Old Number Seven
Charliy Nash
Thursday June 1, 2006
It’s going to be strange to go to minicamp this winter now that Hammond has retired. One of my favorite parts of covering the Kats was watching young rookie defensive backs "get schooled" by the old guy. The beauty of it was how effortless Darryl made it look – he could put moves on the kids without showing his moves, or his age. His work ethic and conditioning are legendary; so is his character.
Hammond wrapped up his playing days with the classic understatement, "I had a solid career." I had to ask a few other folks around the league to provide a more full description. Not surprisingly, nobody had a bad word to say about him.
"One of the greatest players to ever play in this game. Every team that he played for, he was 100 percent dedicated to. Every day he came to work, he just didn’t stop ever." --Pat Sperduto, Nashville Kats Head Coach
"Win or lose that guy’s been incredible this whole season. It’s just a shame that he’s going out like we did today. He’s a class guy. He’s played this game for 16 years, and if everybody could play like he does we’d be in a better position than we are now. He’s just a class guy and a great athlete." --Bob Flynn, Nashville Kats General Manager
"We’ve known him from day one. He’s awesome. You cannot get a better guy to play for you, or even just as a friend. Great person all around." --Laura Sperduto, Wife of Kats Coach Pat Sperduto
"Darryl Hammond is one of the best players to ever play the game of Arena Football, and one of the most professional, and one of the most decent human beings. He’s the total package. It was a privilege for me to coach him early in his career. He’s just taken it from there, I really can’t take any credit for any of his successes. He’s done it on his own and really prepared himself, taken care of his body and represented the game of Arena Football the way it should be." --Mike Hohensee, Chicago Rush Head Coach
"It’s a privilege to know Darryl, to work with him. He’s amazing. He’s a testament to what hard work will do for you, perseverance and dedication. I appreciate everything he did for us, this organizations, for me. And he makes you aspire to be a better person. That’s Darryl Hammond for you." --Bob Fresorger, Nashville Kats Head Trainer
"He’s one of the greatest players to ever play the game. He’s been a rock in this league for 16 years now, and he’s just been a guy who’s been one of the most dependable players ever in the history of this game, and just one who’s seen the league grow, and he’s been a great stabilizing force for this franchise who’s going to be sorely missed." --Ryan Altizer Nashville Kats Communications and Media Director
"Hammond is just a great example, not only here in Nashville, but he’s a great pro. Hammond is a great example for the league, a very experienced guy, he knows the game very well. A leader by example, as opposed to verbal – he leads verbally and he also leads by example. Darryl means a lot to this team, and also Darryl means a lot to the league. For a guy to have done it 16 years, my hat goes off to him. The game is certainly going to miss him and I’m going to miss him as well." --Cornelius Bonner, Nashville Kats
"The guy’s been a mentor to me on and off the field. He’s the ultimate professional; a guy you want to pattern your life after, never mind football. He’s just a great dude, and he means more to me than I could ever put into words." --James Baron, Nashville Kats
"DHamm is and always has been my favorite player. My husband coached him in college at UVA, and I went to UVA, and his wife and I were at rival high schools also, so we have a lot of family connections. It’s going to be really sad to see him go. He’s an amazing human being as well as an amazing player." --Staci Kinder, Director of Cheerleading for Nashville Kats and Tennessee Titans
"One of the biggest thrills of covering the AFL for Larry Stone and myself has been getting to know Darryl Hammond, getting to watch him play, and seeing the professionalism this guy brings to the game – it’s just unbelievable. No matter what the situation is, whenever he’s called on he does everything the right way and still plays like he’s 25 years old. It’s really amazing." --Mike Keith, "The Voice of the Kats"
"I don’t know if you have enough time to hear everything I have to say about him. What a great player. One of the top players in the history of the league, of course, but a better man than he is a player. And what a role model for the players and for everybody else. I can’t tell you enough great things about how unselfish he is and what a team man he is. As you see he never complained when he wasn’t playing, but when he did get to play, last week he was Ironman of the week for the whole league, and that’s the kind of contribution he’s always made here." --Eddie Khayat, former Nashville Kats Head Coach and General Manager
"I think Darryl Hammond is the epitome of professional in every sense of the word, on the field, off the field, and just a good guy. Never has anything bad to say about anybody, plays the game the way it should be. It’s pretty amazing how he’s stayed in shape over the years. One of the players said the other day that he’s probably in the best shape of anyone on the team and he’s 39 years old. That says a lot about who he is and what he’s about, and I think he lives that way off the field too. Just a good guy and it’s good to know – I think he’s going to stick around this community – just a good person to have in this community." --Aaron Solomon, WSMV Channel 4 Sports
"Darryl Hammond is one class act, as a human being, an athlete and a member of the world community." Denny Petro, former AFL Executive and Broadcaster
"He’s been a great player for this league, both as a football player and also as a man." --Brenard Wilson, Nashville Kats Secondary Coach
"Darryl is one of the classiest guys in this league, and has been for 16 years. I’ve got a great amount of respect for him. We spoke to him the other day and he said he wanted to be remembered as a good teammate and a great friend and a solid football player. I told him, no problem you’ll be remembered as all those things." --Ray Bentley, NBC Analyst and former AFL Coach
"Darryl is the best WR/LB to ever play this game. The kid is just a warrior out there; he goes out there and plays 100 percent. No matter if it was his first year or his last year, he’s always going to give you whatever he’s got on the field, and that’s I think what made him so great of a player. He’s a guy that can change a game for any team that he’s on. It’s going to be a shame to lose a guy like that, but you know what, he had a great career and sooner of later it’s got to come to an end. He’s been able to do a lot for this league and I wish him the best." --Bob McMillan, Chicago Rush
"I hate to see him go. I tell him that every day. He’s really one of my role models as far as playing football, the way you carry yourself on and off the field." --Rupert Grant, Nashville Kats
"Darryl was the hardest working, most prepared football player that I have ever been around. He is the ultimate leader!" --Bob Kronenberg, Georgia Force Assistant Coach
"He’s been in this league 16 years for a reason. Any time I get tired and I think that dude’s 39 years old – I’m not tired any more." --Aaron McConnell, Nashville Kats
"He’s out there with us every day doing the same things we do. I’m 23 years old and he route runs better than me and he’s 39." --Alonzo Nix, Nashville Kats
"There are certain athletes out there who are just a pleasure to cover as a broadcaster. Those few who are not only top-flight athletes but are also top-flight people. Darryl fits in to that category. When I cover an AFL game, I really don't care who wins. That's part of the luxury of my job. I have no particular rooting interest. Yet, over the years, I have become a Darryl Hammond fan and I offer no apologies for that fact." --Eli Gold, The AFL On NBC,
Charliy Nash has covered both incarnations of the Nashville Kats, and now has make the 2 hour drive to Huntsville for an Arena Football fix. He also covers the Tennessee Titans as a blogger for nfl.com and still hopes this will eventually lead to a paying gig.
