Even though there are a multitude of famous Arkansans dead or alive right now, Brandon Burlsworth went from a lost cause in the football world to one of the most renowned walk-on’s in college history. Childhood On September 20, 1976, the Burlsworth couple gave birth to Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth. He was born in Harrison, Arkansas. His parents were Mike and Barbara Burlsworth and he had an older brother named Marty. He went to Harrison Elementary School. Nothing major really happened to Burlsworth when he was a child. Young adulthood When Burlsworth got older, he went to high school at Harrison High School. It was said by a former classmate and teammate of Burlsworth that he didn’t really get to play football that much when he was a sophomore. His classmate described him as “big and gangly”, and “not very coordinated.” After this though, when Burlsworth was a senior, his football career was turned around completely. He improved immensely as an offensive guard, and was very productive his senior year. He didn’t have any big achievements in high school, but had an award in his honor given to high schoolers today for best character. Burlsworth didn’t have a job in high school. He mostly played football, studied for school, and went to church. One big event in his life as a young adult was when his brother got him listed on the “preferred” walk-on list for the Arkansas Razorbacks (The life and still-impactful legacy of Brandon Burlsworth). Adulthood …show more content…
He had a girlfriend when he was in college. After he got drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, that was going to become his profession. While he was still with the Hogs, he was an all-american in 1998, a 2 time first team all SEC in 1997-98, he had his jersey retired, and is now in the Arkansas Razorbacks’ Hall of
Remember that boy in high school that was the star of the basketball team? He still holds most of the records for the team. He scored more points than anyone else in the school’s history. He never studied much because he was an athlete. His basketball skills were going to take him places. But high school ended and there are no more games to be played. Where is that former all-star now? In his poem “Ex-Basketball Player,” John Updike examines the life of a former high school basketball star. Flick Webb was a local hero, and he loved basketball. He never studied much in school or learned a trade because he was a talented athlete. Now years later, the only job Flick can find is working at the local gas station. He used to be a star, but now he just “sells gas, checks oil, and changes flats” (19-20). The purpose of Updike’s poem is to convince the reader that athletes should also focus on getting a good education.
African-American players are often negatively affected due to the prevalence of racism in the town. Ivory Christian, for instance, is a born-again Christian with aspirations to be a famous evangelist, but he is unable to pursue his dream due to his commitment to the football team. Because of this, the townspeople have unrealistic expectations of him and assume that he will put all his time and energy into football. Furthermore, there is a greater pressure on him to succeed...
Is High School football a sport, or is it more than that to some people? I’ve learned that the book is more sociological, which means that it focused on our human society of racial issues and also emphasizes the economy and the divide between the wealthy residents of one city versus the more working-class denizens of another are all subjects that are given an in-depth examination. This is more of the main or focal point of the whole book and in not so much in the movie. Although Bissinger's story is a true-life recounting of the 1988 football season of the Permian High School team, it reads like fiction and even though I believe his book is superior, the theatrical adaptation still stands apart as one of the great football movies ever to see in theaters. In the movie it was that team unit that was most significant in the development of the tale. Almost 80 – 90% of the book is in the film but there still are some differentiated contrasts found in the book in comparison to the movie. It has the intensity and the realism that kids were and are and also captures the...
Tom Landry was born in Mission, Texas (Moritz 270). Landry really excelled in football at the high school level, attaining the prestigious honors of being selected as an “all-regional fullback” (Moritz 270). As most high school football stars do, Landry went on and “enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin” (cemetery.state). Although Landry seemed to do as every other great high school star had done, his college experience had a twist to it. “After a semester at the University of Texas, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and, as a co-pilot of a B-17 bomber in World War II, eventually flew thirty missions over German occupied Europe and survived one crash landing” (Whittingham 83). After his experience in the military, “he returned to the University of Texas and resumed his football career” (Whittingham 84). Landry’s success in football seemed to pick up where it had left off, as “he made the All-Southwest Conference second team” (Moritz 270) as a junior, and “was cocaptain of the University of Texas team” (Moritz 270) his senior year. Landry’s success in college football was clear, and showed...
...orts. He set firsts for some things and re-iterated others. He is still a very large contributing influence in the football world today. He is currently a NFL analyzer. He is very smart and knowledgeable. But he didn't get to where he is now without struggle. Power and fame almost ruined him. Yet he was able to bounce back and use his experience to learn from and shape his future and create a positive outcome. He made it positive not only for himself but for others as well. He set his goals and was determined. One thing
If Brooks wants to inspire adolescent boys it essential for Brooks to select a successful person. No boy is inspired by a second string football player or a tennis player who consistently loses in the semifinals. No boy goes to a b...
Freddie Steinmark was an average kid out of Boulder, Colorado who would become more than your average kid. Freddie Joe Steinmark was born on January 27th, 1949 in Denver, Colorado (Branda). Freddie was the son of Fred Gene and Gloria (marchetti) Steinmark. His father was a professional baseball player (Branda). Freddies early life was just as normal as everyone else.
Dolph Briscoe, Jr., was born on April 23, 1923 in Uvalde, Texas, he was the only child of Dolph and Georgie Briscoe. The Briscoe’s family has a strong background in Texas history and politics; their ancestor Andrew Briscoe signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, and led a company of volunteers in the battle of San Jacinto, and was appointed the first judge of Harris County by Sam Houston. Dolph Briscoe, Jr. graduated and met his wife, Betty Jane Slaughter, from the University of Texas at Austin in 1942. After graduating Briscoe served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Briscoe, Jr. was attracted to politics at an early age due to his father friendship with Gov. Ross Sterling. Briscoe, Jr., at the age on nine was invited to stay at Governor’s Mansion in Austin Texas, and to sleep in Sam Houston’s bed. Once Briscoe slept in his Houston’s bed he knew one day he would go back to
Zach was born on December 8, 1995 in Blackfoot, Idaho. He was raised near all of his extended family making for “great times with great people” and “a fantastic childhood with unforgettable memories.” Zach graduated from Blackfoot High School where he was a successful student and baseball player.
He was born in Palestine, Texas to the parentage of Clyde Burette Woodard and Marye Regina (McClung) Woodard at 9:45 AM at the Palestine Sanatarium. His parents lived in Elkhart, Texas where his father was the owner and operator of Woodard Cleaners and his mother, Bubbie, as he called her, was the owner and operator of a beauty shop.
The oldest of five children, Lewis became a football star in High School at Kathleen High. During High School, Lewis was a standout wrestler and football player, who overcame his smaller size at the linebacker position with a fierce intensity and unmatched instincts. During his four years the school he led his squads to a list of state and city titles in football and wrestling.
Coach Herman Boone is the main African-American character in this film. He is a football coach who is brought in by the newly diversified T.C. Williams High School as a form of affirmative action. This character struggles throughout the movie with dealing with the prejudices of his players, of other football coaches, of parents, and even of the school board who hired him in order to try to create a winning football team. Another key black character is Julius Campbell. He plays a linebacker who ends up becoming best friends with a white linebacker on the team. He, too, struggles with prejudices from some of his teammates and people in the town because of the new desegregation of the team. The remaining black players on the T.C. Williams High School had very similar roles in the film. Petey Jones, Jerry Williams (quarterback), and Blue Stanton all are shown facing racial inequality by players, citizens, and even other football coaches. The attitudes of ...
As Miller and Wilson revealed, athleticism is not always analogous with success. Willy regarded Biff highly because he observed Biff’s presence and athleticism, and he believed these qualities would result in immediate success. Today many parents associate sports with success and therefore pressure their children to excel in sports. In today’s society it is very rare that fears of discrimination would cause children to not pursue a lucrative career in sports. Both Miller and Wilson knew the impact of sports on family dynamics, and how sports have evolved from a leisure time activity to a full-time commitment. Clearly, many of the qualitative aspects of sports--competition, teamwork and physical dexterity can contribute to being a success in almost any career.
Even though Madden is still available and you can play as your favorite players there, not all of your favorite players from college go pro. Some really great college players couldn’t make the cut at the professional level. Johnny Manziel is a great example of this. He was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Browns. It looked like he was going to be the starter and maybe even the franchise quarterback, until he started getting in trouble. He was arrested after his rookie season on a domestic violence charge and became an alcoholic. He was later checked into rehab the next summer for alcohol abuse. He is no longer in the madden games today. Another great college player that is no longer in Madden is Tim Tebow. Like Manziel, Tebow was drafted in the first round, but it was soon apparent that Tebow wouldn’t make it as an NFL quarterback because of his style of play. He was more of a scrambler and not a traditional
The development of my identity emerged from my ability to play the sport of football. Football shaped me into how I behave, speak, move, and how I view life as a whole. However, I didn’t grow up around football, but I grew up around sports.