Page 70 - Cityview Jan-Feb 2017

PRYORITIES68JANUARY FEBRUARY 2017at South Bend in 1991 when the Vols overcame a 24 point de cit to beat Lou Holtz and Notre Dame. Who could ever forget that victory?Late in life, when the old baseball player’s knees were bad and his healthfailing, he asked me to try to arrange a way he could attend a practice session at U. T. Being acquainted with Coach Fulmer, I set it up so that Floyd could attend a practice. What was intended as a one-time pass became an everydayFloyd was a baseball player, an insurance adjuster, a politician, an entrepreneur,an entertainment manager, and my favorite uncle.visit. He got to know the coachesand sta around the U. T. football program, and I later discovered hewas not only attending practice every day, but palling around with ex-Vol player and coach Al Rotella. They were near the same age and sat together at practice, eating cookies, laughing at Floyd’s jokes, and talking of their life experiences. Floyd and Al became close friends. Al Rotella was unableto drive at that time, and even though Floyd probably should’ve had the same restriction, he would pick Al up and together they would buy cookies and go to practice. Without permission, they began to reward the tight ends with le over cookies a er practice.The linemen got jealous and wanted cookies too. The coaches took note and eventually everyone had cookies with Floyd and Al a er practice. Together, they became team mascots and a mutual adoption took place. Floyd was in Heaven.One day Uncle Floyd called to remind me that I was a member of Club LeConte atop the Plaza Tower in downtown Knoxville. He asked if I could set up a luncheon for ten or so people, and I said,Floyd as a Su olk, VA Goober