Gene Powell shares more stories

As a Longhorn T-Ring reciepent , businessman, and athlete, Gene Powell is a Team-oriented and goal-oriented professional, combining wisdom, heart, spirit, and passion to complete a mission.

 

 
 
 
Gene Powell
President

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 he knocked me back and down!  It was very embarrassing.  Pete did not say anything but he did chuckle! “