Southern Sports Legends southernlegends

Bailey Howell is a College & NBA basketball legend.  In the late 1950s he averaged 27.1 Pts. per game and 17 Rebounds a game at Mississippi State University.  He was the #2 overall pick in the 1959 NBA draft.  Bailey played 12 seasons in the NBA, was a 6-time NBA All-Star and won 2 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in 1968 & 1969.
 
In this 2007 interview, former Mississippi State Head Basketball Coach Richard Williams walks down memory lane with the great Bailey Howell.

Jeff Sheppard enjoyed a magical college basketball career as a Kentucky Wildcat, 1993-1998.  As a 6'3" shooting guard, Jeff was a part of 3 Final-4s at UK, and 2 NCAA Championships in 1996 & 1998.  And the climax of his career was being named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1998 Final-4 his senior season.  What a way to wrap up a college career!
 
So in this 2009 interview, Jeff relives loads of memories of his basketball career at Kentucky, and tells some great stories about playing for 2 outstanding coaches, Rick Pittino and Tubby Smith. Hope you enjoy.

Coach David Cutcliffe is currently the successful Head Football Coach at Duke University.  He's also been a head coach at the University of Mississippi and a long-time Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach at the University of Tennessee.
 
Through the years Coach Cut has developed a reputation for developing standout Quarterbacks.  He's coached the likes of the Manning brothers, Peyton at Tennessee and Eli at Ole Miss.  In fact many of his former college QBs have gone on to NFL success.
 
In this archived conversation from 2006, Coach Cut, who was the O.C. at Tennessee at the time, discussed his philosophy & approach to developing quarterbacks.  It's a great "inside-the-game" coaching conversation with one of the best in college football.  We also visited with his UT quarterback at the time, Erik Ainge, to get his take on what he had learned from Coach Cut and what it takes to be a college QB. Enjoy this football conversation with Coach David Cutcliffe.

George Rogers was one of the best running backs in the history of college football. He won the 1980 Heisman Trophy at the University of South Carolina.  Then became the NFL's #1 overall draft pick in 1981, chosen by the New Orleans Saints. As an NFL rookie in 1981, he led the league in Rushing and was the Offensive Rookie of the Year.  George had a great NFL career with the Saints and Washington Redskins, winning a Super Bowl with the Skins in 1987.
 
In 2007 while on a pre-season football tour around the SEC, we sat down with George for a fun conversation and walk down memory lane.  I emphasize fun because George was hilarious, telling story after story about his playing days.  Enjoy this 2007 archive interview from our Southern Sports Legends vault with George Rogers

In 2007 we sat down with one of the SEC's legendary quarterbacks, Auburn's Pat Sullivan.  Pat played at Auburn 1969-71.  He was a 2-Time All-American and won the 1971 Heisman Trophy.  After a 5-year NFL career, Pat enjoyed success in private business for a few years, but finally followed his heart and got into coaching.  He was first an assistant at Auburn, then became a very successful head coach at TCU & then Samford in his hometown of Birmingham Alabama.
 
So because of his tremendous success as a player and coach, Pat Sullivan is truly a Southern Sports Legend, although his own humility would not allow him to think that.  And what you also need to know is that Pat Sullivan was one of the genuinely GOOD guys in the sports world.  He's well-known because of football, but away from the game, Pat was highly respected, well-liked, a good family man, and carried himself with tremendous class.
 
Pat fought a long, up and down battle with cancer and unfortunately passed away in December of 2019.  When we recorded this interview in 2007 at Samford, Pat had rebounded somewhat in his cancer fight and was in a good spot in life and career.  It was truly a pleasure to spend some time with him, have some laughs, and relive some great memories.  So this is our tribute to one of the GOOD guys in sports, a true Southern Sports LEGEND, Pat Sullivan.