Who is Don McNeal?

1. Who is Don McNeal? Presented by: Patti Henderson, Media Specialist Sanford Middle School September, 2010

2. University of Alabama • Position: Defensive Back, #28 • Years Lettered: 1977, 1978, 1979 • Hometown (H.S.): McCullough, AL • College Career:Member of 1979 National Championship team • Inducted into Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (2008) • 1979 First Team All-American • Selected as member of Alabama All-Decade team of 1970s • Member of 1978 Co-National Championship team • In September of 1979, Alabama played Baylor. “In this game, Don McNeal was graded 100 percent for his efforts… “ Coach Bear Bryant checked previous charts to determine that this was the first time since the days of Lee Roy Jordan that a defender had been perfect.” (Lee Roy Jordan played for the Crimson Tide from 1961-1963 and went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys.) http://www.lostlettermen.com/football/SEC/Alabama/Don_McNeal/p128710/

3. January 1, 1979 – Sugar Bowl • #1 Penn State vs. #2 Alabama • Coach Joe Paterno vs. Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant • What is at stake: The National Championship Title (it could be Penn State’s 1st ) • Late in the 4th quarter, Penn State intercepts a pass on Bama’s 48 yard line and goes on to tie the score • Seconds later, Alabama scores and takes the lead (14 to 7)

4. “This game, at Alabama, is known as 'the Goal Line Stand game’,”Major Ogilvie , Alabama All SEC Running Back • “From the Crimson Tide's six-yard line on second and goal, Penn State’s Fusina found Fitzkee just before the goal line, but as he turned toward the end zone, Alabama's Don McNeal materialized, hammering Fitzkee backward and preventing the touchdown.” Jordan Burchette, BCS Football.com. • Don McNeal is best known in Alabama football history for this play http://people.famouswhy.com/don_mcneal/#videos http://espn.go.com/abcsports/bcs/sugar/s/1979.html

5. Gaddy, Kenneth. Twelve and Counting; the National Championships of Alabama Football. Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press, 2009. Bill “Brother” Oliver Played for Alabama and helped coach the 1979 and 1992 defensive teams “There never has been a team that loved to play more than that 1979 bunch. They loved to punish you from the first play to the last one. Nobody wanted any part of us. I guarantee you that.” http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.redelephants.com/images/1979a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.redelephants.com/redpee.html&h=426&w=800&sz=89&tbnid=g30WLQpVLGayYM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3D1979%2BAlabama%2BFootball%2Bphoto&zoom=1&usg=__5ScOC6fg1o54BUOPem0cP6Dd3OA=&sa=X&ei=h6d6TPejJpn_lQfn1sTFAQ&ved=0CB4Q9QEwAg

6. Miami Dolphins • Stats: • Height: 6'0" • Weight: 192 lbs. • Playing Position: Defensive Back • College: University of Alabama • Career: • Miami Dolphins 1980–1990 • Honors: • University of Alabama "Captain of the Team", 1980 • University of Alabama National Champions of 1979 & 1980 • University of Alabama "All-Centennial Team" 1992 • Played in Two Super Bowls, 1982 & 1984 • Miami Dolphins, "Silver Anniversary Team" 1996 http://sportsworld.org/pros/don_mcneal/

7. These are fantastic football accomplishments; but what about the rest of the story? http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.danburrell.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/don.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.danburrell.com/%3Fm%3D20071127&h=300&w=230&sz=30&tbnid=Wzt_9vmrQ9mfvM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddon%2Bmcneal%2Bphotos&zoom=1&usg=__pENtPMhuT_3jeNbTtBCJ-yBaejk=&sa=X&ei=Q4t6TJjHCYyalgePmtWhAg&ved=0CBwQ9QEwAw

8. Where it all began….. • Running water only in the kitchen sink • No indoor bathroom • Baths & Laundry were performed in a metal washtub • Laundry dried on the fence outside • Wood burning stove used for heat and cooking McNeal, Don. Home Team Advantage. Indianapolis: Power Publishing, 2006.

9. The Family • Dad • Mom • Charles “Truman” • Eunice • Eula • Henry, Jr. • Moses • Alice Jean • Floristean • Lillie Mae • Don • Carol “When we wore through the (shoe) soles, Dad would take tar paper made for roofing and cut it to fit the bottoms….It seemed sometimes like we had an inch of tar paper on the bottoms of our shoes, but it kept the water out” (McNeal, 2006) McNeal, Don. Home Team Advantage. Indianapolis: Power Publishing, 2006.

10. “Our farm grew almost all the food we needed. We purchased only wheat flour, salt, pepper, and a few other things from the grocer, but of course we needed the cash Dad and Mom earned from their town jobs for clothing and other things.” (McNeal , 2006) • 5 Acre farm • No Equipment • Plowed the fields using Kate, our mule • Planted, hoed, and picked by hand • Crops - cucumbers, cotton, corn, sugar cane, tomatoes, greens, corn, beans, peas, okra, squash McNeal, Don. Home Team Advantage. Indianapolis: Power Publishing, 2006.

11. More to the farm, than working in the fields… • Smokehouse for curing ham and bacon • Henhouse for the chickens • Barn for Kate (our mule), a cow and the corncrib • Shed for the old GMC Truck • Pigs and hogs were fenced ¼ mile down the road McNeal, Don. Home Team Advantage. Indianapolis: Power Publishing, 2006

12. “My biggest dream was to graduate from high school and move to Detroit, Michigan, where I could work in the factory near most of my brothers and sisters.” (McNeal, 2006) • Encouraged by his P.E. coach, Don joined the football team his junior and senior years in high school. • They won the state championship his junior year and had another winning season his senior year • Don was thrilled when Coach Bear Bryant invited him to attend the University of Alabama on a football scholarship. • During his four years there, they won 43 of 48 games including four bowl games. http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Multimedia.jsp?id=m-4152 McNeal, Don. Home Team Advantage. Indianapolis: Power Publishing, 2006

13. During the next 10 years…. • 1980 NFL Draft – 1st Round, 21st Pick for the Miami Dolphins • Coached by legendary Don Shula • Played in 2 Super Bowls • Met and married his wife, Rhonda • His daughter, Jessica , was born http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/getty/2008/09000d5d808e87bb_gallery_600.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.extremeskins.com/showthread.php%3Ft%3D250716&h=424&w=600&sz=69&tbnid=YlejaK_p8nedoM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddon%2Bmcneal%2Bmiami%2Bdolphins%2Bphoto&zoom=1&usg=__P-WYufGp7BBXFTdP-4YeZfbAG84=&sa=X&ei=P8B6TK2OEJn_lQfn1sTFAQ&ved=0CCUQ9QEwAw

14. “Looking back over my life, I realize my family was my first, most important team, and in many ways my dad was my toughest coach. We had to fear and respect him enough to follow his directions.” (McNeal, 2006) McNeal, Don. Home Team Advantage. Indianapolis: Power Publishing, 2006

15. Life after the NFL… • Don McNeal elected to stay in Miami as the counseling minister @ the New Testament Baptist Church. He has held this position for 19 years. • His bachelor’s degree is in social work and he has recently completed a master’s degree in psychology. • He collects pennies, baseball caps and plays golf. • He and his wife, Rhonda, have been married for 29 years • His daughter, Jessica, graduated from the University of Alabama in 2009. http://www.thegatheringplacefl.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=71

16. Resources • McNeal, Don. Home Team Advantage. Indianapolis: Power Publishing, 2006 • Gaddy, Kenneth. Twelve and Counting; the National Championships of Alabama Football. Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press, 2009. • http://www.lostlettermen.com/football/SEC/Alabama/Don_McNeal/p128710 • http://espn.go.com/abcsports/bcs/sugar/s/1979.html • http://people.famouswhy.com/don_mcneal/#videos • http://sportsworld.org/pros/don_mcneal • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.danburrell.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/don.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.danburrell.com/%3Fm%3D20071127&h=300&w=230&sz=30&tbnid=Wzt_9vmrQ9mfvM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddon%2Bmcneal%2Bphotos&zoom=1&usg=__pENtPMhuT_3jeNbTtBCJ-yBaejk=&sa=X&ei=Q4t6TJjHCYyalgePmtWhAg&ved=0CBwQ9QEwAw • http://www.thegatheringplacefl.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=71 • These books are available for checkout from the Sanford Middle School media center.