Gene Powell

Gene, Your story needs to be captured in a non-political way. Your accomplishments in building the Longhorn brand during your tenure as the Chairman of the Board of Regents for the U.T. system should make all Longhorns proud. Your accomplishments in building your Real Estate enterprise tell an important story about your drive to succeed. Having your grandson play for the Longhorns would be a great addition and celebration. Your honors received from U.T. are not political and should be celebrated. Your relationship with the Royals should be told, and finally, you can share your story about the injury you incurred playing for the Longhorns that impacted your dreams and perhaps led you in another direction that was not sports-oriented.

Billy,

“Jim Hudson, Pete Lammons, and John Elliot were teammates in 1965, and all were tough as nails.  George Sauer had already graduated and was at the Jets, and I never met him, although I saw him around a few times during the offseason.  Jim and John were particularly kind and helpful to me as a freshman.  Bobby Lackey had worn #22 in high school football and at UT.  Jim Hudson wore #22 also.  I never asked him if that was in honor of another RGV quarterback, but I imagine that was the case.  I asked Greg Lott the other day if he knew Lackey’s number, and he quickly said – “Same as Hudson’s. No. 22”.  I then asked if he could tell me what number Lackey wore as a high school basketball player (Bobby was also a phenomenal basketball and baseball player).  Of course, Greg did not know.  I told him, “Bobby loved #22, but for basketball, he doubled it and wore #44!” Growing up, my house was three blocks from the high school gym and four blocks from the high school football field.  Thus, as a kid, I was on my bike and at the high school all the time watching sports.  I loved the Christmas holidays when Weslaco held a basketball tourney, and I could ride over to the high school and watch basketball all day for three days.  That way, I got to watch Bobby play a great deal.

 
One day at a Longhorn practice, I was playing right guard, and we were going against the first-team offense.  Lammons was playing left defensive end.  We ran a sweep where the right guard pulled and kicked out the defensive end.  When I attempted to block Lammons, it felt like I had run into a concrete column! I did not move Lammons one inch, and in fact, he knocked me back and down!  It was very embarrassing.  Pete did not say anything but he did chuckle! “
 
 
 
Gene Powell
President