The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Rain fails to dampen former Longhorns letterwinners
03.31.2007 | Football
Over 100 former Longhorns lettermen braved the elements Friday at the 10th annual Mike Campbell Letterwinners' Golf Tournament. The lettermen played through swampy turf for most of morning and afternoon in between stoppages from heavy rain and some lightning.
The poor golfing conditions failed to stop everyone involved from having a great time, however.
"To me, golf is secondary," noted Jerry Gray, former Texas defensive back and current secondary coach for the Washington Redskins. "The players are what bring you to this event. It's a great chance to get together and see your old teammates."
The golfing event at Circle C Golf Club provided decades of former Longhorns an opportunity to relax and mingle with fellow teammates, players from different eras, as well as the current coaching staff.
"It's a great to see a lot of the older guys that you played with and some of the guys that helped to set the tone for the University before you got here," Gray added.
Many of the other Letterwinners talked about the common bond they felt with everyone in attendance, no matter how many years separated their respective teams.
"We're all connected, and that's what part of going to Texas to play football is about," said former Longhorn and NFL veteran DB Lance Gunn. "The guys that played before you, having that kind of continuity brings everyone together."
That camaraderie was a major reason many of the lettermen cited for showing up despite the poor conditions.
"I look forward to this all year and it's just fun because we all have that one common bond of playing at Texas," said former Longhorn and Denver Broncos OL Dan Neil. "I really don't think there is one specific person that I'm really excited to see; rather, I think that it's more just the excitement of seeing the guys I played with and meeting new lettermen. That bond, playing at UT, is one thing that everyone here -- young, or old -- shares."
It was a point echoed by former Longhorn great, Tommy Nobis.
"This is really a place were the former players can bond and share some of the good times that we were able to experience," said Nobis. "We all have something in common, after standing out in the middle of the stadium and hearing 'The Eyes of Texas' played. That's a great experience and we've all been able to share it."
Former linebacker and recent College Football Hall of Fame inductee Roosevelt Leaks summed up the feelings of many of his colleagues.
"This event is everything that is special about being a Longhorn," described Leaks
All of those in attendance made the effort to praise Mack Brown and his staff for how welcoming they were to all of the former players.
"Coach Brown has fostered a great relationship with the older players," added Leaks. "He makes sure that we feel welcome to come back to The University and visit practice, that we're welcome to talk to everybody. That's a big part of this."
"This event just brings home the fact that Mack Brown has done a really good job of making [former letterman] comfortable about coming back and being involved in the program," Gunn followed. "He understands that we are all connected and this event really helps to drive in that connection year in and year out."
"This event is about the lettermen who have built the tradition at Texas," said Brown. "It's really a special thing to see them come together and share their experiences and memories."
Today was, after all, about the men that have played such an important role in building the foundation of this program - and there was no way that a little rain was going to ruin that.
QUOTES
Jerry Gray
On the event: Number one, it's a great to see a lot of the older guys that you played with and some of the guys that helped to set the tone for the University before you got here. Guys from all decades, from the 50's up through the guys that are just out of the program. You really don't get a chance to see a lot of these guys but when you have an event like this; it really gives you a great sense of camaraderie.
On the weather: To me, golf is secondary; the players are what bring you to this event because you know who is going to be here. I think if they took the golf out of the whole weekend ... you're still going to get a lot of guys to show up because they are out doing their own thing during the year and don't get the chance to get together and see their teammates. With Coach Mack Brown putting this on every year, it's great for me to be able to come back here and see the guys.
On the program: It keeps carrying on. You look back and see how Darrell K Royal did back in the 60's and how the team progressed through the years. Now, today with coach Brown, over the last nine years, he's done a tremendous job at with The University. To me, that's where the pride comes in. Even those guys that go on to the NFL will talk about where they went to college and how they're team is getting ready to play in a National Championship.
On the other players: When I was in high school, the program was led by guys like Johnny Lamb, Johnny Johnson, and William Graham, who I saw here today. When you are a young guy and you get to see those guys. It gives you a chance to talk a little bit about what you do, and you realize that your actions impact the legacy of Texas.
Lance Gunn
On the tournament: I think this is outstanding. Part of going to Texas is about the guys that played before you, we're all connected. Having that kind of continuity brings [an event like this] together. To be able to see guys like Jerry Gray and Jerry Sisemore, that played before me and then see the guys that came after I played, like Dan Neil, it's a great experience. It can't get any better for me, especially since I live almost right on the golf course here, so it takes me all of about five minutes to get here.
On the other players here: There is a connection between everyone here. I tell this to the younger guys here, the ones that are still playing. I tell them, "You may not know it now, but we're connected. Every time that I do something well it reflects well on you, every time you do something well it reflects well on me. And vice versa; if I go out and do something silly, people are going to talk about a player from The University of Texas. Being a football player from The University of Texas will stay with you until the day you die."
On what this means to the players that come back: This event just brings home the fact that Mack Brown has done a really good job of really making guys that have played here in the past comfortable about coming back and being involved in the program. Now, I think that guys that played in the 70's through the 90's feel comfortable about coming back and interacting with the team. There was a little bit of a barrier there before and Mack has wiped that all away. He understood that we are all connected and this event really helps to drive that connection year in and year out.
Dan Neil
On the tournament: Its fun to come back; I see some of the local players and coaches -- like Coach McWilliams more often, but it's nice to come back and see some of the guys that you've played with and haven't seen in years. It's a great tournament and I look forward to it every year. The best part is seeing some of the guys that you can't see as often as you'd like.
On whom he sees the most during the tournament: The first couple years they did this, I'd come for the afternoon round, since I lived out of state and I'd play with some of the younger guys. But, since I've moved to Austin, because of my schedule, I play the early round and I golf with some of the older guys I don't know as well. What I do see, from the old to the young is that everyone is involved in this thing. I think the guys really look forward to this.
On whom he's excited to see: I really don't think that there is one person that I'm really excited to see. I think that it's more just the excitement of seeing the guys I played with and meeting new Lettermen. Today, I just met a couple of guys that played after I did. It's just fun because we all have that one common bond of playing at Texas. That bond, playing at UT, is one thing that everyone here -- young, or old -- shares.
Tommy Nobis
On what this event means to the former players: It's really a place were the former players can bond and share past experiences and share what we're each doing today. Those things are important to your friends and just rehashing some of the good times that we were able to experience. It's nice that we are able to do this annually, thanks to The University of Texas. We all have something in common, after standing out in the middle of the stadium and hearing "The Eyes of Texas" playing. That's a very experience and we've all been able to experience that.
On meeting the younger players: There is something for us all here. Most of these guys here, I know about because I continue to follow the football team and this is a great opportunity to meet them one-on-one and sometimes really get to know about the individual.
On the weather: We were able to get about nine holes in today. It was a little wet though. We've got some more events planned for the week. We'll all get together to see the scrimmage tomorrow and we will have a barbeque Saturday night as well. There is enough going on so that the weather doesn't stop us from enjoying ourselves.
Roosevelt Leaks
On seeing all the old Longhorns teammates: This event is everything that is special about being a Longhorn. You come back here and see players that you played with and players that you've seen play before and after your own time here. It's an exciting time and we're here to have fun. We talk about old stories and players that you haven't seen in years. We catch up with everybody and see what everyone is up to.
On the current coaching staff's relationship with the lettermen: Coach Brown has fostered a great relationship with the older players and the coaching staff that he has here. He makes sure that we feel welcome to come back to The University and visit practice. We're welcome to talk to everybody. That's a big part of it.
On the golfing: We were able to get a couple of them in, but that's not what this event is about. It's about the camaraderie and see some of the guys that we have seen in a while, remember some of the things that happened to use while we were in school. Those were the good things. It's an exciting time for us.
