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Title: Ran into John Ward before the game Post by: VinnieVOL on September 01, 2013, 05:26:21 EDT On the sidewalk going along the west outside of the stadium. There were really only about 4 or 5 people hanging around him, a couple getting photos with him. He still looks just as I remember him. I hated to pester him for a picture so I just shook his hand and said "thank you, John". I should've broke into the chorus of the Kenny Chesney song. :dcool: :bawl:
Title: Re: Ran into John Ward before the game Post by: VOLveeta on September 01, 2013, 06:02:02 EDT Gotta say, if I met him, I'd get a little emotional. He is truly my hero. I miss that voice so much.
Title: Re: Ran into John Ward before the game Post by: Creek Walker on September 01, 2013, 06:07:42 EDT I think I've told this story before, but I met him outside TBA before a basketball game one year. It was probably 20-30 minutes before the doors opened, and it was absolutely frigid outside. There were 30-40 people in line. I was taking my "little brother" from the Big Brothers Big Sisters program to his first game. John and his wife walked up. Nobody seemed to recognize him at first, and I went up and shook hands with him and introduced myself. We chatted for a minute, then some other folks started coming up and asking for autographs so I backed off and stayed out of the way. He took the time to ask each of them their name, where they were from, etc. Anyway, the one thing that struck me about that whole scenario was that here is a guy who was at one time the most popular man in UT athletics. He no doubt could have been given a VIP entrance to TBA. Yet there he stood in the freezing cold with us "common fans," waiting to go in and sit amongst us. He is just simply one of the greatest.
Title: Re: Ran into John Ward before the game Post by: VinnieVOL on September 01, 2013, 06:12:35 EDT I think I've told this story before, but I met him outside TBA before a basketball game one year. It was probably 20-30 minutes before the doors opened, and it was absolutely frigid outside. There were 30-40 people in line. I was taking my "little brother" from the Big Brothers Big Sisters program to his first game. John and his wife walked up. Nobody seemed to recognize him at first, and I went up and shook hands with him and introduced myself. We chatted for a minute, then some other folks started coming up and asking for autographs so I backed off and stayed out of the way. He took the time to ask each of them their name, where they were from, etc. Anyway, the one thing that struck me about that whole scenario was that here is a guy who was at one time the most popular man in UT athletics. He no doubt could have been given a VIP entrance to TBA. Yet there he stood in the freezing cold with us "common fans," waiting to go in and sit amongst us. He is just simply one of the greatest. He didn't have any kind of entourage today either, he kept looking down the road as if he was waiting on someone. But he still looked sharp, dress jacket and tie and all in that heat. What a man. Title: Re: Ran into John Ward before the game Post by: VOLveeta on September 01, 2013, 06:32:20 EDT Indeed, what a man. I miss him so much. I met him once when I was in school, just outside the Student's Center. He treated a lowly student like a dignitary. So kind, so respectful... a legend. DadGUM I miss that man's voice. That era of radio is over. John, Cawood Ledford, Larry Munson... I miss them.
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