Andy Spiva

#1
C

c_marinelli

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Nov 4, 2006
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#1
Hi to the Big Orange Nation. I need a little help.

I'm a relatively new Vols fan, but my husband has been sporting Orange gear for many years. He is familiar with the play of Andy Spiva, and the Andy Spiva Award, and his brief stint with the Falcons, but has never been able to find out what happened to him. I've usually pretty successful finding anything online, but this tidbit is eluding me.

Can someone tell me what happened to Andy?

Thanks in advance - and Go Big Orange!

Cathy
 
#2
#2
Tragically, in 1978, Andy Spiva was killed in a car accident late one night as he and a fellow Falcon were driving home after a night on the town. His car hit a tree, and he died soon after the accident. The other person in the car survived, but suffered severe injuries. Andy is buried in Arlington Cemetary in Sandy Springs Georgia.
 
#3
#3
Andy did die in the auto accident as shown above. He was in the car with Garth Ten Naple, a linebacker from Texas A&M. A big loss for the Falcons and for UT, but a bigger loss for the Spiva family. I was privileged to grow up down the street from the Spivas. They are all fine people. Andy was an amazing athlete. I was six years older and he regularly played in neighborhood games with much older kids (an 8 or 9 year old playing with 13 and 14 year olds). I remember he amazed all of us older kids by being such a fearless tackler. No joke, he was incredible. Also, I recall him climbing the tallest oak tree in our neighborhood and amazing every other kid. He horrified all the adults who were so afraid he would fall. The kid was just not afraid. RIP, Andy. God bless you and your wonderful family.
 
#5
#5
Does anyone have any action photos of andy Spive playing for the Vols that they can post? He was a great one.
 
#6
#6
well, I guess I'll go ahead and be the first to welcome the first three posters to volnation.
 
#12
#12
What a great linebacker Andy was at UT (don't they still give out the Andy Spiva award for the most outstanding devensive player? or did Kiffin do away with that.) Played during the waning years of the Battle regime. He had 108 sol tackles in 1974, 100 solo tackles in 1975, and 134 in 1976 which may still be the team record. He was a similar player to Keith delong who played a decade later.
 
#13
#13
My brother's 58th birthday would've been last week and, feeling nostalgic, I Googled his name and found VolNation! How impressive it was to read all the good things people were remembering about him personally, his UT career and his short time with the Atlanta Falcons. I am thrilled to realize just how much others loved and admired Andy and to know that the world still misses this great person!!
 
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#14
#14
bonniec000 said:
My brother's 58th birthday would've been last week and, feeling nostalgic, I Googled his name and found VolNation! How impressive it was to read all the good things people were remembering about him personally, his UT career and his short time with the Atlanta Falcons. I am thrilled to realize just how much others loved and admired Andy and to know that the world still misses this great person!!
Click to expand...

Andy Spiva was one of the best LB's to ever play at UT...he was fearless.....a loss of huge talent...one of my favorite Vols of all time....God Bless your family!
Andy Spiva will never be forgotten to Vol fans!
 
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#15
#15
bonniec000 said:
My brother's 58th birthday would've been last week and, feeling nostalgic, I Googled his name and found VolNation! How impressive it was to read all the good things people were remembering about him personally, his UT career and his short time with the Atlanta Falcons. I am thrilled to realize just how much others loved and admired Andy and to know that the world still misses this great person!!
Click to expand...

Heart felt.


:hi:
 
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#17
#17
photovol said:
Andy Spiva was one of the best LB's to ever play at UT...he was fearless.....a loss of huge talent...one of my favorite Vols of all time....God Bless your family!
Andy Spiva will never be forgotten to Vol fans!
Click to expand...
Andy Spiva played alongside another excellent Vol linebacker by the name of Gregg Jones. Each one of them made over 20 tackles in a single game during their careers. There was some great linebacker play on some very mediocre teams.
 
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#18
#18
Andy had a knack for making the first tackle of the game and usally it was pretty hard. he set the tone. remember playing memphis state and they were doing a lot of talking becasue we were not very good at the time. first play of the game state gave the ball to a guy named runt moon..andy destryoyed him in the backfield. john ward said something to the effect...game over, no more talk from memphis state.
 
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#19
#19
I thought Andy was drafted by St. Louis and Kathy be nice to your husband, it is nice to find a woman who actually listens
 
#20
#20
bonniec000 said:
My brother's 58th birthday would've been last week and, feeling nostalgic, I Googled his name and found VolNation! How impressive it was to read all the good things people were remembering about him personally, his UT career and his short time with the Atlanta Falcons. I am thrilled to realize just how much others loved and admired Andy and to know that the world still misses this great person!!
Click to expand...

Will never forget...:hi:
 
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#22
#22
bonniec000 said:
My brother's 58th birthday would've been last week and, feeling nostalgic, I Googled his name and found VolNation! How impressive it was to read all the good things people were remembering about him personally, his UT career and his short time with the Atlanta Falcons. I am thrilled to realize just how much others loved and admired Andy and to know that the world still misses this great person!!
Click to expand...

I knew Andy and his mother Betty for a number of years. However, I now live in Tennessee and have lost track of Betty. I remember she worked @ the Chamblee Police Department but that was a long, long time ago.
 
#23
#23
photovol said:
Andy Spiva was one of the best LB's to ever play at UT...he was fearless.....a loss of huge talent...one of my favorite Vols of all time....God Bless your family!
Andy Spiva will never be forgotten to Vol fans!
Click to expand...

Would hit you like a truck. Great tackler.
 
#24
#24
bonniec000 said:
My brother's 58th birthday would've been last week and, feeling nostalgic, I Googled his name and found VolNation! How impressive it was to read all the good things people were remembering about him personally, his UT career and his short time with the Atlanta Falcons. I am thrilled to realize just how much others loved and admired Andy and to know that the world still misses this great person!!
Click to expand...

He was, indeed, a great player and, from all that I have read, a great person...I'm glad that I lived during the time that he played for UT.
 
#25
#25
bfe5bea3157e06b375ea0af8ac147a0874a195d4.jpg


60aad330875aaac6b5e41566148022b21f897169.jpg
 
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