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This week's newspaper column 10-29; Tiny Stands Tall in Loss
Topic Started: Oct 28 2012, 04:55 PM (175 Views)
LonzoVol


Big Orange Report 10-29

A Winner Even in Defeat
As the television camera scanned the Tennessee sidelines with a little over minute to go in last Saturday’s game in Columbia, South Carolina, the lens found the Vols’ left offensive tackle. Antonio “Tiny” Richardson, a true sophomore from Nashville, sat dejected, near tears, agonizing over one play that had snatched defeat from the jaws of an almost certain victory. Teammates and coaches attempted to comfort and console the 6-6, 325 pound giant, but the anguish and hurt on his face did not subside.
If he maintains his current course, Tiny Richardson is headed for fame and fortune in the National Football League. The pros pay lavish salaries to left tackles who can protect the team’s quarterback from evil defensive ends who want to devour the passer like a couple of racks of baby back ribs. Richardson will be one of those tackles in the not too distant future, he proved he was on his way this past weekend.
Recently, a well known sports writer called Jadevon Clowney the best defensive end to have ever played in the Southeastern Conference. While that point might be up for debate, there is no question that Clowney has absolutely terrorized Carolina opponents this season, that is until he got facemask to facemask with Tiny Richardson. On this day, the battle of the sophomore stars was no contest, until that one faithful play. Richardson impeded, pushed, controlled and knocked down Clowney on snap after snap. Other teams have failed to block Clowney with two men, the Vols only required one. Not bad for a youngster toughing it out on a very sore knee, especially against Superman’s first cousin.
It is a shame that most casual observers will not remember Richardson’s dominating efforts against a guy who could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, but will only recall that with Tennessee driving for the winning touchdown against the top 15 ranked opponent, Clowney finally got past the road block that had shoved him to side streets and bike paths for an entire ball game. A split, nano second before Tyler Bray’s arm started forward, Clowney got one hand on Bray, a loose ball that was ruled a fumble flopped on the turf and the Gamecocks recovered. One play, one success by Clowney after dozens of failures against Richardson, saved the home team and halted what was going to be a game-winning excursion by a Vol offense that had ripped and shredded one of the best defenses in the SEC and the entire nation.
Had it been a boxing match, Richardson would have won by technical knockout about midway through the third quarter. But it was not a prize fight, it was a football game. Clowney made the key play on an afternoon when he was treated as if he was a scout team reserve going against a guy who may very well be the best left tackle in the entire Southeastern Conference.
So let it be said and let it be written in the football history book. Those who know the game and understand an entire body of work on an autumn afternoon when most only see a final score, yes those folks can grasp the fact that Tiny Richardson had his way with Clowney and treated the All-American as if he were a rag doll for 58 minutes of a 60 minute contest. No, there was nothing to be ashamed of on this day for Tennessee Tiny but there on that lonely bench, in this honor student’s face, there was a reflection of almost a full season’s worth of close encounters of the hurtful kind. A young gridiron gladiator had won the battle, but in the end had lost the war.
One must wonder what Jadevon Clowney was thinking after the final horn. Much like Apollo Creed, he had just won a fight, but also like the mythical heavyweight champion, Clowney must have been thinking, “Don’t want no re-match!”
Edited by LonzoVol, Oct 28 2012, 04:56 PM.
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*TennesseeTuxedo
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Clowney said that the Vols had the best offensive line that they had faced by far this season.

Richardson played a very good game. It only took one play where he did not get his footwork technique down and Clowney slipped by him to make the big play.
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Michelangelo
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I don't know for sure that Richardson was the guy trying to block Clowney on that play. Wasn't he sitting on the sidelines with tissue in his bleeding nose and didn't the announcers say that he wasn't in when Clowney hit Bray's arm. I'm just not sure.
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Tnphil


Good work Lonzo

Yes it was Tiny on that play....he played one hell of a game. Except for 1 play he held the best DLman in the country in check.
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