Sunday, November 21, 2010
30th ANNIVERSARY ALL-TIME TEAMS
PROP-TYLER HUSKEY
HOOKER-RYAN MILLER
PROP-PAUL CURETON
LOCK-BUCK ROGERS
LOCK-BRIAN NIEKERK
FLANKER-ART REYNOLDS
FLANKER-JOHN DAUGHERTY
#8-BRIAN NIEKERK
SCRUMHALF-MARK SZYDLO
FLYHALF-MARTY BRADLEY
WING-PAT DORWIN
INSIDE CENTER-TODD LITTLE
OUTSIDE CENTER-ED EVERETT
WING-FRANK BENNETT
FULLBACK-TOM WILSON
UTILITY-JAMES ELLIS
*BRIAN NIEKERK ONLY PLAYER CHOSEN FOR TWO A SIDE POSITIONS
**ED EVERETT AND PAT DORWIN ONLY PLAYERS CHOSEN FOR A AND B SIDES
B SIDE
PROP-BOB HAMPSTEAD
HOOKER-TOM JALLO
PROP-JAMES ELLIS
LOCK-STEVE CERNE
LOCK-DAVE CHRISTOPHER
FLANKER-STEVE LINK, SCOTT ADCOX (TIE)
FLANKER-DOUG POWELL
#8-MATT NOSS
SCRUMHALF-MIKE WELDON
FLYHALF-ED EVERETT
WING-STEVE CUNNINGHAM
INSIDE CENTER-MIKE GARMAN
OUTSIDE CENTER-DANNY BRASWELL
WING-KEVIN BLALOCK
FULLBACK-PAT DORWIN
UTILITY-STEVE CUNNINGHAM, OSCAR DOSTER (TIE)
C SIDE
PROP-BILL McARTHUR
HOOKER-
PROP-SCOTT SANDMAN
LOCK-
LOCK-
FLANKER-
FLANKER-
#8-WAYNE CHERMELY
SCRUMHALF-VAL REICH
FLYHALF-JOSH HOLT, ROBERT PEAGLER
WING-
INSIDE CENTER-MIKE GARMAN
OUTSIDE CENTER-DON CLARDY
WING-
FULLBACK-
UTILITY-
Sunday, November 14, 2010
COMPOSITE ALL-TIME POSSUM TEAMS
POINTS BASED ON 10 POINTS FOR ALL-TIME (1980-2010) A SIDE; 7 POINTS FOR B SIDE
5 POINTS FOR DECADE ALL-TIME A SIDE, 3 POINTS FOR B SIDE
7 POINTS FOR MORE THAN ONE DECADE ALL-TIME A SIDE, 5 POINTS FOR B SIDE
3 POINTS FOR MULTI-POSITION LISTS NOT SPLIT INTO 1ST AND 2ND 15s, I.,E. LISTS THAT INCLUDE FIVE PROPS, FOUR LOCKS, THREE HOOKERS .... THREE FLYHALVES, TWO FULLBACKS OVER ANY TIME PERIOD.
THERE WERE 21 TOTAL BALLOTS. .
POINT TOTAL LISTED FIRST/TOTAL NUMBER OF BALLOTS CHOSEN ON LISTED SECOND.
PROPS
TYLER HUSKEY 86/14
PAUL CURETON 68/11
BOB HAMPSTEAD 58/9
JAMES ELLIS 20/3
BILL McARTHUR 16/4
SCOTT SANDMAN 16/4
HOOKER
RYAN MILLER 56/14
TOM JALLO 38/6
LOCKS
BUCK ROGERS 59/11
BRIAN NIEKERK 33/6
STEVE CERNE 33/7
DAVE CHRISTOPHER 25/5
FLANKERS
ART REYNOLDS 43/6
JOHN DAUGHERTY 38/9
DOUG POWELL 35/7
SCOTT ADCOX 24/4
STEVE LINK 24/4
#8
BRIAN NIEKERK 45/9
MATT NOSS 37/6
WAYNE CHERMELY 23/3
SCRUMHALF
MARK SZYDLO 40/7
MIKE WELDON 31/5
VAL REICH 15/3
FLYHALF
MARTY BRADLEY 55/10
ED EVERETT 26/6
JOSH HOLT 23/3
ROBERT PEAGLER 16/4
PAT DORWIN 5/1
WINGS
FRANK BENNETT 62/11
PAT DORWIN 48/9
STEVE CUNNINGHAM 38/9
KEVIN BLALOCK 28/5
INSIDE CENTER
TODD LITTLE 35/7
MIKE GARMAN 21/3
BARRY LAIL 18/4
ERIC JOHNSON 16/3
OUTSIDE CENTER
ED EVERETT 29/6
DANNY BRASWELL 24/4
DON CLARDY 23/5
FULLBACK
TOM WILSON 56/9
PAT DORWIN 26/6
UTILITY
JAMES ELLIS 12/4
STEVE CUNNINGHAM 9/3
OSCAR DOSTER 9/3
TOTAL POINTS/BALLOTS
-------------------------------------
TYLER HUSKEY 86/14
PAUL CURETON 61/11
BOB HAMPSTEAD 58/9
TOM JALLO 48/8
RYAN MILLER 56/12
OSCAR DOSTER 43/10
JOSH HOLT 26/5
MARK SZYDLO 49/10
MARTY BRADLEY 55/10
ED EVERETT 55/12
PAT DORWIN 79/16
STEVE CUNNINGHAM 62/14
FRANK BENNETT 62/11
BRIAN NIEKERK 78/15
JOHN DAUGHERTY 47/12
DOUG POWELL 49/11
ART REYNOLDS 43/6
MIKE WELDON 34/6
TODD LITTLE 43/9
Monday, November 8, 2010
ALL-TIME POSSUM TEAMS
3-POINTS FOR TWO-DECADE C SIDE
VOTER-SCOTT ADCOX
1980-2010 (10)
"DREAM TEAM"
PROP-PAUL CURETON
HOOKER-TOM JALLO
PROP-TYLER HUSKEY
LOCK-STEVE CERNE
LOCK-ANDY CHIMENTI
FLANKER-MIKE SCHNEIDER
FLANKER-JOHN DAUGHERTY
#8-WAYNE CHERMELY
SCRUMHALF-MARK SZYDLO
FLYHALF-JOSH HOLT
WING-FRANK BENNETT
INSIDE CENTER-TODD LITTLE
OUTSIDE CENTER-ED EVERETT
WING-KEVIN BLALOCK
FULLBACK-TOM WILSON
VOTER-SCOTT ADCOX
1990-1999 (3)
PROP-TYLER HUSKEY, BILL McCARTHUR, PAUL CURETON, SCOTT SANDMAN, TIM CHAMBERS
HOOKER-RYAN MILLER, SHAWN VAN DYKE, OSCAR DOSTER
LOCK-BRIAN NIEKERK, STEVE CERNE, ERIC BOOTH, BUCK ROGERS
FLANKER-JOHN DAUGHERTY, DOUG POWELL
EIGHTMAN-BRIAN NIEKERK, JOHN DAUGHERTY, DOUG POWELL
SCRUMHALF-MARK SZYDLO, PHIL HOPSON
FLYHALF-ED EVERETT, GREG BROYLES, MARTY BRADLEY
WING-PAT DORWIN, FRANK BENNETT, STEVE CUNNINGHAM, KEVIN BLALOCK, METU KOROA
INSIDE CENTER-TODD LITTLE
OUTSIDE CENTER-ED EVERETT, DON CLARDY
FULLBACK-PAT DORWIN, MARK SZYDLO, TOM WILSON
UTILITY-STEVE CUNNINGHAM, OSCAR DOSTER, JAMES ELLIS
VOTER-MARTY BRADLEY1980-2000
A SIDE (7)
PROP-TYLER HUSKEY
HOOKER-JOHN GRAHAM
PROP-BOB HAMPSTEAD
LOCK-BUCK ROGERS
LOCK-STEVE ROADS
FLANKER-STEVE LINK
FLANKER-ART REYNOLDS
#8-BRIAN NIEKERK
SCRUMHALF-VAL REICH
FLYHALF-MARTY BRADLEY
WING-PAT DORWIN
INSIDE CENTER-MIKE GARMAN
OUTSIDE CENTER-DANNY BRASWELL
WING-STEVE CUNNINGHAM
FULLBACK-TOM WILSON
B SIDE (5)
PROP-DOUG BROWN
HOOKER-FRANK BARBER
PROP-PAUL CURETON
LOCK-ADAM ASHCRAFT-
LOCK-DAVE CHRISTOPHER
FLANKER-OSCAR DOSTER
FLANKER-MIKE JORDAN
#8-RICK OEGEMA
SCRUMHALF-BOB BROWDER
FLYHALF-ROBERT PEAGLER
WING-MARK ALTOONIAN
INSIDE CENTER-BARRY LAIL
OUTSIDE CENTER-TODD LITTLE
WING-FRANK BENNETT
FULLBACK-JERRY GODFREY
1990-1999 (3)
1, 3-TYLER HUSKEY, BILL McCARTHUR, PAUL CURETON, SCOTT SANDMAN
2-RYAN MILLER, SHAWN VAN DYKE, OSCAR DOSTER
4, 5-BRIAN NIEKERK, STEVE CERNE, ERIC BOOTH, BUCK ROGERS
6, 7-JOHN DAUGHERTY, DOUG POWELL
8-BRIAN NIEKERK, JOHN DAUGHERTY, DOUG POWELL
9-MARK SZYDLO, PHIL HOPSON
10-ED EVERETT, GREG BROYLES, MARTY BRADLEY
11, 14-PAT DORWIN, FRANK BENNETT, STEVE CUNNINGHAM, KEVIN BLALOCK, METU KOROA
15-PAT DORWIN, MARK SZYDLO, TOM WILSON
UTILITY-STEVE CUNNINGHAM, OSCAR DOSTER, JAMES ELLIS
VOTER-ANDREW CHIMENTI
1980-2010
"DREAM TEAM"
A SIDE (10)
1, 3-BOB HAMPSTEAD, TYLER HUSKEY
2-TOM JALLO
4, 5-JAY McNABB, ANDREW CHIMENTI
6, 7-MIKE SCHNEIDER, COREY CASON
8-WAYNE CHERMELEY
9-MIKE WELDON
10-JOSH HOLT
11, 14-OSCAR DOSTER, ROB WALLACE
12-MATT ABENATHY
13-ADAM INGLE
15-LUCAS ROGERS
B SIDE (7)
1, 3-JAMES ELLIS, TOM JALLO
2-RYAN MILLER
4, 5-BUCK ROGERS, DALE THAYER
6, 7-SCOTT ADCOX, RORY KNUTSON
8-MATT NOSS
9-RICK JAMES
10-TONY BAKER
11, 14-JAMES ELLIS, MIKE FELICIANO
2-ANDY KLAEHN
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
IN MEMORIAM
RICHARD SEXTON
JOHN GRAHAM
PHIL GRAVES
IAN LOOPE
RICK OEGEMA 1959-2012
STEVE ROADS
DESTRY YOUNG
Saturday, October 30, 2010
THE NUMBERS
1980
LOOKING AT THESE PLAYERS, NOW, END OF JANUARY 2012, MAKES ME REALIZE HOW FORTUNATE I WAS TO PLAY WITH SUCH A DIVERSE GROUP OF ATHLETES.
I HAD HOPED MANY OF YOU WOULD COMPLETE YOUR BIOGRAPHY - NOT JUST THE BASICS - BUT THE TRUE STORIES ON AND OFF THE PITCH THAT MAKE RUGBY WHAT IT IS: THE BEST SPORT EVER, AT LEAST FROM THE MID-1850s TO NOW, UNLESS OF COURSE YOU WANT TO INCLUDE STAYING ALIVE AS A SPORT FROM SAY, THE DAWN OF TIME UNTIL, OH, 1975.
THE BIOGRAPHIES ARE MOSTLY GUESSWORK UNFORTUNATELY.
THE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY MUCH GUESSTIMATIONS, TOO, THAT COULD LEAVE A PLAYER THAT STARTED IN THE LATE 1990s AND/OR EARLY TO MID-80s AND RETURNED TO THE TEAM A FEW YEARS MISNUMBERED AS I PLAYED FROM 1986-2000 AND NO DOUBT MISSED MANY FROM THE BEGINNING AND LATER YEARS, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A SEPARATE BLOG FOR 2001 TO CURRENT PLAYERS BUT I DOUBT ANYONE HAS STEPPED UP TO BE CARETAKER.
1-BOB HAMPSTEAD--CLUB FOUNDER
2-MATT KING--CLUB FOUNDER
3-MICHAEL MILLER--CLUB FOUNDER
4-BOB BOGEN--CLUB FOUNDER
5-HARRY VESS--CLUB FOUNDER
6-TROY BURKLOW--CLUB FOUNDER
7-JACK McCONNELL--CLUB FOUNDER
8-PAUL HAMPSTEAD--CLUB FOUNDER
9-BRENT WILLIE--CLUB FOUNDER
10-ANTHONY COOPER
11-RON BOWLING
12-VAL REICH
13-JACK LAIL
14-JIMMY RICHARDSON
15-DENNIS CARMICHAEL
16-JOEY CARMICHAEL
17-PETE CHARLETON
18-BOB NELSON
19-STEVE MOORE
20-MIKE GRAHAM
21-TIM CHAMBERS
22-HOWARD WATSON
23-STEVE AHILEEN
24-BUTCH ROBERTSON
25-MIKE HAMPSTEAD
26-RICHARD SEXTON
27-ART REYNOLDS
28-ROBERT PEAGLER
29-FRANK COSTELLO
30-DOUG BROWN
31-JIM MURRAY
32-BUBBA RALL
33-FRANK BARBER
34-BARRY LAIL
35-MIKE GERARD
36-JERRY GODFREY
37-WALT MONTGOMERY
1982
38-JIM HIMELESKI
39-DANNY BRASWELL
40-GREG WENDT
41-DEAN MENKE
42-MARCUS MORTON
43-JIM WATSON
45-BUCK ROGERS
46-STEVE CUNNINGHAM
47-KEN WOLFE
1985
48-KEN KAMPER
1986
49-BIG BOB
1987
51-ROBERT BURNETT
52-WALLY BURNETT
53-MARK CLENDENEN
54-DAVE COOPER
55-OSCAR DOSTER
56-RICK OEGEMA
57-PERRY HOFFMAN
58-TOM SUTLIFF
59-STEVE ROADS
60-PAUL ZAWAL
61-MARTY BRADLEY
62-STEVE LINK
63-MARK ALTOONIAN
64-DAVE CHRISTOPHER
65-JACK GEIBIG
66-MIKE JORDAN
67-JOE TRIBENDIS
68-GEORGE KRIEPS
69-BRIAN NIEKERK
70-BARRY RICE
71-TOM WILSON
72-BOB BALL
73-JON PRIODE
74-BOB BROWDER
75-CHIP BUDDE
76-KEVIN CURRIE
77-BOBBY JARRETT
78-DOUG POWELL
79-ANDY KLAEHN
80-JOHN GRAHAM
81-ADAM ASHCRAFT
82-GARY PLEMONS
83-JOHN SHAW
84-TOM KRESSLY
85-MIKE VINTON
86-REX WOLFE
87-MIKE WARD
88-TOMMY BECKLER
89-FRANK BEACHAM
90-STEVE CERNE
91-ROBERT EVANS
92-MIKE GARMAN
93-JACK HEAD
94-BARRY MARTIN
95-BRIAN PAYNE
96-MIKE PULLIN
97-STEVE RAINES
98-WAYNE CRAVENS
99-SCOTT SANDMAN
100-PHIL GRAVES
101-HARRISON AMBROSE
102-PAT BISESE
103-ROB CAMERON
104-FRED DAVIS
105-DON HENNESSEY
106-JOHN McCORD
107-JAY MULLIGAN
108-MARTIN ROBINETTE
109-TOM STEWART
110-KRIS DYE
111-FRANK BENNETT
112-BRENT BLAND
113-KEVIN BLALOCK
114-CRAIG CONNASTER
115-JOHN DAUGHERTY
116-MIKE DULIN
117-JOHN EMERY
118-MIKE FISHER
119-GREGG GIDDISH
120-JAY HAWKINS
121-JOHN HOLLIDAY
122-BARRY MARTIN
123-BILL CADDLE
124-WAYNE SCHACHER
125-LAWRENCE JONES
126-J.K. KAUMOFF
127-CHRIS MOTT
128-GARY PATTERSON
129-MIKE PIERCE
130-GARY SALANSKY
131-BARRY SHURRETT
132-JEFF SULLIVAN
133-JOHN PARRIS
134-SCOTT CALDWELL
135-PHIL GRAVES
1993
136-DAVE ARMSTRONG
138-BOB FRISCIA
139-DAVID GUNN
140-KARL HOFFMAN
141-PHIL HOPSON
142-BRIAN JOHNSON
143-MIKE WELDON
144-DESTRY YOUNG
145-GEORGE BALAS
146-GREG BROYLES
147-ANDY CLEARY
148-ED EVERETT
149-RICHARD HOLLAND
150-TYLER HUSKEY
151-PHIL McGLAMERY
152-MIKE McSALLY
153-RYAN MILLER
154-JODY MUNIZ
155-TIM RUSCH
156, 157-SOUTH AFRICAN TWINS
158-PERRY DEMPSEY
159-RICKY BLAIR
160-DON CLARDY
161-PAUL CURETON
162-DAVID FOY
163-CAM GARRETT
164-DAVE HOLLAND
165-BRIAN POSTON
166-BRENDAN SCANLAN
167-JOHN SHAFTO
168-MARK SZYDLO
169-SZYDLO'S DAD
170-PHIL THIELKE
171-DAN TOMBLIN
172-DAVID FOY
173-SCOTT ADCOX
174-ERIC BOOTH
175-LYNDON DAILEY
176-JOE BRANDT
177-PETE CAPELL
178-PETE'S FRIEND
179-SKINNY WING
180-JON DAVIES
181-CHRIS DULIN
182-GLYNN HARTWELL
183-MARK HILSENROTH
184-VINCENT JARDRET
185-GREG SALANSKY
186-JIM TARWATER
187-ROB BLACKMON
188-LAINE DYESS
189-EUGENE MUSLIN
190-METU KOROA
191-LEE BARTLETT
192-ERIC JOHNSON
193-RON SILVER
194-SCOTT SPITLER
195-SHAWN VAN DYKE
196-MARTIN SMITH
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
KNOXVILLE BY THE NUMBERS
WHEN I STARTED THIS BLOG IN SUMMER 2009, MY GOAL WAS TO GATHER ALL THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO HAD PLAYED AT LEAST ONE SPRING OR FALL SEASON WITH THE POSSUMS.
MY GOAL STARTED SIMPLE ENOUGH: FIND OUT THE YEAR A PERSON STARTED, AND GIVE THEM AN OFFICIAL POSSUM NUMBER. THEN I WANTED CURRENT AND FORMER POSSUMS TO SUPPLY MORE THAN THAT BASIC INFO: I WANTED A SYNOPSIS OF THEIR CAREERS AND TO WRITE STUFF ABOUT THEIR TEAMMATES WELL.
THAT NEVER REALLY HAPPENED. GOOD LUCK IF ANYONE EVER WANTS TO TRY THAT AGAIN. THE BLOG IS http://www.possumsrugby.blogspot.com/
IN REGARD TO GIVING POSSUMS AN OFFICIAL NUMBER, I TRIED USING A SCALE, TRYING TO BALANCE THE UPS AND DOWNS MOST CLUBS FACE IN RECRUITING NEW AND/OR EXPERIENCED PLAYERS.
IT IS BASED ON www.allblacks.com/ WHERE EACH NEW CAP IS ALL-BLACK NUMBER 124, 550, 928 ... ETC. UNDERNEATH THE HEADER "THE TEAM" YOU CAN FIND "PLAYERS PAST/PRESENT' WITH A BIO ON EACH PLAYER, SORT OF WHAT I HAD IN MIND FOR THE BLOGS, WITH EACH PLAYER WRITING HIS OWN BIO AND COMMENTING ABOUT TEAMMATES.
DIDN'T HAPPEN. TOO FEW ACTUALLY SUPPLIED MUCH ACTUAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFO, SO MUCH OF IT IS GUESSWORK - WITH PERHAPS A BIT OF FICTION THROWN IN.
OF COURSE, WITH A LOT OF EARLY DATA MISSING, THERE WILL BE PLAYERS NOT LISTED IN THE BLOG, SO THERE WILL BE GAPS IN THE OFFICIAL POSSUM NUMBERS.
THOSE FROM 1980-1999, WHO I ORIGINALLY DIDN'T INCLUDE, ARE RESERVED NUMBERS 197-250 TO GIVE ME ROOM TO ADD ON PLAYERS. SORRY, I AM NOT GOING BACK TO RE-NUMBER PLAYERS ANYTIME SOON, IT'S A PAIN. MY NUMBERS WENT FROM 43, 42, 44, 43, 48, 49, 51, 50, 49 AND BACK TO 50, WHERE I WILL STAY. NOT HISTORICALLY CORRECT, BUT TOUGH SHIT. JUST CALL ME "FITTY."
ALTHOUGH MOST EVERYBODY IN THE BLOG HAS BEEN GIVEN A NUMBER, I ADVISE CURRENT AND FUTURE OFFICERS TO WAIT UNTIL A NEW PLAYER FULLY FINISHES (BARRING INJURY) A SPRING OR FALL SEASON. THE BLOG IS www.possumsrugby2010.blogspot.com/
I SUGGEST THE FIRST PLAYER WHO JOINS THE TEAM FOR SPRING 2011 AND COMPLETES THE SEASON WILL BE POSSUM NO. 400, THE SECOND IS NO. 401 ... ETC. I TRUST THERE IS ONE CAPABLE SOUL OF COMPLETING THIS TASK EACH SEASON AND UPDATING FUTURE BLOGS. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR POSSUMS NUMBERED 241 TO 399 TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR FROM 2000 TO 2010.
HAVING A PLAYER PLAY A FULL SPRING OR FALL SEASON - OR AN EQUAL NUMBER OF MATCHES OVER A FEW YEARS - LEAVES THE BLOG UNCLUTTERED WITH GUEST PLAYERS, SUCH AS NASHVILLE'S MARCUS "AJAX" WILLIAMSON, WHO FILLED IN AT OUTSIDE CENTER FOR THE POSSUMS IN THE EARLY 1990s IN KNOXVILLE'S SECOND SATURDAY GAME AGAINST BLACKSBURG IN THE DOGWOOD TOURNEY.
WOULD I LIKE TO LIST HIM AS A POSSUM? YOU BET.
HE SCORED SIX TRIES THAT MATCH - LIKELY A KNOXVILLE SINGLE-MATCH RECORD FOR 15s. (TOM WILSON SCORED FOUR IN A 62-3 ROUT OVER GRAND RAPIDS IN THE NASH BASH AND RICH HOLLAND ARGUABLY HAD THE MOST STUNNING POSSUM DEBUT EVER - SCORING FOUR FIRST-HALF TRIES IN AN 88-0 ROMP OVER TENNESSEE TECH.)
KEVIN BLALOCK ALSO SCORED FOUR TRIES IN HIS INITIAL GAME FOR THE POSSUMS, ALTHOUGH IT WAS OVER A FULL MATCH, BUT AGAINST A BETTER TEAM THAN TTU.
"HELL, I COULD HAVE HAD EIGHT TRIES, BUT THEY STOPPED PASSING TO ME," HOLLAND SAID.
WHILE AJAX LATER BECAME A ONE-TIME USA EAGLE, HOLLAND'S REWARD WAS GETTING BENCHED AT HALFTIME. BUT AT LEAST RICH MAKES THE BLOG. "THE SUPER FANS," WAYNE SCHACHER AND BILL CADDLE, WERE ALSO GIVEN OFFICIAL POSSUM NUMBERS FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY IN WATCHING MOST POSSUM HOME MATCHES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AS WELL AS TRAVELING AT TIMES. MARK SYZDLO'S DAD NEEDS A NUMBER TOO, HE SHOWED UP OUT OF THE BLUE AT A NUMBER OF AWAY MATCHES.
THE LIST ALSO TRIES TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN BETTER RELATIONS WERE FOSTERED BETWEEN KNOXVILLE AND UT, WITH THE POSSUMS GAINING AN UPSURGE IN PLAYERS. LONGTIME UT COACH BUTCH ROBERTSON WAS GIVEN A PLACE WITH THE POSSUMS' FIRST-SEASON SQUAD.
THE YEAR-BY-YEAR LIST I STARTED WITH WENT SOMETHING LIKE 1980 (PLAYERS NUMBERS 1-19), 1981 (20-27), 1982 (28-33) ... ETC.
IT WAS A GOOD BASIC STARTING
POINT, BUT I HAD TO RESTART AND GO FROM EVERYBODY'S FIRST YEAR AS A POSSUM AND NUMBER YOU FROM THERE ... AND SINCE I DON'T KNOW WHEN MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY STARTED PLAYING FOR KNOXVILLE THE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE OFF.
I ENDED UP WITH 196 PLAYERS FROM 1980 T0 1999. SO FAR, I HAVE ADDED A COUPLE I SAW AT THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY AND ANOTHER I FORGOT. THEY START AT NO. 197.
THE NEWER PLAYERS ARE LISTED IN THE 2000-2010 BLOG.
ALSO, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TEAM PHOTOS TO GO BY, SO I AM SURE TO HAVE MISSED A FEW OTHER PLAYERS.
FIX THEM LATER? YES, BUT ONLY AFTER WE GET AS MANY POSSUMS ACCOUNTED AS WE CAN.
THANKS.
PAT DORWIN, 1986-2000, POSSUM NO. 50
Thursday, October 21, 2010
BLOG HISTORY
FIRST OF ALL, THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO GREATLY HELPED WITH THIS BLOG SINCE IT STARTED IN JUNE 2009.
IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, I APPRECIATE THE HELP I RECEIVED FROM:
SCOTT ADCOX.
AND THAT'S ABOUT IT, ALTHOUGH BOB HAMPSTEAD AND BUCK ROGERS CAME THROUGH IN THE 78TH MINUTE OF THE MATCH WITH SOME LATE HELP.
PRETTY LAME SHOWING BY ALMOST EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO BASICALLY ALL YOUR FULL NAMES, YEARS PLAYED, OFFICIAL POSSUM NUMBER, HEIGHT, WEIGHT, AND POSITIONS PLAYED ARE GUESSWORK, BECAUSE ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF YOU DIDN'T DO MUCH OF ANYTHING.
HOPED TO WRITE MORE ABOUT SOME FOLKS, THAT WILL HAVE TO WAIT. AS I WRITE THIS, IT'S TWO DAYS BEFORE OUR DINNER AT CALHOUN'S AND I AM OVER IT.
THE POSSUM NUMBER YOU HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED IS NOW YOURS TO KEEP IF YOU PLAYED FROM 1980 TO 1999. BASICALLY, IT'S LIKE HOW THE ALL-BLACKS NUMBER THEIR NEW PLAYERS - NEW CAPS BECOME ALL-BLACK NO. 1224, 1225 ...ETC.
IT'S PRETTY COOL - CHECK IT OUT ON ALLBLACKS.COM WHERE YOU CAN FIND AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THOSE WHO WERE EVER ALL-BLACKS AND PLENTY OF BIOLOGICAL INFO, SOMETHING I HOPED THESE BLOGS COULD BE.
SO THANKS, SCOTT, WHO HELPED A BUNCH, AND BOB AND BUCK, AND THE FEW OTHERS OF YOU WHO MADE YOUR MINIMUM CONTRIBUTIONS.
OH, AND THANKS FOR CONTRIBUTING TO MY CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE CHARGE OF ASSIGNING FUTURE POSSUMS A NUMBER, STARTING AT NO. 400 FOR THE SPRING 2012 SEASON. I SUGGEST AN OFFICER NOTE NEW POSSUM PLAYERS AND IF THEY STICK OUT THE SEASON, THEY GET A NUMBER.
HAVE THERE BEEN AROUND 240 "OFFICIAL POSSUMS" OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS? WHO KNOWS? BUT THESE BLOGS AND NEW PLAYERS WILL HELP US WITH A TIMELINE WHERE WE CAN EVENTUALLY GET CLOSE.
SOMEONE WILL ALSO HAVE TO STEP UP AND COMPLETE THE 2000-2010 BLOG SO WE CAN GET AT LEAST A LIST OF THOSE GUYS WHO PLAYED FOR THE POSSUMS THEN. ASKING PEOPLE TO SPEND 20 MINUTES FILLING OUT THEIR OWN BIOGRAPHIES AND ADD THOUGHTS ABOUT TEAMMATES PROVED TOO MUCH TO ASK.
DO WE WANT TO INCLUDE "HONORARY POSSUMS" IN OUR NUMBERING SYSTEM? I HAVE INCLUDED MIKE VINTON AS AN OFFICIAL POSSUM ALTHOUGH HE NEVER PLAYED A FULL SEASON - BUT HE PLAYED THE EQUIVALENT OF A COUPLE FULL SEASONS WHEN IN THE AREA TO VISIT BRIAN NIEKERK.
I INCLUDED BUTCH ROBERTSON, UT'S LONG-TIME COACH, WITH THE 1980 POSSUMS. DON'T KNOW IF HE EVER PLAYED FOR KNOXVILLE, BUT CERTAINLY HE SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
GUESS I WAS LUCKY TO PLAY SOMEWHAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIRST 30 YEARS OF THE POSSUMS - AND THAT MY MEMORY IS SOMEWHAT DECENT. YOU'LL GET SICK OF SEEING QOUTES BY ME, BUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO ACTUALLY TOOK TIME TO DO IT - I MADE A FEW UP FROM TYLER HUSKEY - BUT THE ONES FROM RYAN MILLER ARE REAL BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION.
WHEN I GOT STUCK ON SOMETHING, I ADDED TO MY BIO, THAT'S WHY IT'S SO FREAKING LONG, BUT IT IS THE KIND OF INFO I WAS LOOKING FOR FROM THE REST OF YOU.
PAT DORWIN, KNOXVILLE, 1986-2000