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Wake-Up Call: Selmon a natural choice to begin Bucs' Ring

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Lee Roy Selmon’s franchise-record 78 1/2 sacks and six Pro Bowl selections helped him become the first Tampa Bay player voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2009

Updated: 11/03/2009 12:01 pm

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

In 1976, defensive end Lee Roy Selmon became the first draft pick in Bucs' history. In 1986, his No. 63 jersey was the first to be retired by the franchise. In 1995, he was the first Tampa Bay player voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Sunday afternoon, when the Bucs don their orange jerseys for the throwback game against the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium, Selmon will become the inaugural inductee into the franchise's Ring of Honor.

Selmon also ranks first in another category, according to his former teammates.

He's probably the best person ever to play for Tampa Bay.

That quality can't be measured through statistics – Selmon's franchise-record 78 1/2 sacks and six Pro Bowl selections are impressive enough.

But it hits home when talking to the men who shared a huddle with Selmon during his nine NFL seasons. There were good times (three playoff appearances in four seasons) and bad (the franchise's 0-26 start). Selmon's temperament never altered.

"I think Lee Roy is the nicest football player God put on this earth,'' said former Bucs cornerback Mike Washington, a Southeastern Conference football official who is a recreation supervisor in his hometown of Montgomery, Ala. "He would tear your tail up. Then he would pick you up, dust you off and ask if you were all right.''

Selmon's gentle nature was never confused for timidity on the football field.

No one was more aggressive or ferocious when a quarterback stepped up into the pocket or a ball carrier charged through the hole.

And after that?

Former Bucs quarterback Doug Williams, now the team's coordinator of pro scouting, often tells the story of getting angry with Selmon. Williams, after taking a pounding, begged Selmon to rough up the opposing quarterback. Even with a clear shot when no one was watching, Selmon usually opted to just put him over.

"I remember saying, 'Lee Roy, why don't you just clobber that guy?' '' Williams said. "He'd always give me that shrug and just say, 'Come on, guy.' ''

Come on, guy?

"He'd knock a guy down, then pick him right up,'' said former Bucs linebacker David Lewis, now defensive coordinator at Tampa Catholic High School. "Me and (fellow linebacker) Cecil Johnson would look at him like he was crazy. 'Lee Roy! Why are you picking him up? Leave him down there!' He'd just smile.

"If we weren't playing well defensively, he would just say, kind of softly, 'Come on, guys.' Cecil would roll his eyes and glare at him. 'Lee Roy! Is that all you got to say!' Lee Roy would scrunch up his face and say, 'Oh, Cecil.' We'd bust up laughing. We'd be laughing so hard, we couldn't even remember what defense we were supposed to be in.''

Even when Selmon was rarely moved to anger, it was an unusual sight.

Once at Dallas, Selmon was grabbed by the legs and literally tackled by his blocker. The official did nothing.

Selmon popped up and vented his rage: "Heck! Heck! Dang! Dang!''

"I saw Lee Roy getting held all the time, pulled down, tackled, triple-teamed, you name it,'' said former Bucs safety Mark Cotney, who owns a dry cleaner in Tampa. "You never heard Lee Roy raise his voice, even when he was really, really mad. You'd see him hopping up and down, like a bunny rabbit. Just jumping up and down, getting it out of his system.

"Lee Roy wasn't exactly the meanest guy in the world. I remember Abe Gibron (defensive line coach) used to tell him if he would just get (ticked) off once in a while, he'd be completely unblockable.''

Some people still wonder how Selmon would have performed in a four-man defensive line (the Bucs employed a 3-4 formation, along with a bend-but-don't-break philosophy). There's the same wonder about the premature end to Selmon's career (he retired at age 31, in his prime, after undergoing surgery for a herniated disk in his back).

Selmon, who became a fundraising catalyst during the formation of the University of South Florida's football program and later served as the school's athletic director, never expressed regrets. He was grateful for his nine NFL seasons.

Typical.

"I used to love to see Lee Roy smother those doggone quarterbacks,'' said former Bucs linebacker Richard Wood, a Tampa resident. "He'd be running from side to side. Here I am, a linebacker, and my defensive end is right along with me. It was inspirational.

"When he was off the field – hey, when he was on the field – Lee Roy was the person his mother and father raised him to be. He was our No. 1 star, but he never carried himself in that manner. He was just Lee Roy. Great football player? Without question. But overall, you've got a complete human being there.''

And you've also got a player worthy of starting a new tradition for the Bucs – the Ring of Honor.

"Lee Roy has always been one of a kind,'' Lewis said. "I guess we shouldn't be surprised at anything he does.''

Kyles runs wild

Middle Tennessee sophomore running back D.D. Kyles (Armwood) rushed for a career-high 140 yards in Saturday's 27-20 win at Florida Atlantic. Kyles had a career-high 43-yard run in the second quarter.

Holloway honored by Big South

Liberty University running back SirChauncey Holloway (Armwood) was named the Big South Conference's Freshman of the Week on Monday. Holloway had 12 carries for 99 yards and two touchdowns in Liberty's 55-19 win against Presbyterian.

Holloway came into the game with season totals of 19 carries for 86 yards and three touchdowns.

Hills makes his mark

West Liberty senior wide receiver Eddie Hills (Palmetto) was named West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week after catching 10 passes for 175 yards in Saturday's 48-21 win against Seton Hill.

Hills became West Liberty's career leader in all-purpose yardage (4,865 yards) and improved his career reception total to 159, two off the school record.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to Detroit Lions defensive back Anthony Henry, a member of USF's inaugural football team who is now in his ninth NFL season. Today, Henry turns 33.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Monday's trivia question:

Besides the selection of Steven Stamkos in 2008, the Lightning twice had the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft, taking Roman Hamrlik in 1992 and Vincent Lecavalier in 1998.

Tuesday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

Lee Roy Selmon began his football career at Eufaula (Okla.) High School. What was the nickname of Eufaula's football team?

Check for the answer in Wednesday's Wake-Up Call.

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