11-22-2024 TLSN Newsletter 25 Volume VIII
TALK ABOUT OUTDATED INFORMATION
Many of the comments regarding NCAA compliance violations were highlighted in a Bleacher Report article. What was once considered “major” violations have become acceptable practices with the introduction of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rights? If NIL had been in place in the 1980s, SMU would likely not have received the death penalty; instead, it would have been celebrated for its futuristic vision that offered strong financial support for the players.
What were once considered “major” violations have become acceptable practices with the introduction of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rights.Dirtiest Conferences pre-NIL:
1. Big 12- 39 football-related major violations
2. SEC- (Surely Everyone’s Cheating) 32 football-related major violations
3.Pac-10- 26 football-related major violations
4. Big 10- 19 football-related major violations
5. ACC- 17 football-related major violations
Note: Big East was next with 9.
Walk-on Michael Taaffe
Michael Taaffe, a defensive back for the Texas Longhorns, was named the Burlsworth Trophy Walk-On of the Week for his standout performance against Vanderbilt. In the Longhorns’ 27-24 win, Taaffe made six tackles, forced a fumble, and grabbed his first interception of the year.
Texas Walk-on Michael Taaffe
Arkansas walk-on Brandon Burlsworth
In 2010 a trophy was named after Brandon Burlsworth, an All-American football player from the University of Arkansas who began his career as a walk-on. Michael Taaffe will be considered for this honor. Here is the link to Brandon’s movie https://youtu.be/gfmygLVJETU . The University of Texas should also honor the best walk-on from a pool of players every 3rd year. If there had been such an award in 1968, Stan Mauldin or Tom Campbell would have received the Longhorn rendition of the Brandon Burlsworth trophy.
Harrison Stafford’s long list of credentials earned at Texas should be considered for the trophy name. His link is at 1930-1932 Harrison Stafford – Texas Legacy Support Network The Assistant coach, Shorty Alderson, reported to head coach Clyde Littlefield, “Clyde, I found you the darndest football player you ever saw. He tore up a couple of dummies and hurt a couple of men. He says his name is Harrison Stafford.” He was known for crushing blocks and devastating tackles. Walk-on Harrison Stafford is in the College Hall of Fame because he excelled as a runner, blocker, and tackler. Harrison was All-Southwest Conference three times, Named to several All-America teams, and he was Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The link to Harrison’s site is https://texaslsn.org/19301932-harrison-stafford/
A Quote Worth Understanding
College athletes who are deeply focused on being the best in their sport often lose sight of more important aspects of their college experience. College should be a time to broaden one’s horizons rather than limit oneself to a single interest. Athletes who explore various interests outside of their sport are more likely to lead fulfilling lives after graduation. The unnamed author, who is consumed by excelling in golf, ultimately realizes that his drive to excel in the sport is shallow reasoning. He finally understands the flaw in his logic when he says , “I hated to disappoint anyone, so I practiced until my hands would bleed. I loathed failure. It seemed that everyone viewed me as more special when I succeeded. I didn’t realize it then, but I had traded the unconditional love of my dog for a life of conditional acceptance based on my golf score.”
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THE UNLIKELY FOOTBALL PIONEER
by Larry Carlson for https://texaslsn.org
Don’t tell me you don’t remember Ivan Putski. He was all over your ’60s and ’70s TV “set,” back when you had rabbit ears or tin foil to get three channels. He was a rough, tough “wrassler” in the mold of Fritz Von Erich, Wahoo McDaniel, Pepper Gomez and Johnny Valentine.
So in what way could Ivan Putski — who went on become a WWE Hall of Fame inductee –possibly be connected to the History of Longhorn Sports? Glad you asked.
It was 67 years ago this fall that a Longhorn football player pioneered soccer style kicking in America. Yep, a rugged dude named Fred Bednarski etched his name in the archives during Darrell Royal’s first season as boss of the Horns. He gave Texas an early 3-0 lead against tenth-ranked Arkansas in Fayetteville, hitting the pigskin with his instep. The 40-yard field goal was heartily thumped from a very foreign 45-degree angle. Texas went on to win, 17-0.Fred Bednarski Bednarski and his family had survived a Nazi labor camp before making their way to America. Young Fred learned to play football and fared well at Travis High in Austin. Then he made history at Texas while also toiling as a backup fullback and linebacker for the Horns. He graduated from UT and had a very long and successful career as a small business owner. In a story written by Steve Wiener, DKR was quoted as very fondly remembering Bednarski. “Fred was bright, intense, always smiling and totally committed in everything he did,” Royal said.
When this phot was taken John Henderson
was the oldest living Longhorn athlete. Fred is to the right. 
Ivan Putski
So now, the week Texas resumes its conference rivalry with Arkansas after one-third of a century “off,” it’s fitting to salute Bednarski, who died last spring at the age of 87. He was a trendsetter ahead of his time. The Longhorns would not have another “soccer-style” kicker until John Goodson succeeded All-American Russell Erxleben more than two decades later. The Horns have never again had a placekicker who didn’t hit ’em with the instep.
Oh, yeah, the Ivan Putski connection. Fred’s little brother, Joe, a great admirer of his older sibling, is now 83 and resides in Austin. Like his idol, Joe would also play college ball, lettering three years and starring at fullback for Southwest Texas, now Texas State. But he really made a name for himself in another sport. And that name was Ivan Putski.
“The Kicker” The Greatest Story of triumph in Longhorn Sports History. Here is the link to Fred’s story https://texaslsn.org/jon-dasilva-the-fred-bednarski-story/ (TLSN’s Larry Carlson is a member of the Football Writers Association of America. He teaches sports media at Texas State University and lives in San Antonio.) The link to Fred’s story and more is at https://texaslsn.org/the-unlikely-football-pioneer/
MARIO “MIKE” DE LA FUENTE is the first citizen of Mexico inducted into the HOH. Mike De La Fuente overcame discrimination to become the first Hispanic to receive a scholarship to play baseball at Texas. On September 7, 1927, Mike De La Fuente was turned down for room and board because of his nationality. De La Fuente moved in with the janitor, and when he reported to baseball practice on the freshman team, the coach assumed he was a batboy and not a pitcher.
Mike worked his way through school, earning $1 each time he prepared the infield for practice and games. On the days he pitched, Disch would do Mike’s work for him.
Mike De La Fuente lost the game against the Aggies, whose taunts about his nationality hurt his pitching performance, and Disch finally had to pull him from the game.
Ernie Koy led the team in hitting .324, and De La Fuente led in pitching 7-1.
Van Lamm and Minton White were Co-Captains. Link to Mike De La Fuente and more is at:
https://texaslsn.org/1927-mike-de-la-fuente/
