"Smelling Sauce"

From: tom portis
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2007 12:30 AM
To:
Subject: FW: Coach Ward

There have been some great stories of Coach Ward that I have truly enjoyed reading. The ones from some of the older guys about his early coaching days are notable because there were things that I had not known about him. It brings back memories of a great time growing up in Huntingdon and the lessons learned living in a small town and playing football for Paul Ward.

Someone mentioned that he and Johnny Compton are together again probably reminiscing about those days, when I am sure, Coach Ward was challenged having to deal with Johnny.

Ned Priest and others remind me of two stories relating to Compton and the influence on his life by Coach Ward. If you will indulge my limited writing skills……………

For those of you who did not know him or play with him, Johnny Compton was a rough around the edges kind of guy, a tough, mean football player and sometimes just a callous and unkind person. I had not seen Johnny Compton probably since high school but learned that he was living in Southaven, MS just across the Mississippi line from Memphis and was going to church with a UT alumni I worked with at the Bank. I also learned Johnny had changed his life and had become a Christian. This was wonderful to hear and I had to remind myself that yes, God does move in mysterious ways. And yes it was true.

Tim Priest had just been selected to be the color analyst for the Vol Football network and was going to be in Memphis to speak to the Shelby County Big Orange Club. The guy I worked with and I had plans to attend the meeting and he asked if I cared if Johnny Compton joined us. Johnny wanted to see and hear Tim speak since they played together on that great 1966 Mustang team. I was delighted and yet apprehensive at the same time remembering Johnny’s past.

The day arrived and we all met at the Bank to ride over to the Big Orange Club meeting. Johnny Compton was truly a changed man. He was humble, polite and almost apologetic for his past. He expressed to me what an influence Coach Ward was on his life and the lessons in discipline he learned from football and Paul Ward. I thought that was a real tribute not only to Compton’s changed life but to Coach Ward as well. It was somewhat the same way Charles Rhodes related how Coach had influenced Ray Chandler’s life. I think he taught a lot of life lessons to us. Probably more than we really knew at the time.

A funny side to this story was when we arrived at the restaurant where the meeting was being held, I spotted Tim’s Mom who lived in Memphis at the time and went over to speak with her. As I finished, Johnny Compton stepped in front of Mrs. Priest and said, “Mrs. Priest, you probably don’t remember me but I am Johnny Compton”. The expression on Mrs. Priest’s face, as they say, was priceless. Probably not having seen Johnny since he and Tim graduated, she looked up at Compton almost in a state of disbelief and slowly extended her hand to shake his and I heard her utter these words, “My God, JOHNNY COMPTON? How could I ever forget you?”

One day in practice running the scout team offense, which I got to do a lot playing behind Tim, we huddled up and Coach Ward showed us a diagram of the next play we were to run. It was a slant pass to the split end on the right side and as I got under center, I took a look to see where Compton was and who was lined up opposite him - just for kicks I guess hoping someone might actually get a good block on him. I took the snap and dropped back. The next think I remember (or didn’t remember, someone related to me later) was Coach Ward laughing almost uncontrollably and trying to bring me around by putting smelling sauce under my nose after Compton had turned out my lights with a blind side hit. I am sure both Compton and Coach Ward enjoyed it. At least I was informed they did.

In spring practice of 1964 I tore an ACL and had to have surgery a few days later. Coach Ward could not be there the day of the surgery due to school responsibilities and football practice. My parents went home that night after the surgery and I remember waking up the next morning very early to find Coach Ward sitting in my hospital room. He had driven down very early on a Saturday morning just to check on me. We had a conversation which I am sure was limited on my part as I was a sophomore and still in awe of him. I think he cared for and respected his players for their efforts no matter what your job on the team was and he did it in his own quite un-expressive way. He was one of our Senior Class sponsors for the graduating class of 1966. It was an honor to have known him and played for him.

Tom Portis

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From: Tim Priest

To: 'tom portis'

Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 7:49 AM

Subject: RE: Coach Ward

Tommy:

Thanks for the story. You are so right in describing the influence Coach Ward had on the life of Johnnie Compton and all of us. I certainly remember seeing you Johnnie, Johnny Carter and others the night I spoke in Memphis. We very much missed seeing Johnnie at our 40 year class reunion this summer.

Tim