MORGANTOWN - Being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame says a lot of things about the players and coaches who make it - about their ability, their achievements, even their character.
But he never lost hope.
"I've never been one to look at something and say, 'No, it never can happen,' '' Talley said. "I've always been the eternal optimist and thought that if I'm on there, I've got a chance. I'm at least in the game. And that's all you can ask for, to be given an opportunity to get in the game.
"Yes, it's a big deal. You think about how many millions of kids play in collegiate athletics and what percentage of those get to go [to the Hall of Fame]. It's truly an honor.''
That percentage, by the way, is .001 percent of the athletes who have played college football over the years, according to Nehlen, who himself was inducted into the same hall in 2005.
"At least that's what was on the computer today,'' Nehlen said. "I'm not smart enough to figure out the percentage, but I know one thing. I know you're in tall cotton, brother.''
And he's not the one standing there with his finger obscured, either.
Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.
MORGANTOWN - Being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame says a lot of things about the players and coaches who make it - about their ability, their achievements, even their character.
Darryl Talley managed to put it in slightly less, well, lofty terms.
"It says,'' the former West Virginia linebacker summed up on Tuesday, "that I did more than sit around with my finger up my behind.''
Uh, well, yes he did.
In fact, Talley did much more than simply avoid that rather embarrassing position during his four years with the Mountaineers from 1979 through 1982. And because of that he was, on Tuesday, named as one of 14 players and two coaches announced as inductees in the college hall's latest class.
To say that it was overdue might be an understatement. Talley has been on the ballot repeatedly in recent years and every time came away disappointed. He'd seen one of his former coaches, Don Nehlen, inducted and watched as Major Harris, who began playing at WVU five years into Talley's NFL career, followed.
So after all of that, Talley wasn't about to let the moment slip by unappreciated.
"It's been a long wait, but like my dad always told me, anything worth getting or having is worth waiting for,'' Talley said. "I guess it took a while for me to get here and I'll appreciate it a whole heck of a lot more now than I would have probably earlier.''
And appreciate it Talley does.
All of those Hall of Fame ballots passed and he was passed by. It gnawed at him.
But he never lost hope.
"I've never been one to look at something and say, 'No, it never can happen,' '' Talley said. "I've always been the eternal optimist and thought that if I'm on there, I've got a chance. I'm at least in the game. And that's all you can ask for, to be given an opportunity to get in the game.
"Yes, it's a big deal. You think about how many millions of kids play in collegiate athletics and what percentage of those get to go [to the Hall of Fame]. It's truly an honor.''
That percentage, by the way, is .001 percent of the athletes who have played college football over the years, according to Nehlen, who himself was inducted into the same hall in 2005.
"At least that's what was on the computer today,'' Nehlen said. "I'm not smart enough to figure out the percentage, but I know one thing. I know you're in tall cotton, brother.''
And he's not the one standing there with his finger obscured, either.
Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.
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