Photo below taken during the TLSN Legends Golf Classic . L to R - Coach Bethea, David Denny, Jim Kay, David Lowery, Kirk Dressendorfer , Scott Bethea

mW1dbiD_zDk

Over the past four years, Lawrence Sampleton has hosted four Longhorn reunion parties. While the first three events were mostly attended by Akers football players, the 2025 gathering welcomed a broader group of former Longhorn student-athletes. Alumni from baseball, basketball, tennis, and track joined in, bringing incredible energy to getting this "Party Started."

Attached is a link to the photos from the four reunion parties. Many are not assigned names , just numbers. If any of you would like to email me the names in the numbered photos, feel free to do so.

I am Billydale1@gmail.com

Here is the link to all the photos.

https://texaslsn.org/lawrence-sampleton-lets-get-this-party-started/

Below is a sampling of party photoa

2019- Doug Shankle, Diane and Coach Akers

Mrs. Coach Aker's and her "girls" ( wives of the players)

2025 Lawrence party Ray Woodard and Brad Shearer

Lawrence Sampleton, Mike Chapman, Erick Holle, Mike Babb, John Haines

Mrs. Coach Akers and her Longhorn football team

Two Super Fans - one just suffered a heart attack and the other has passed away.

Super Fan Scott Wilson

Scott Wilson

Scott Wilson’s devotion to Texas football is unmatched. Since 1977, he’s attended over 550 consecutive games, never missing a moment—home or away, pandemic or not. His streak began with Earl Campbell and carried through Vince Young’s championship run, the Sugar Bowl, and countless tailgates.

On October 3, 2025, Wilson collapsed at the Jacksonville Airport. Quick-thinking medical staff performed CPR and rushed him into surgery. Fans from Austin to Gainesville flooded social media with prayers, memories, and tributes.

Scott is a former Longhorn Band member (1969–72), who is now known for tailgating in his iconic ’75 orange-and-white Cadillac DeVille with horns on the hood. Below is the link to Scott's profile.

https://texaslsn.org/longhorn-fan-scott-wilson/

https://texaslsn.org/?give_forms=givewp-donation-form-2

Super Fan Wesley Allen passed away several years ago, but his memory lives on among fans as the embodiment of the Longhorns' iconic burnt orange spirit.

Known for his unwavering loyalty, infectious enthusiasm, and genuine love for the Longhorns, Wesley became a beloved figure among coaches, players, administrators, and fellow fans.

Upon his passing, the UT Tower went dark in his honor—a symbolic gesture reserved for those who deeply impact the university community.
Tributes poured in from fans and friends, many of whom never met Wesley in person but followed his journey online. His battle with cancer and his enduring optimism inspired countless others.

A link to Wesley's influence on the Longhorn Nation as a fan is in the link below..

https://texaslsn.org/longhorn-fans-wesley-allen/

Did the transition from leather to hard-shell helmets in football foster a false sense of security among athletes and coaches, encouraging the belief that their heads could be used as a battering ram?

Billy Dale says, "one alarming finding in research of the history of Longhorn sports is that with the advent of hard-shell helmets, players began to lead more often with their heads for tackling, blocking, and running."

As we all know now, this practice has caused serious neurological issues for those who play contact sports. Even hitting a soccer ball with a head shot is suspect now.

While hard-shell helmets effectively reduced external head injuries, they failed to protect the brain from trauma upon impact.

Fortunately, many of these issues have been tackled with improved helmet designs that absorb more impact than older models, reducing the risk of brain injuries. There's also an increased emphasis on using shoulder pads for contact instead of helmets whenever possible, along with strict new rules and penalties for head-to-head collisions.

1912 Texas Aggie scientific test on new helmet design (sense of humor intended)

The ravages of CTE stage 4 are shown in the lower two brain depictions. A normal brain is at the top.

Many Longhorn football players, including some of my closest friends and childhood heroes, have sadly passed away due to neurological disorders. CTE is the leading brain-related cause of death for football players, but it’s also possible that contact sports have also contributed to the early mental decline from conditions such as Parkinson's, Dementia, and Alzheimer's.

Maybe my statement isn’t entirely accurate, as I’m not sure if there’s scientific evidence linking mental decline in non-CTE neurological disorders among football players. Still, my heart tells me that contact sports have contributed to many players suffering from devastating mental decline, leaving their families as care givers to endure the pain of watching a loved one suffer. Just last month, a teammate told me he has Parkinson’s, and another teammate’s wife shared that her husband is now in a vegetative state at a Medicaid facility.

TLSN has documented the profound impact of neurological disorders on Longhorn football players and their families over the past 50 years, particularly during the 1960s through the 1980s.

Here are a few TLSN links of former Longhorn student-athletes chronicled in detail by media outlets who have passed away with a Neurological disorder.

https://texaslsn.org/cte-research/

https://texaslsn.org/cte-la-times-article/

https://texaslsn.org/trilogy-part-ii-1940-to-present/

https://texaslsn.org/nontexas-cte-stories/

https://texaslsn.org/concussions/

https://texaslsn.org/cock-roaches-helmets-a-trilogy-1-snead-dronett-cte-and-a-study/

https://texaslsn.org/trilogy-plus-1-dkr-study/

https://texaslsn.org/trilogy-partone-1895-1939/

https://texaslsn.org/ken-ehrig-dkr-research-heart-memories-julius-whittier-moore-hill-hall/

The causes of Parkinson's, Dementia, and Alzheimer's are not fully understood by medical professionals, which limits the available treatments. More research is essential to uncover the mechanisms underlying neurological disorders, and the state of Texas in the future is well-positioned to lead with research.

Texas is making a breakthrough move in the fight against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia, and related disorders with the passage of Senate Bill 5 (SB-5). This landmark legislation establishes the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT) — a state-funded initiative aimed at accelerating research, supporting prevention efforts.

On Tuesday, October 28, Alzheimer’s Texas, the Darrell K Royal Research Fund, and the Texas Healthy Brain Initiative present the second of three installments of the Leading the Conversation Series on brain health. The sold-out event will feature NFL Hall of Fame member Mike Singletary and renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Hunt Batjer, who will speak to community leaders, caregivers and advocates about brain health, prevention and the future of dementia research.

Senate Bill 5 and Senate Joint Resolution 3

Pave the Way for Dementia Research

$3 billion in initial funding, plus $300 million annually for grants to universities, research institutions, and private partners.

Texas stands out as the only state to establish a permanent, state-funded institute with guaranteed long-term funding on such a large scale. It's paving the way for governments to take bold and sustained action against neurodegenerative disorders.

This model will ensure that researchers won’t face the uncertainty of year-to-year funding cycles, allowing them to pursue ambitious, long-term projects with the potential to transform prevention, treatment, and care.

Signed into law immediately after passing both chambers of the Texas Legislature with overwhelming majorities, showing the urgency and broad support behind this initiative.

Here are a few former Longhorn student athletes chronicled in detail by media outlets who have passed away with a Neurological disorder. There are many more.

Greg Ploetz, a former Texas Longhorns defensive lineman and national champion, died in 2015 after a long battle with dementia caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). His story became a powerful symbol in the national conversation about football-related brain trauma.

https://texaslsn.org/a-self-portrait-of-cte/

Julius Whittier suffered from Alzheimer. His family donated his brain to Boston University’s CTE Center, where researchers confirmed he had Stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)—a disease linked to repeated head trauma.

https://texaslsn.org/julius-whittier-the-benchmark-1/

https://texaslsn.org/1970-learning-from-julius-whittier-copy/

The legendary linebacker Tommy Nobis and first-ever draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons, died from complications related to chronic traumatic encephalopathy https://texaslsn.org/tommy-nobis/

Larry Webb (left) is with his best friend Doctor Dan Terwelp. Larry Webb died on February 3, 2019, from renal cell carcinoma, and was posthumously diagnosed with Stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

https://texaslsn.org/larry-webb-dan-terwelp-2019/

George Sauer- the former New York Jets Super Bowl Champion and Longhorn athlete died from congestive heart failure after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. He passed away in Westerville, Ohio, in 2013 at age 69. https://texaslsn.org/george-sauer-conflicted-soul/

Shane Dronett, a former Texas Longhorns All-American and NFL defensive lineman, died by suicide in 2009 at age 38. After his death, he was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. Dronett’s death was a wake-up call in the NFL’s evolving understanding of brain trauma.

https://texaslsn.org/trilogy-part-iii-1991-shane-dronett/

Jevan Snead, former Texas Longhorn and Ole Miss quarterback, died by suicide on September 21, 2019, in Austin, Texas. He was just 32 years old.

Snead was found in downtown Austin. His death shocked the football community and prompted reflection on the mental health challenges athletes may face after their playing careers end.

https://texaslsn.org/trilogy-part-iii-2019-jevan-snead/

Bill Wyman was a standout center for the Texas Longhorns football team from 1971 to 1973 and a consensus All-American in 1973. He passed away in 2013 after battling Parkinson’s disease.

https://texaslsn.org/2013-bill-wymans-story/

Mike Campbell IV, a former Texas Longhorn linebacker and member of the 1969 national championship team, passed away on July 21, 2024, at age 75 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Let's Get "This Party Started" https://youtu.be/mW1dbiD_zDk

Two Super Fans - one just suffered a heart attack and the other has passed away.

Super Fan Scott Wilson

Super Fan Wesley Allen passed away several years ago, but his memory lives on among fans as the embodiment of the Longhorns' iconic burnt orange spirit.

Let's Get "This Party Started"
https://youtu.be/mW1dbiD_zDk

CTE, and more