Q-Funk
New Member
One of my uncles was a Highway Patrolman back when Cooley was at Valley. And he and the other black troopers escorted the team whenever they travelled. He tells this story (don't know how true it is), but it sounds possible, considering we're talking about Cooley.
"When Valley came to Jackson to play Alcorn (on that Sunday), the Valley buses arrived at the Stadium and parked in their normal spot, in that circle in behind the locker-room building. Alcorn's buses (and players) were already unloading. My uncle said Cooley ran off the bus yelling and pointing. He said the offense ran off the bus (in sweat pants) and lined up in a 5-wide formation, right there in the parking lot. Totten was barking signals and (I forget the slot receivers name, not Rice, the short guy) goes in motion from left to right. Totten gets the snap and drops back. Nobody sees where the slot receiver ran (at least not yet). Totten holds it, holds it, and then cocks that cannon and throws a rocket OVER the scoreboard..... Everybody's looking at the ball sail over the scoreboard. Then you hear fans (already in the stands) cheering and shouting...
That dad-gum boy had run around the locker room and was streaking down the middle of the field and CAUGHT that ball......
And Cooley was telling everybody that was around, "See, I tolja we was coming off the bus chunkin' da dayum ball"...
My uncle told that story for 30 years, at least...
Don't know if it's true.... But that's what I was told......
Actually Valley at the time had (2) starting receivers that were 5'8 or less. Maurice Wade and Willie Ware, I dont know how true this story was from you uncle but for Totten to throw a pass over the scoreboard is funny as hell.
And as it was quoted earlier Cooley did have the team practicing in the stadium parking lot in front of Leflore Hall. If you lived in Leflore Hall you best believe you had better park your car on the A.D. side otherwise you would have door dings or smashes from flying footballs on your car.