Bleu Star
Bye Felicia!
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I was fortunate enough to attended a charity function in Pensacola honoring sports professionals that call Pensacola home. There are many! To name a few...
• Emmitt Smith (NFL): It doesn’t get any bigger than the Escambia High grad when it comes to the legends of Pensacola’s sports history. Smith owns all-time NFL career rushing records for yards (18,355) and touchdowns (164), is a three-time Super Bowl champion (1992, ’93, ’95), the only player selected NFL and Super Bowl MVP in the same season (1993), and a 2010 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
• Don Sutton (Baseball): Pensacola’s baseball history is as rich and storied as any sport, but there’s just one area player enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame — Sutton, a 1998 inductee. The Tate High grad is one of just 24 pitchers to win 300 games (324) and one of just 16 to reach 3,000 strikeouts (3,574) for a career. Sutton was a four-time All-Star selection (1972, ’73, ’75, ’77) and the 1977 Midsummer Classic MVP.
• Doug Baldwin (NFL): A member of the Seattle Seahawks, the Gulf Breeze High grad made a big splash in 2011 when he became the first undrafted player since the 1967 AFL-NFL common draft to lead his team in receptions (51) and receiving yards (788). To take it a step further, he was the first player since Bill Groman with the AFL Houston Texans in 1960 to accomplish the feat.
• Mike Johnson (NFL): The Pine Forest grad is entering his fourth season as an offensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons. In college, he won the 2009 BCS national championship at Alabama.
• Graham Gano (NFL): A member of the Carolina Panthers, Gano was the Lou Groza winner as the nation’s top kicker in 2008 at Florida State. The Tate High grad has made 68 of 91 career field goals and set the Washington Commanders’ franchise record with a 59-yarder in 2011.
• Domenik Hixon (NFL): Current member of the Carolina Panthers won Super Bowl championships with the New York Giants in 2007 and 2011. While not a native of Pensacola, Hixon currently resides in the area.
• Roy Jones Jr. (Boxing): One of the greatest names in Pensacola sports history, the Washington High grad has captured numerous world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. Considered at one point the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Jones was named “Fighter of the Decade” for the 1990s by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Owns a 56-8 career professional record with 40 knockouts.
• Eddie Mercer (Auto Racing): A lifetime Pensacola resident, one of the greatest names in Five Flags Speedway history owns a prestigious Snowball Derby title in 2005.
• Alfred Morris (NFL): A sixth-round draft pick out of Florida Atlantic by the Washington Commanders in 2012, the Pine Forest High grad set the NFL on its ear as a rookie. Helping lead the Commanders to their first division title since 1999, Morris shattered franchise records for rushing yards (1,613) and touchdowns by a rookie (13). The rushing yards were the third-most in NFL history by a rookie.
• Jerry Pate (Golf): An eight-time winner on the PGA Tour, the Pensacola resident set the bar for future generations in 1976 when, as a rookie, he captured the U.S. Open championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. Pate was named the PGA rookie of the year and co-player of the year in ’76. Now a famed golf course designer, Pate owns 16 professional wins.
• Trent Richardson (NFL): A two-time BCS national champion at Alabama, 2012 was a memorable year for the Escambia High grad. Richardson — a Heisman Trophy finalist for the Crimson Tide in 2011, a first for Pensacola — became the highest draft pick in area history after his No. 3 overall selection by the Cleveland Browns. He then promptly broke the franchise rookie records held by legendary Jim Brown after rushing for 950 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns.
• Fred Robbins (NFL): The Tate High grad retired prior to the 2012 season. Robbins — an All-Pro selection at defensive tackle in 2008 — won a Super Bowl in 2007 with the New York Giants. A second-round draft pick out of Wake Forest in 2000 by the Minnesota Vikings, Robbins finished his career with 358 tackles and 35.5 sacks in 180 games (148 starts) over 12 seasons.
• George Selvie (NFL): Currently a free agent, Selvie has played for four teams since being selected in the seventh round of the 2010 draft by the St. Louis Rams. The Pine Forest grad was a first-team All-American at defensive end in both 2007 and ’08 for South Florida.
• Josh Sitton (NFL): A fourth-round selection out of Central Florida by the Green Bay Packers in the 2008 draft, the Catholic High grad has developed into one of the NFL’s top offensive guards. Voted the league’s offensive lineman of the year by the NFL Alumni Association during the Packers’ 2010 Super Bowl title season, Sitton earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2012.
• Kay Stephenson (NFL): The Pensacola High great has a long background in football, which includes stops as a player with the University of Florida, San Diego and Buffalo of the AFL, and Jacksonville of the World Football League. During a coaching career that spanned 15 seasons, Stephenson’s most prominent position came as head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 1983-85.
All were in attendance or an amazing charity event and I was able to have a few brief moments with THE MAN! Here's a video. 15 seconds in your boy Bleu caps a brief conversation with a photo op. What a great moment that I will never forget.
• Emmitt Smith (NFL): It doesn’t get any bigger than the Escambia High grad when it comes to the legends of Pensacola’s sports history. Smith owns all-time NFL career rushing records for yards (18,355) and touchdowns (164), is a three-time Super Bowl champion (1992, ’93, ’95), the only player selected NFL and Super Bowl MVP in the same season (1993), and a 2010 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
• Don Sutton (Baseball): Pensacola’s baseball history is as rich and storied as any sport, but there’s just one area player enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame — Sutton, a 1998 inductee. The Tate High grad is one of just 24 pitchers to win 300 games (324) and one of just 16 to reach 3,000 strikeouts (3,574) for a career. Sutton was a four-time All-Star selection (1972, ’73, ’75, ’77) and the 1977 Midsummer Classic MVP.
• Doug Baldwin (NFL): A member of the Seattle Seahawks, the Gulf Breeze High grad made a big splash in 2011 when he became the first undrafted player since the 1967 AFL-NFL common draft to lead his team in receptions (51) and receiving yards (788). To take it a step further, he was the first player since Bill Groman with the AFL Houston Texans in 1960 to accomplish the feat.
• Mike Johnson (NFL): The Pine Forest grad is entering his fourth season as an offensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons. In college, he won the 2009 BCS national championship at Alabama.
• Graham Gano (NFL): A member of the Carolina Panthers, Gano was the Lou Groza winner as the nation’s top kicker in 2008 at Florida State. The Tate High grad has made 68 of 91 career field goals and set the Washington Commanders’ franchise record with a 59-yarder in 2011.
• Domenik Hixon (NFL): Current member of the Carolina Panthers won Super Bowl championships with the New York Giants in 2007 and 2011. While not a native of Pensacola, Hixon currently resides in the area.
• Roy Jones Jr. (Boxing): One of the greatest names in Pensacola sports history, the Washington High grad has captured numerous world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. Considered at one point the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Jones was named “Fighter of the Decade” for the 1990s by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Owns a 56-8 career professional record with 40 knockouts.
• Eddie Mercer (Auto Racing): A lifetime Pensacola resident, one of the greatest names in Five Flags Speedway history owns a prestigious Snowball Derby title in 2005.
• Alfred Morris (NFL): A sixth-round draft pick out of Florida Atlantic by the Washington Commanders in 2012, the Pine Forest High grad set the NFL on its ear as a rookie. Helping lead the Commanders to their first division title since 1999, Morris shattered franchise records for rushing yards (1,613) and touchdowns by a rookie (13). The rushing yards were the third-most in NFL history by a rookie.
• Jerry Pate (Golf): An eight-time winner on the PGA Tour, the Pensacola resident set the bar for future generations in 1976 when, as a rookie, he captured the U.S. Open championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. Pate was named the PGA rookie of the year and co-player of the year in ’76. Now a famed golf course designer, Pate owns 16 professional wins.
• Trent Richardson (NFL): A two-time BCS national champion at Alabama, 2012 was a memorable year for the Escambia High grad. Richardson — a Heisman Trophy finalist for the Crimson Tide in 2011, a first for Pensacola — became the highest draft pick in area history after his No. 3 overall selection by the Cleveland Browns. He then promptly broke the franchise rookie records held by legendary Jim Brown after rushing for 950 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns.
• Fred Robbins (NFL): The Tate High grad retired prior to the 2012 season. Robbins — an All-Pro selection at defensive tackle in 2008 — won a Super Bowl in 2007 with the New York Giants. A second-round draft pick out of Wake Forest in 2000 by the Minnesota Vikings, Robbins finished his career with 358 tackles and 35.5 sacks in 180 games (148 starts) over 12 seasons.
• George Selvie (NFL): Currently a free agent, Selvie has played for four teams since being selected in the seventh round of the 2010 draft by the St. Louis Rams. The Pine Forest grad was a first-team All-American at defensive end in both 2007 and ’08 for South Florida.
• Josh Sitton (NFL): A fourth-round selection out of Central Florida by the Green Bay Packers in the 2008 draft, the Catholic High grad has developed into one of the NFL’s top offensive guards. Voted the league’s offensive lineman of the year by the NFL Alumni Association during the Packers’ 2010 Super Bowl title season, Sitton earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2012.
• Kay Stephenson (NFL): The Pensacola High great has a long background in football, which includes stops as a player with the University of Florida, San Diego and Buffalo of the AFL, and Jacksonville of the World Football League. During a coaching career that spanned 15 seasons, Stephenson’s most prominent position came as head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 1983-85.
All were in attendance or an amazing charity event and I was able to have a few brief moments with THE MAN! Here's a video. 15 seconds in your boy Bleu caps a brief conversation with a photo op. What a great moment that I will never forget.
