WHY YOU LITTLE......................!!!!!

Next to "DOH!", and then, "The BOY DID IT!", my third favorite Homer Simpson 'saying' is "WHY YOU LTTLE!"... usually followed by him strangling Bart (hey, it's a cartoon) after he'd insulted Homer, or, had gotten into trouble.

Doak Walker.

Price of tea in China?

OK. I was sitting with ten or so buddies watching MU versus Arkansas in football last night. The Tigers, hooray hoorah Mizzou Mizzou, are really pretty darn good this year (10-2).. While sure, I might be a tad biased, the announcers too were praising Mizzou enroute to their 48-14 woodshed whooping of the Hogs. (What a night for a Hog roast.) <-- Sorry Nubert, I stole that from you.

So.............. several of their (MU) 'skill players' are up for National Awards given to the very best player in the Country at their specific position. These player of the year awards are named after some famous player at that position from years ago. Names like, Dick Butkus/Linebacker award.. Davey O'Brien/Quarterback, Fred Biletnikoff/Receiver... and..  Doak Walker/Running back.

The age range of us ten or so guys gathered watching the game..... 60 to 71 (the 71 being me.) So, as these announcers ran thru naming who on Mizzou was up for the specific awards,.. it came to MU's wunnerful running back who has been nominated for the Doak Walker Award.

"Bart Simpson" (my funny ha ha buddy 'Moody' who is only one year younger than I) stared purposely, slowly and completely around the table... his eyes finally came to me.. "Vic", inferring I'm really really old. "Tell us about Doak Walker"... which is akin to asking me "Was Babe Ruth a better hitter or pitcher",, or, "Show me how Bob Cousy shot free throws", or, "What did dinosaur dung really look like?"

WHY YOU LITTLE!  I got up, ran over, strangled Moody, cops came, arrested me. Well, not really. In giving right back to his smartassedness, I said "Doak's dad was an ever better player."

Victor?  Where you going with this?

I'm going to Wiki.  Or Google.  It's about all I do nowadays.  But first, one more quickie about my friend Moody.  I love ole Moody.  He's funny. Nice. The life of the party. One of those folks everyone loves. We were softball teammates for thirty years or so.  Every Spring, as certain as the first robin sighting, my phone would ring... Moody was calling.. "Vic, our first softball practice is gonna be (on such n such day at such n such time at such and such park.)  This happened year, after year, after year.

As my skills (what little I had) declined over the years (I went from outfield, to 1st base, to catcher, to backup catcher, to catcher only when we had ten people so I hadta, to bench-sitter, to mascot/cheerleader kinda, rah rah ("nice hit Ron)" guy. 

So....... a few years back... come April..  phone rang.. Yep, up popped Mr. Moody's name on caller ID. Remember him?  The Bart Simpson beloved smartass, nice, fun, funny guy who is only one year younger than me?  Yeah, him.  So I answered and asked, "Moody... let's be honest. What little skills I had have diminished even further.  I really thought this would be the year my phone wouldn't ring, and I wouldn't blame you."  'Bart' (Moody) replied "Vic, I could never do that, because if I did then I would be the oldest player on the team."

'

I get lost writing, sorry.  So, I went to Wiki, Goodle to ascertain just whointheheck Doak Walker was amd why is the 'best running back' award named after him.

Doak was a Senior in High School in Dallas, TX in 1944. Busy. He was busy. He lettered in not only football, but, basketball, baseball, swimming and track and field. Five, count 'em, five letter awards. He and teammate Bobby Layne (WOW, a future NFL star himself) would lead Highland Park HS to the state championship game.

1944 was all about WWII, so, Doak joined the Merchant Marines when he graduated.. and served until the War ended and he was discharged in November of 1945.  Two days later he played in his first college football game for SMU. Only got to play 5 games, but he was good. Quite good. Halfback, kicker.. Named to play in the East-West Shrine game... he even tossed a game tying touchdown pass there.

Then...

1945, war was over, but, inducted anyways.  Hup two three four, The United States Army came calling.  Served for one year, then, discharged. Back to SMU.

Once there again, he did a little bit of everything. Halfback. Receiver. Passer. Kicker. Punter. Punt returner. Kick returner. Defensive back (3 interceptions).  And, sang the National Anthem, played trombine in band at halftime, sold hot dogs after they finished, then, back out on the field for the second half.  The last sentence may be embellished a tad, but, you get the drift Moody? He did a little bitta everything.

All conference, All American, Maxwell award as soph., Heisman winner as a junior. So impactive he was at SMU, in Dallas, at the Cotton Bowl, they expanded it and it's nickname became "The House That Doak Built."

Sure, throw in NFL Rookie of the year, 5 Pro Bowls. League scoring leader, twice. Pride of the Lions. #37 retired. College Football Hall of Fame.  NFL Hall of Fame. Ya travel to SMU you can see a nifty statue of him just outside their stadium.

Shortly before Doak's passing in 1998, Sport's Illustrated writer Rick Reilly penned:

"He's Doak Walker, and he was as golden as golden gets. He had perfectly even, white teeth and a jaw as square as a deck of cards and a mop of brown hair that made girls bite their necklaces. He was so shifty you couldn't have tackled him in a phone booth, yet so humble that he wrote the Associated Press a thank-you note for naming him an All-American. Come to think of it, he was a three-time All-American, twice one of the Outstanding Players in the Cotton Bowl, a four-time All-Pro. He appeared on 47 covers, including Life, Look and Collier's. One time, Kyle Rote, another gridiron golden boy, saw a guy buying a football magazine at a newsstand. 'Don't buy that one,' Rote said. 'It's not official. It doesn't have a picture of Doak Walker on the cover.'"

WHY YOU LITTLE!!!!!!  That.  That Mr. Moody, is who Doak Walker was.

Paul Harvey, Good day.

Love, Victurd

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