Greg Lott

By Tai Kreidler

For A-J Media

Editor’s Note: Tai Kreidler, Ph.D., is a librarian with the Southwest Conference archives, Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, at Texas Tech University.

In the cool evening air fifty-four years ago, the football twisted and floated — seemingly frozen in time and space—then abruptly, it landed in the hands of the kickoff return man at the twelve-yard line.

Following blockers he blasted past the kickoff coverage and launched into overdrive through the remaining would be tacklers.

Thriving in the moment, he was in the clear– all alone except for the last converging Texas Tech Red Raider safety who hit him just as he crossed the goal line. The touchdown yielded a record-making and unprecedented score, coming on the opening kickoff— the first ever in the long history of the University of Texas Longhorn football team, which dates back to 1893. Moreover, it was the dagger in the heart on the first play of the game against Southwest Conference rival Texas Tech, and set the tempo for what would become a Longhorn victory, 28-17. The date was September 24, 1966.

Greg Lott, written by Pat Culpepper.

Article About Greg Lott And Farrah Fawcett By Pat Culpepper

The Comments Below Are part of the story from Pat Culpepper’s Article In Inside Texas. Visit Inside Texas to see the whole story.  I have added photos to his comments so that readers can associate Pat’s Story with them.

Greg Lott had Hollywood looks and what was important to me, outstanding speed! Brilliant interception returns in big games highlighted his career at Texas. He also played kick returner with some success. I was long gone from the University of Texas when Danny and Greg played but I tried to keep up with them as best I could. I must admit that during my playing days in Austin, I often picked out future “dates” from the University of Texas yearbook. Those were the days…, and it wasn’t until my senior year that I settled down my dating activity to just one girl. No, it wasn’t what you think; they were movie dates, dancing dates or double dates with my teammates to events in Austin’s downtown or one of those great Mexican restaurants. I was never in Greg Lott’s class. His girlfriend was none other than what would later become Hollywood blonde bombshell Farrah Faucett!

Greg as a player

According to Greg, they were more than serious (whatever that meant), and they should have been married, but Greg stayed in Texas, and Farrah went to Hollywood. She became famous for her beautiful, striking face, which featured piercing green eyes framed by flowing blonde hair. Her fabulous figure in a bathing suit adorned many a teenage boy’s room and a few older “boys” as well.

Farrah died of cancer in 2009 at the age of 62, even more beautiful than she was at 22, at least from her heart. For many, she left behind money and art treasures that she had earned and collected. Gregg told me that he began seeing Farrah again in 1998, and they had a close relationship while he lived in Austin and she was at home in Hollywood. It became a tabloid topic because she had split with actor Ryan O’Neal.

Greg Lott and Ryan O’Neal

I Have Found Out Through Friends That Greg Went Through A Difficult Time In His Life In The ‘70s And Early ‘80s,  Lowlighted By Two Drug Convictions. Hollywood Looks Do Have Their Drawbacks, I Suppose. Farrah Left Greg $100K In Her Will And Absolutely Nothing To O’Neal. Her Other Notable Possessions She Left To The University Of Texas, Which Included Two Famous Portraits Of Her By Andy Warhol. They Were Done In 1980 In Warhol’s Silk Screen Pop-Art Style, Which Featured Her Bight Green Eyes And Red, Red Lips. One Of The Portraits Is Involved In A Case In The Los Angeles Superior Court. The Problem Is O’Neal Claimed That Farrah Gave It To Him, But University Of Texas Attorneys Claim Fawcett Got The Portrait Back In 1998 (When She Got Back With Gregg) And Kept It At Her Malibu Home Until Her Death.

O’Neal and Fawcett had split up in February of 1997 when she found him in bed with another woman. According to O’Neal, he gave the portrait back to Fawcett because his new girlfriend told him that the picture made her “uncomfortable”. The value of the portrait is estimated to be $12 million, although it is insured for $ 600,000. O’Neal claims that it is his, but there were two of these portraits, and Fawcett’s will, which only mentions that she was giving them to the University of Texas’ Art Department. It was Gregg Lott who brought attention to the fact that one of them was missing in the first place. The trial took place in Los Angeles, and perhaps predictably, Ryan O’Neal was awarded the portrait, even though Farrah had made no indication in her will that O’Neal would get anything. So a drama of sorts ends in court, but the true love story here told to me by Greg Lott was about the “time” that he and Farrah got to spend together before she passed away.

They enjoyed their time at U.T., and many years later, the spark remained alive and well. I recruited Lott to U.T. Lott fell in love with a campus sorority beauty who turned out to be a future star in Hollywood, appearing on Charlie’s Angels, and a pin-up queen in the 1970s and ’80s. I’m proud of my “boy” Greg; he was faithful to the end of Farrah’s life, and he always yells, “Coach Pat,” when he sees me. And in her defense, Farrah did remember her school and wanted to give them her most treasured possessions and left my recruit a parting gift of lots of money…you never know.