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Big hits beget big honor for McCartney
Defender's career extended from UT to O.J Simpson
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Looking back over a college and pro football career that spanned the 1970s, Ron McCartney says he operated by a proactive philosophy.
"I always believed in making stuff happen,'' he recalled with a chuckle.
A defensive end for Tennessee and a linebacker in a short NFL career, McCartney made enough stuff happen to merit induction in the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame on July 17.
For example, did you know McCartney made Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson retire?
"I was the last guy to tackle O.J. Simpson before the L.A. County police,'' McCartney said.
"We played 'em in Atlanta. I hit him in the third quarter and he fumbled. He figured out if slow white guys like me could catch him it was time to retire.''
At UT, he was known for a 1974 hit when the Vols played Kentucky in Neyland Stadium with a Liberty Bowl bid on the line.
Mike Fanuzzi, Kentucky's dangerous option quarterback, never saw the blind-side lick McCartney put on him that knocked him out.
Fanuzzi watched the rest of the game from the sideline through a fog of cobwebs. Tennessee won 24-7, beat Maryland in the Liberty Bowl and finished 7-3-2.
"People seem to remember that one,'' McCartney said. "That was a big game for us. (Coach Bill) Battle was kind of struggling and Kentucky was pretty good.''
McCartney's career at UT (1972-75) spanned a gradual decline in fortunes during the Battle era. McCartney started three years, won All-SEC honors and was a captain in 1975.
He was drafted by the Rams, did a year on the taxi squad, then played three seasons for the Falcons before his body encouraged him to make a less-violent living.
He came back to Knoxville and raised a family that includes daughter Staley, a Lady Vols diver, and son Grant, who plays for UT's rugby club.
His family has grown by one important member since his playing days - his father.
Growing up in Charleston, W.Va., McCartney never knew his dad. As an adult, curiosity led to a 1992 meeting.
"All my life I was looking for a father and he was looking for the son he never had,'' McCartney said.
"I'm proud that he'll be at the Hall of Fame (induction). It'll be his first chance to see what my life has been like the last 35 years.''
It's a life that encountered plenty of football's famous names.
The link from Charleston to UT was assistant coach George Cafego, a West Virginia native. But first McCartney had to go to Morgantown and tell the coach - Bobby Bowden - he wouldn't be a Mountaineer.
"I asked him could he guarantee he'd coach me throughout my career,'' McCartney said, "and Coach Bowden said, 'Son, I can't guarantee I'll coach you tomorrow.'
"I immediately got in the car, drove to Knoxville and told Coach Cafego I'd play for Tennessee.''
On that drive he got wind of a future teammate:
"The interstate wasn't done so we had to go over Norris Dam. Right when we went across the dam WIVK started playing (the song) 'Go Holloway!' They were talking about a guy who had never played a game.''
When Condredge Holloway played his first game that fall, 1972, McCartney knew he had a special teammate. Larry Seivers, Andy Spiva and Stanley Morgan were pretty good teammates as well.
By '75, Holloway was gone. When Morgan got hurt, the Vols were in trouble and lost to North Texas State and Vanderbilt.
"Stanley was the key to our whole offense,'' McCartney said. "When he ain't on the field, it's like shooting a gun that doesn't have any bullets.
"We held North Texas to 152 yards and still lost the game.''
McCartney, 53, still bleeds orange and is active in the Letterman's Club. The relationships and the traditions mean more to him than the hits or wins or losses.
"That's what Tennessee football is all about,'' he said, "Coach Cafego giving us that speech before the Vanderbilt games.
"We can't let old stuff slip away. That's what got Tennessee football where it is.''
Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by tngeoff on June 28, 2008 at 10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ron McCartney was a GREAT Tennessee player. He has been overlooked by many poaters as an all time great. Great guy too.
"That's what Tennessee football is all about,'' he said, "Coach Cafego giving us that speech before the Vanderbilt games.
Amen!
Posted by FWBVol on June 28, 2008 at 10:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratdulations Ron on a well-deserved honor. UT's West Virginia connection has always been strong and you did us proud.
Great column Mike.
Posted by wheatbarley on June 28, 2008 at 10:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Geoff,
Ron McCartney is one of the all time Vol greats. If any of y'all play golf and want to see other former Vols, I encourage you to look into playing the Johnny Majors Invitational in Crossville the weekend of July 12-13. Coach Majors will be there along with former teammates and players. It benefits children on the plateau who are left parentless due to meth abuse. It's worth the trip just to listen to Bobby Denton rag on Coach Majors!
Posted by tngeoff on June 28, 2008 at 10:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
wheatbarley.
Thanks for the heads up. My schedule is crazy, but that would be worthwhile. I haven't seen Ron McCartney since he coached the Tennessee Lakers to a last second victory (disputed)over my Intramural Football Team in the University playoffs a million years ago. Rodney Woods was the referee. I'd love to see Coach Majors again and love to meet you if I can make it. I missed the Varsity Letterman's picnic the last couple of years and miss seeing all those guys too. Traveling can wreak havoc sometimes. Anyway, thanks again Bro'.
Posted by hueypilot on June 29, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That lick on Fanuzzi is still vivid in my mind. I could remember it wrong but I think Fanuzzi was a southpaw and the right offensive side was his blind side. He setup in the pocket and didn't move. McCartney came free and the reason it was such a devastating hit is that everybody in the stadium could see it coming for two or three seconds , that is everyone except for Fanuzzi. A good clean hit and Fanuzzi went down so fast he couldn't fumble. I think the ball rolled out harmlessly after he was down. It is still to this day, the hardest hit I have seen at Neyland.
Posted by tngeoff on June 29, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hueypilot.
That WAS a great hit. I'll never forget it either.
Posted by orangebloodgmc on June 29, 2008 at 8:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Guys, even I was at that game. Somehow there were 2 Kentucky gals sitting right behind me and early in the game were yelling shrilly and incessantly "Go Fa-nu-zi! Go Fa-nu-zi!" Then, wham! And it was my turn to yell for the McCartney freight train, and they were pretty quiet the rest of the game.
Posted by volboy81 on June 30, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great article! I remember McCartney when I was little, listening to John Ward describe UT games on the radio. Ron was always one of my dad's favorite players. Its good to see deserving people honored!
Posted by tngeoff on July 2, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm pretty surprised this article didn't more posts. Ron McCartney was a GREAT player and an HONORABLE guy. Soeone Tennessee should be very proud to Honor. Hopefully further Honors come along as well. He deserves it!
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