE KEPT US GOING FORWARD.
"MARTY WAS SORT OF NEW TO KNOXVILLE AND JOHN (ROSE) WAS A SELECTOR WHO HAD SEEN A REVOLVING DOOR OF FLYHALVES IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS." DORWIN RECALLED. "NEW GUYS WOULD JOIN THE TEAM AND SAY THEY PLAYED FLYHALF AND THE SELECTORS WOULD IMMEDIATELY SLOT THEM INTO THE POSITION.
"THAT HURT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AS WE HAD SLOW GUYS WHO WOULDN'T PASS AT A KEY POSITION. LUCKILY, THE SELECTORS CAME TO THEIR SENSES AND MOVED MARTY BACK TO FLYHALF, WHERE HE BECAME A FIXTURE FOR MANY YEARS," DORWIN SAID. "MARTY RARELY KNOCKED THE BALL ON, NO MATTER HOW SHAKY THE SERVICE WAS FROM THE SCRUM, WAS A GREAT PASSER AND KICKER WITH STRONG FIELD VISION AND A CALM PRESENCE ON THE PITCH. THE SELECTORS GOT THAT ONE RIGHT, BUT I SAW A LOT OF QUESTIONABLE MOVES OVER THE YEARS."
DORWIN EVENTUALLY FOUND A HOME AT FULLBACK FOR MANY YEARS, BUT SHIFTED TO WING FOR THE LIKES OF WILSON, A COLLEGIATE ALL-AMERICAN AT UT, AND THE SUPER-ATHLETIC KEVIN BLALOCK.
IN TURN, DORWIN WAS REPLACED AT WING AT TIMES BY GREGG GIDDISH AND FRANK BENNETT.
DORWIN DID REPLACE BRADLEY AT FLYHALF FOR THE 1994 DOGWOOD TOURNAMENT HELD AT JOHN TARLETON PARK.
"MARTY WAS OUT OF TOWN, SO I WOULD PLAY FLYHALF WHEN WE HAD THE BALL AND SWITCH WITH FULLBACK KEVIN BLALOCK ON DEFENSIVE SET PLAYS TO GET A MUCH BETTER DEFENDER INSIDE," DORWIN SAID."
THE POSSUMS WOULD EDGE SOON-TO-BE-RIVAL GREENEVILLE, S.C., THEN DRILL JOHNSON CITY ON SATURDAY, SETTING UP SUNDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST A STRONG UT CLUB.
WILSON, STARTING AT OUTSIDE CENTER, DREW TWO DEFENDERS TO OPEN UP A HOLE DORWIN DIVED THROUGH TO GIVE THE POSSUMS AN 11-3 LEAD ON THE WAY TO A 26-8 WIN OVER BUTCH ROBERTON'S CLUB.
DORWIN DID REPLACE BRADLEY AT FLYHALF FOR THE 1994 DOGWOOD TOURNAMENT HELD AT JOHN TARLETON PARK.
"MARTY WAS OUT OF TOWN, SO I WOULD PLAY FLYHALF WHEN WE HAD THE BALL AND SWITCH WITH FULLBACK KEVIN BLALOCK ON DEFENSIVE SET PLAYS TO GET A MUCH BETTER DEFENDER INSIDE," DORWIN SAID."
THE POSSUMS WOULD EDGE SOON-TO-BE-RIVAL GREENEVILLE, S.C., THEN DRILL JOHNSON CITY ON SATURDAY, SETTING UP SUNDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST A STRONG UT CLUB.
WILSON, STARTING AT OUTSIDE CENTER, DREW TWO DEFENDERS TO OPEN UP A HOLE DORWIN DIVED THROUGH TO GIVE THE POSSUMS AN 11-3 LEAD ON THE WAY TO A 26-8 WIN OVER BUTCH ROBERTON'S CLUB.
"WITH THE SKINNY FIELDS WE DREW UP A SIMPLIFIED GAME PLAN THAT WORKED ALL WEEKEND LONG," DORWIN SAID. "WHEN I WAS RECEIVING THE BALL TO PASS TO MY LEFT, IT WAS MY BETTER PASSING SIDE BECAUSE I'M RIGHT-HANDED.
"LONG CUT-OUT PASSES TO TOM WILSON WORKED ALL WEEKEND," HE SAID. "TOM HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM CUNNINGHAM AND BLALOCK, PLUS THE BACK ROW KNEW WHERE TO HEAD FOR THE LIKELY BREAKDOWN. WHEN I WAS PASSING TO MY WEAKER WAY, THE RIGHT SIDE, WE WOULD RUN A SWITCH OR JUST A QUICK FLICK TO CUNNINGHAM, WHO WOULD USUALLY MAKE THE GAINLINE WITH PLENTY OF SUPPORT THERE ALREADY BECAUSE NOBODY HAD TO THINK - THEY JUST HAD TO KNOW WHAT SIDE OF THE FIELD THEY WERE ON."
DORWIN SAID THE SIMPLE TECHNIQUE OF HAVING THE FLYHALF PASS LONG TO HIS STRONG SIDE AND CRASH THE BALL TO HIS WEAKER SIDE CAN BE A VERY EFFECTIVE GAME PLAN.
"BASICALLY, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE AND THEY KNOW WHERE THE BALLCARRIER WILL BE," HE SAID. "YOU THEN JUST ADD A FEW SIMPLE ONE-WORD OPTIONS WHEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PITCH, OR WHEN THE FLYHALF IS GOING TO KICK OR RUN A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PLAY.
"IF YOU HAVE A FLYHALF THAT CAN MAKE LONG, ACCURATE PASSES, THE OUTSIDE CENTER THEN BECOMES THE KEY. WITH A GUY LIKE TOM, HE WOULD CATCH THE BALL ON THE BURST AND THE DEFENSE WAS USUALLY DISORGANIZED ALREADY BECAUSE WE HAD KEVIN COMING IN ON EITHER SIDE OF TOM FROM MIDFIELD ON IN, STEVE COULD LOOP TOM OR TOM COULD CHIP OR GRUB AHEAD."
THE DANGER IS THAT THE DEFENSE MAY SOON CATCH - OR MAYBE NOT.
"YOU'D THINK IT WOULD BECOME KIND OF OBVIOUS - BUT IT NEVER DID THAT WEEKEND, BECAUSE YOU CAN RUN A NUMBER OF BASIC - BUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PLAYS - OR KICK SOME UP-AND-UNDERS TO KEEP THE DEFENSE ON ITS BACK FOOT."
IN A 34-7 ROMP SATURDAY OVER JOHNSON CITY, DORWIN SAID THE SIMPLE OFFENSE WORKED SO WELL BECAUSE OF A GAME THE TWO TEAMS PLAYED SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE WHEN MARK ALTOONIAN SET UP A MATCH IN SCENIC PANTHER CREEK STATE PARK IN MORRISTOWN.
"I WAS AT FLYHALF AND ABOUT EIGHT OR 10 MINUTES IN, WE HAD A LINEOUT ABOUT 15 METERS OUT," DORWIN SAID. "I DUMMIED A LONG PASS AND PRETTY MUCH SKATED IN."
HE DID THE SAME THING AGAINST JC FLYHALF RICKY BLAIR A LITTLE WHILE LATER
"SO WHEN WE MET AT THE DOGWOOD, RICKY AND HIS LOOSE FORWARDS WAITED FOR ME THE WHOLE MATCH," DORWIN SAID. "THAT PUT THEM IN A BIG HOLE EVERYTIME WE WENT LEFT. I GAVE HIM A CONSOLATION DUMMY AND CUT BACK LATE IN THE MATCH, AND MY NOSE REGRETED MEETING RICKY'S CHEST, BUT BY THEN THE GAME WAS OVER."
BLALOCK, THANKS TO HIS STRONG DEFENSIVE PLAY, WAS NAMED DOGWOOD MVP. AT THE UT OLD BOYS MATCHES THE NEXT WEEK, ROBERTSON KEPT DORWIN AT FLYHALF AGAINST UT'S B TEAM WHILE BRADLEY STARTED AT FULLBACK. DORWIN TOOK A QUICK-TAP PENALTY 60 YARDS TO OPEN THE SCORING AS THE "B SIDE" OLD BOYS, NEITHER DORWIN OR BRADLEY HAD PLAYED FOR THE VOLS, ROMPED TO THE WIN.
BLALOCK, THANKS TO HIS STRONG DEFENSIVE PLAY, WAS NAMED DOGWOOD MVP. AT THE UT OLD BOYS MATCHES THE NEXT WEEK, ROBERTSON KEPT DORWIN AT FLYHALF AGAINST UT'S B TEAM WHILE BRADLEY STARTED AT FULLBACK. DORWIN TOOK A QUICK-TAP PENALTY 60 YARDS TO OPEN THE SCORING AS THE "B SIDE" OLD BOYS, NEITHER DORWIN OR BRADLEY HAD PLAYED FOR THE VOLS, ROMPED TO THE WIN.
DORWIN WAS INVOLVED IN A FEW MEMORABLE TACKLES, THOUGH, DESPITE BEING MORE OF AN OFFENSIVE PLAYER. PLAYING AGAINST A STRONG UT SIDE AT THE FORKS, VOL MONSTER MARK WENGER REACHED OUT TO TRY AND GRAB DORWIN AS HE STREAKED DOWN THE TOUCHLINE. ALL WENGER COULD END UP HOLDING ONTO WAS DORWIN'S SHOELACE - AND IT WAS ENOUGH TO TAKE HIM DOWN.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, DORWIN MADE A HUGE TRYLINE TACKLE IN A DOGWOOD TOURNEY. THE OPPOSING SCRUMHALF TRIED TO RUN RIGHT OVER HIM FOR A TRY. ONE PROBLEM - HE WAS ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS DORWIN, WHO GOT UNDERNEATH THE POOR FELLOW AND DUMPED HIM BACKWARD, AND KNOXVILLE PICKED UP THE SPILLED BALL AND TOOK A MOVEMENT BACK TO MIDFIELD.
"NICE TACKLE, PAT DORWIN. NICE TACKLE," HUSKEY SHOUTED.
ANOTHER TACKLE DORWIN MADE ALSO IMPRESSED HUSKEY - PROBABLY THE ONLY TWO TACKLES BY DORWIN THAT HUSKEY EVER REMEMBERS. THIS ONE CAME IN THE 1998 MIDWEST RFU DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
"PAT WRESTLED THEIR FASTEST PLAYER INTO TOUCH," HUSKEY SAID. "NOTHING SPECTACULAR, BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MATCH IT WAS PRETTY BIG."
LATE IN THE 20-12 POSSUM WIN OVER KELLOG, DORWIN FIELDED A POOR KICK AT FULLBACK AND BOOTED IT LEFT-FOOTED BACK INSIDE KELLOG'S 22.
LATE IN THE 20-12 POSSUM WIN OVER KELLOG, DORWIN FIELDED A POOR KICK AT FULLBACK AND BOOTED IT LEFT-FOOTED BACK INSIDE KELLOG'S 22.
"THOSE WERE A COUPLE OF BASIC - BUT BIG - PLAYS IN A VERY TENSE MATCH," HUSKEY SAID.
DORWIN WAS DIAGNOSED WITH EARLY-ONSET PARKINSON'S DISEASE AT AGE 38, THREE YEARS AFTER RETIRING FROM RUGBY. A BENEFIT FOR THE NATIONAL PARKINSON FOUNDATION WAS HELD APRIL 29, 2010, AT FARRAGUT HIGH SCHOOL WITH A PAIR OF "THROWBACK" GAMES. DORWIN WAS THE LEADING HITTER FOR THE ADMIRALS' INITIAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM IN 1982, SEE THE http://www.fhs1982statechamps.blogspot.com/ WEB SITE.
THE EVENT WOULD RAISE MORE THAN $2,000 FOR THE NPF.
FULL NAME: PATRICK THOMAS DORWIN
POSSUM CAREER: 1986-2000 15s MATCHES-268 7s MATCHES-151
POSSUM NUMBER: 50
HEIGHT: 5-6
WEIGHT: 150-185
POSITIONS PLAYED: WING, FULLBACK, SCRUMHALF, FLYHALF
OFFICES HELD: SECRETARY, VICE-PRESIDENT, MATCH SECRETARY
TEAM HONORS: ROOKIE OF THE YEAR-1986
PERSONAL QUOTATIONS: "I RE-RAISE."
MEMORABLE GAMES/SEASONS: MIDWEST RFU DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM 1998 (SCORED OPENING TRY, HAD LONG, LEFT-FOOTED TOUCH KICK LATE IN MATCH); "BACKWARD KICK" IN MID-SOUTH TRIALS VS. MEMPHIS OLD #7; 1995 CAPE FEAR CLUB DIVISION CHAMPION (COMBINED WITH ANDY CLEARY TO SCORE 11 OF THE POSSUMS 18 TRIES); 1996 CAPE FEAR CLUB DIVISION RUNNERS-UP; SCORED FOUR TRIES VS. WESTERN SUBURBS AT CAPE FEAR; SCORED THREE TRIES VS. AUBURN (DROPPING FOURTH IN-GOAL) AT NASHVILLE 7s; LED TEAM IN SCORING IN 1992 WITH 33 TRIES AND 138 POINTS; SCORED 11 TRIES FROM WING IN SPRING 1991, 32 TRIES THAT SUMMER BUT ONLY FOUR IN THE FALL, JUST MISSING 50 TRIES IN A YEAR; SHOULD HAVE SCORED THE POSSUMS' FIRST-EVER 5-POINT TRY EXCEPT FOR A REFEREE'S MISCALL - DORWIN WAS ANKLE TAPPED ON THE SIDELINE IN BLACKSBURG, GOT UP AND SCORED, BUT WAS WRONGLY PENALIZED FOR NOT RELEASING - MARTY BRADLEY GOT THE HONORS A FEW MINUTES LATER; PLAYED WING IN HISTORIC MATCH OF EIGHT KNOXVILLE PLAYERS AND SEVEN NASHVILLE PLAYERS IN A 9-8 WIN OVER THE ATLANTA RENEGADES AFTER A LATE TRY BY KEITH BURNETT ("KEITH WAS MY TOUGHEST OPPONENT, WHETHER AT FLYHALF OR FULLBACK," SAID DORWIN) AND WIN-CLINCHING CONVERSION FROM TOM WILSON; REFFED FOR SEVERAL YEARS DESPITE NEVER EARNING SANCTIONING; NAMED TO MOST BALLOTS (16) ON ORIGINAL ALL-TIME POSSUM TEAM VOTING, RANKED THIRD IN OVERALL POINTS TALLIED BEHIND TYLER HUSKEY AND BRIAN NIEKERK; RECEIVED A AND B SIDE VOTES AT WING AND FULLBACK AND B SIDE VOTES AT FLYHALF.
POSSUM CAREER: 1986-2000 15s MATCHES-268 7s MATCHES-151
POSSUM NUMBER: 50
HEIGHT: 5-6
WEIGHT: 150-185
POSITIONS PLAYED: WING, FULLBACK, SCRUMHALF, FLYHALF
OFFICES HELD: SECRETARY, VICE-PRESIDENT, MATCH SECRETARY
TEAM HONORS: ROOKIE OF THE YEAR-1986
PERSONAL QUOTATIONS: "I RE-RAISE."
MEMORABLE GAMES/SEASONS: MIDWEST RFU DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM 1998 (SCORED OPENING TRY, HAD LONG, LEFT-FOOTED TOUCH KICK LATE IN MATCH); "BACKWARD KICK" IN MID-SOUTH TRIALS VS. MEMPHIS OLD #7; 1995 CAPE FEAR CLUB DIVISION CHAMPION (COMBINED WITH ANDY CLEARY TO SCORE 11 OF THE POSSUMS 18 TRIES); 1996 CAPE FEAR CLUB DIVISION RUNNERS-UP; SCORED FOUR TRIES VS. WESTERN SUBURBS AT CAPE FEAR; SCORED THREE TRIES VS. AUBURN (DROPPING FOURTH IN-GOAL) AT NASHVILLE 7s; LED TEAM IN SCORING IN 1992 WITH 33 TRIES AND 138 POINTS; SCORED 11 TRIES FROM WING IN SPRING 1991, 32 TRIES THAT SUMMER BUT ONLY FOUR IN THE FALL, JUST MISSING 50 TRIES IN A YEAR; SHOULD HAVE SCORED THE POSSUMS' FIRST-EVER 5-POINT TRY EXCEPT FOR A REFEREE'S MISCALL - DORWIN WAS ANKLE TAPPED ON THE SIDELINE IN BLACKSBURG, GOT UP AND SCORED, BUT WAS WRONGLY PENALIZED FOR NOT RELEASING - MARTY BRADLEY GOT THE HONORS A FEW MINUTES LATER; PLAYED WING IN HISTORIC MATCH OF EIGHT KNOXVILLE PLAYERS AND SEVEN NASHVILLE PLAYERS IN A 9-8 WIN OVER THE ATLANTA RENEGADES AFTER A LATE TRY BY KEITH BURNETT ("KEITH WAS MY TOUGHEST OPPONENT, WHETHER AT FLYHALF OR FULLBACK," SAID DORWIN) AND WIN-CLINCHING CONVERSION FROM TOM WILSON; REFFED FOR SEVERAL YEARS DESPITE NEVER EARNING SANCTIONING; NAMED TO MOST BALLOTS (16) ON ORIGINAL ALL-TIME POSSUM TEAM VOTING, RANKED THIRD IN OVERALL POINTS TALLIED BEHIND TYLER HUSKEY AND BRIAN NIEKERK; RECEIVED A AND B SIDE VOTES AT WING AND FULLBACK AND B SIDE VOTES AT FLYHALF.
OTHER CLUBS: MID-SOUTH SELECTS, 12 MATCHES (THREE TRIES); MILWAUKEE BLACK AND BLUE, TWO MATCHES (ONE TRY); ROANOKE, ONE MATCH (VS. KNOXVILLE, ONE TRY), UT, ONE MATCH (VS. UT OLD BOYS, ONE TRY), ONE MID-SOUTH POSSIBLES (VS. MEMPHIS OLD NO. 7, ONE TRY).
RESIDES: SEVIERVILLE
BIRTHDATE: 7-13-64
BIRTHPLACE: AUSTIN, TEXAS
FAMILY: WIFE, ANGIE; SON, ELI (9), AND DAUGHTER, ADDISON GRACE (7).
OCCUPATION: STAY-AT-HOME-DAD
OCCUPATION: STAY-AT-HOME-DAD
MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE TEAMMATE LIST (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
ART REYNOLDS-THE CONSUMATE POSSUM, ON- AND OFF-THE-FIELD. ALWAYS READY TO HAND OUT A YARD-BEER, DORWIN SAYS "THE ARTINATOR" WAS ALWAYS NICE ENOUGH TO GIVE HIM A FRESH COORS LIGHT.
LITTLE JOHN-NO TOUGHER POSSUM EVER LIVED. "HIS DEATH WILL HAUNT ME FOREVER," DORWIN SAID.
RYAN MILLER-LJ'S REPLACEMENT AT HOOKER. "I HATED TO SEE THAT HAPPEN, BUT IT WAS A JUSTIFIED MOVE BY THE SELECTORS (ONE OF THE FEW I HAVE WITNESSED OVER THE YEARS.")
DORWIN SAID IT'S A SHAME NEITHER ONE OF THEM COULD REALLY PLAY ANOTHER POSITION AT THE TIME (ALTHOUGH MILLER LATER PLAYED SOME FLANKER) BECAUSE IT'S NICE TO HAVE "TWO CHEATING-BALL WINNERS ON THE PITCH AT THE SAME TIME."
MILLER AND DORWIN HAVE BEEN LONG-TIME FRIENDS. "I WAS THE FIRST POSSUM TO SHAKE HIS (BEERLESS) HAND AFTER WE CAME OFF THE PITCH FROM A MATCH AT THE FORKS," DORWIN SAYS. "I THOUGHT, 'NO BEER, THIS GUY AIN'T GONNA LAST LONG.'"
DORWIN ADDED HE PICKED MILLER FURTHER DOWN HIS POSITIONAL LIST OF ALL-TIME POSSUMS.
"NO WAY THAT IS A SLEIGHT TO RYAN," DORWIN SAID. "HE WAS CLEARLY THE HOOKER OF CHOICE FOR MANY SEASONS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE VOTES BY SOME OF THE OTHER OLDER GUYS, RYAN WAS CLEARLY THE CHOICE FOR CAREER-VALUE, HE WAS BELOW OTHER HOOKERS FOR PEAK-VALUE."
DORWIN ADDED HE PICKED MILLER FURTHER DOWN HIS POSITIONAL LIST OF ALL-TIME POSSUMS.
"NO WAY THAT IS A SLEIGHT TO RYAN," DORWIN SAID. "HE WAS CLEARLY THE HOOKER OF CHOICE FOR MANY SEASONS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE VOTES BY SOME OF THE OTHER OLDER GUYS, RYAN WAS CLEARLY THE CHOICE FOR CAREER-VALUE, HE WAS BELOW OTHER HOOKERS FOR PEAK-VALUE."
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REX WOLFE-"WE JUST NATURALLY HIT IT OFF, DESPITE OUR VAST HEIGHT AND WEIGHT DIFFERENCES.
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BRIAN NIEKERK-DITTO.
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WALT MONTGOMERY-"GOT ME OUT PLAYING, GOT ME IN DRUNKEN CAR RIDES SKIDDING AROUND KNOXVILLE, DIDN'T HELP MUCH WHEN THE SAME GUY BEAT ME UP THREE TIMES OUTSIDE THE TAP ROOM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT HE WAS OK."
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STEVE "WILDMAN" MOORE-DEADLY COMBO OF BEING THE LOUDEST - AND FUNNIEST - POSSUM EVER.
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THE TRUE ATHLETES-DANNY BRASWELL, ROBERT PEAGLER, ED EVERETT, KEVIN BLALOCK, TOM WILSON, MARK SZYDLO, MIKE DULIN, RICK OOGEMA, SOUTH AFRICAN MICHAEL JORDAN AND MARTY BRADLEY.
"I WAS ATHLETIC BUT NOT IN THEIR CLASS MOST OF THE TIME."
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THE SMASHERS-TIM CHAMBERS, DOUG BROWN, BRIAN NIEKERK, METU KOROA, BGE, TYLER HUSKEY, BARRY LAIL, JOHN DAUGHERTY AND TODD LITTLE.
"I WAS NEVER IN THEIR CLASS. GOOD."
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THE BRAINIACS-MARTY BRADLEY ("30-SQUARE MILES OF CHICAGO SLUMS, AND HE CRANKS UP THE COUNTRY MUSIC. TOTALLY TOOK MY MIND OFF THE POKER GAME."), TOM WILSON: "WHAT'S A TWO-LETTER WORD FOR PERSONAL COMPUTER,?' WHAT'S A THREE-LETTER WORD FOR 'SNOW-RUNNER?'"
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DOUG BROWN-STUCK IN THE DARK PART OF WILMINGTON, N.C., AFTER GEORGE PAGE INEXPLICABLY JUMPED OUT OF THE VAN COMING BACK FROM THE PARTY, HE'S A COUPLE SPOTS AHEAD OF ME IN LINE AT A CONVENIENCE STORE. "AFTER SURVEYING THE FOLKS AROUND HIM, HE ASKS, 'SO, ANY OF YOU KNOW MICHAEL JORDAN?'"
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"I'LL GO GET THE BEER," DOUG BROWN SAYS AS WE READY TO LEAVE MURFREESBORO. MARTY BRADLEY, AWARE OF THE BRA ON DOUG'S HEAD AND THE THREE POLICE OFFICERS INSIDE THE STORE, WISELY TAKES DOUG'S PLACE. DOUG WAS LATER LEFT NAKED ON HIS PARENTS' FRONT PORCH WITH 30 DOOR-BELL RINGS AT 4 A.M.
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THE STONERS (INITIALS ONLY BECAUSE PARANOIA RULES): SC, FB, SS, PERRY (THE TIM RAINES OF RUGBY - NO DOUBT HAD A BOWL IN HIS SHORTS OR SOCKS,) PZ, TC, TW, PLUS A 'FEW' OTHERS.
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BUCK ROGERS, FRANK BARBER, SCOTT ADCOX, MIKE McSALLY, DAVE CHILDRESS, STEVE ROADS, BOBBY JARRETT, ROB BLACKMON, VAL REICH-BECAUSE.
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MY TOUGHEST OPPONENTS:
KEITH BURNETT, MTSU AND NASHVILLE-SMARTEST PLAYER ON THE PITCH - EVERY MATCH.
AJAX WILLIAMSON-CHATTANOOGA AND NASHVILLE-GREW FROM AN ATHLETE TO A VERY HEADY PLAYER - AND AN EAGLE.
MIKE CURTIS-HUNTSVILLE-SMARTEST, GUTSIEST SCRUMHALF, NOT ONLY IN THE MID-SOUTH, BUT THE MIDWEST RFU FOR A FEW YEARS. BELIEVE HE WAS THE FIRST MID-SOUTH EAGLE, THEN AJAX.
RON BOWERS-PLAYED AGAINST HIM FOR THE SECOND HALF AGAINST CHATTANOOGA -- AND HE TOOK OVER THE MATCH. HE SURE LOOKED FAMILIAR - SAW HIM THE WEEK BEFORE PLAYInG FOR THE MIDWEST RFU AT NASH BASH. NICE SUB, NOOGA.
DIXIE DEAN-JOHNSON CITY, NOVA, ATLANTIS, USA EAGLES-KICKED THE BALL IN HIS DIRECTION ONCE - NEVER AGAIN.
ANDY AND GRIZ-JOHNSON CITY-THEY EACH GOT A CLEAR SHOT AT ME ONCE - NEVER AGAIN.
ANY UT FLANKER.
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THE PRICKS:
BEARDED ASHEVILLE FLYHALF, BLACKSBURG FULLBACK, ALL YOU FUCKERS WHO HIT ME AFTER I KICKED OR PASSED THE BALL.
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CHRIS DULIN
ATHLETIC CHRIS DULIN FOLLOWED HIS BROTHER, MIKE, FROM THE UT PIPELINE TO PLAY FOR KNOXVILLE FOR SEVERAL SEASONS, SEEING SOME A SIDE TIME AT WING.
"CHRIS WAS A FUNNY GUY," SAID PAT DORWIN. "HE WAS WORKING AT A VET'S OFFICE ONE SUMMER AND TOLD ME HIS JOB PRIMARILY CONSISTED OF JACKING OFF DUCKS TO SEND THEIR SPERM TO A LAB. I STILL THINK HE MAY HAVE BEEN TELLING THE TRUTH."
IF YOU WENT TO ART REYNOLDS' HOUSE IN THE LATE 1990s, YOU SAW HIS DRIVEWAY HAD A STRIPED LINE RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
"CHRIS GOT OUT THE FIELD LINER AND THOUGHT THE PAINT WAS WATER SOLUBLE," DORWIN SAID. "IT WASN'T OF COURSE, BUT WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM A GUY WHO SPENT A SUMMMER MASTURBATING WATER FOWL?"
FULL NAME: CHRISTOPHER WATSON DULIN
POSSUM CAREER: 1996-1999
POSSUM NUMBER: 181
HEIGHT: 5-7
WEIGHT: 160
POSITIONS PLAYED: WING
PERSONAL QUOTATIONS: "GAME 7 OF THE NBA FINALS AND IT'S NOT EVEN ON T.V.," HE SAID WHILE FIDDLING WITH THE RADIO BUTTONS ON THE RETURN LEG FROM 7s IN DESTIN - AND A SIDE TRIP TO A FIELD FULL OF GRAIN-FED BEEF CATTLE....
MEMORABLE GAMES/SEASONS:
OTHER CLUBS: UT
MIKE DULIN
A SHIFTY RUNNER WHO WAS A DANGER FROM SCRUMHALF AND FLYHALF WITH HIS SPEED AND BOOT, MIKE DULIN JOINED THE POSSUMS AFTER A STANDOUT CAREER AT UT.
PLAYED BIGGER THAN HE WAS AND WASN'T AFRAID TO MIX IT UP WHEN OUTNUMBERED.
FULL NAME: MICHAEL STEVEN DULIN
POSSUM CAREER: 1992-1997
POSSUM NUMBER: 116
HEIGHT: 5-7
WEIGHT: 165
POSITIONS PLAYED: SCRUMHALF/FLYHALF
MEMORABLE GAMES/SEASONS: NAMED MOST VALUABLE NEW PLAYER-1992
OTHER CLUBS: UT
KRIS DYE
AT THE URGING OF HIS FRIEND, DOUG POWELL, KRIS DYE CAME OUT TO PLAY FOR THE POSSUMS AND MADE AN IMMEDIATE IMPRESSION WITH HIS SPEED AND HITTING ABILITY - NO SURPRISE CONSIDERING THE SOURCE.
BUT A PROMISING CAREER WAS CUT SHORT BY INJURY - DYE HAD ALREADY BROKEN EACH OF HIS COLLARBONES A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND RUGBY ONLY ADDED TO THAT COUNT.
THE POTENTIAL WAS THERE - UNFORTUNATELY THE HEALTH CUT HIS CAREER TOO SHORT.
FULL NAME: KRISTOPHER KROSS DYE
RUGBY NICKNAME: HOW ABOUT "SNAP!"
POSSUM CAREER: 1999-2001
POSSUM NUMBER: 110
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 224
POSITIONS PLAYED: FLANKER
BUT A PROMISING CAREER WAS CUT SHORT BY INJURY - DYE HAD ALREADY BROKEN EACH OF HIS COLLARBONES A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND RUGBY ONLY ADDED TO THAT COUNT.
THE POTENTIAL WAS THERE - UNFORTUNATELY THE HEALTH CUT HIS CAREER TOO SHORT.
FULL NAME: KRISTOPHER KROSS DYE
RUGBY NICKNAME: HOW ABOUT "SNAP!"
POSSUM CAREER: 1999-2001
POSSUM NUMBER: 110
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 224
POSITIONS PLAYED: FLANKER
LAINE DYESS
POSSUM CAREER: 1997
POSSUM NUMBER:188
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