Coach Cafego Speeches

[Jravol78]

Well if it was ‘80 then it wasn’t a retirement gift. Cafego didn’t retire until after the ‘84 season.

i stand corrected . It was “George Cafego day”, had nothing to do with his retirement .

 

[LookinUp]

I don't know which game but i was there. The side door was open where he was sitting and they were driving him around on the field. I could look right in upon him with my binoculars and he was mad, mad! Had his face torn down and was really jawing. I would bet he was throwing a cuss fit.

 

[Jravol78]

1980? Are you sure? That was the Herschel Walker over Bill Bates game. I was there, and don't remember that unless I got there late. I was thinking that was a night game, but maybe that was the USC game the next week?

yep. Sept 6 1980 was declared “George Cafego day” and it coincided with the 1980 UGA game

 

[OldandStillaVol]

I don't know which game but i was there. The side door was open where he was sitting and they were driving him around on the field. I could look right in upon him with my binoculars and he was mad, mad! Had his face torn down and was really jawing. I would bet he was throwing a cuss fit.

I don’t blame him.

 

[1972 Grad]

yep. Sept 6 1980 was declared “George Cafego day” and it coincided with the 1980 UGA game

And the van was given to him at that game? I didn't see it happen, and I was at the game and sober. I don't know how I missed that.

 

[LookinUp]

It was colored orange and white and you could tell from the stands that it was a used one.

 

[livefaith]

yep. Sept 6 1980 was declared “George Cafego day” and it coincided with the 1980 UGA game

I still can't believe we lost that game. Guess UGA had destiny on its side at one time.

 

[livefaith]

Me too.... I was listening on a little handheld portable radio.... was 12 and at a family reunion. It was up in a little town called Beersheba Springs

Listening on the radio too. Couldn't believe it when we fumbled on like 1st down on the goal line to win it, iirc.

 

[1972 Grad]

I still can't believe we lost that game. Guess UGA had destiny on its side at one time.

I was feeling good at halftime.

 

[Jravol78]

And the van was given to him at that game? I didn't see it happen, and I was at the game and sober. I don't know how I missed that.

lol . So disclosure , I was two years old . Not trying to toot my own horn but my knowledge of Vol Football history and lore is fairly deep. This is the story I have always heard . My grandfather knew Coach Cafego and was there in Q34 (where I still sit ). I also found this ....

 

[LookinUp]

Listening on the radio too. Couldn't believe it when we fumbled on like 1st down on the goal line to win it, iirc.

I don't remember whom our back was but he fumbled outside the goal line while he was in the air and he landed well inside the end zone.

 

[1972 Grad]

lol . So disclosure , I was two years old . Not tooting trying to toot my own horn but my knowledge of Vol Football history and lore is fairly deep. This is the story I have always heard . My grandfather knew Coach Cafego and was there in Q34 (where I still sit ). I also found this .... View attachment 241531

Thanks. I must have gotten to the game late, if they gave it to him before the game. Or, if it was at halftime, I may have gone to the bathroom or to get a drink. I have never been late enough to miss a kickoff, but I missed the van giveaway.

 

[Jravol78]

Thanks. I must have gotten to the game late, if they gave it to him before the game. Or, if it was at halftime, I may have gone to the bathroom or to get a drink. I have never been late enough to miss a kickoff, but I missed the van giveaway.

lol , You sure your mind didn’t just repress it ? Obviously not the UTAD’s finest hour , which is really saying something

 

[1972 Grad]

lol , You sure your mind didn’t just repress it ? Obviously not the UTAD’s finest hour , which is really saying something

Funny thing is that I remember seeing the vehicle presentation on tv. That must have been the next day ?

 

[mercuryvol]

Pretty sure the above account is accurate. It truly was a sorry treatment for a Vol legend. He returned to UT and coached punters and kickers with several AAs among them. I remember my father telling me that Cafego was a great punter as well as a great back.

 

[Jravol78]

Funny thing is that I remember seeing the vehicle presentation on tv. That must have been the next day ?

sounds like the “personal stories portion”( or whatever it would have been called ) on Big Orange Sunday or “The Johnny Majors show”. Not sure when or if the format changed but I seem to remember as a kid that Big Orange Sunday and the Johnny Majors show were 2 separate shows . I seem to remember TJMS being on Saturdays after cartoons / before the game & BOS being on right after church.

 

[StarRaider]

lol . So disclosure , I was two years old . Not tooting trying to toot my own horn but my knowledge of Vol Football history and lore is fairly deep. This is the story I have always heard . My grandfather knew Coach Cafego and was there in Q34 (where I still sit ). I also found this ....

@Freak - can I give this post all my likes for the rest of my life?

 

[Jravol78]

I still can't believe we lost that game. Guess UGA had destiny on its side at one time.

haha... right . I think his name was Herschel Walker

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Thanks. I must have gotten to the game late, if they gave it to him before the game. Or, if it was at halftime, I may have gone to the bathroom or to get a drink. I have never been late enough to miss a kickoff, but I missed the van giveaway.

It doesn’t mean that the presentation didn’t happen on that day, but I was present too and don’t recall Cafego being honored in that fashion. In any event, we were in command of the game, 15-0, until a muffed punt by our return man resulted in a safety for Georgia. That gave the Bulldogs a glimmer of momentum and, soon thereafter, Herschel Walker made his debut and was simply unstoppable.

 

[feathersax]

Cafego instilled that hate for Vandy in U.T. players for many years. Former receiver Joe Thompson always hated Vandy with a passion. He would get on the radio broadcasts and talk about it.

For years o Nashville sports talk radio Duncan Stewart would call Joe Thompson during "Vandie Week" & Joe would light into the commode-doors, how he loathed the team, school, fans,etc. Miss those days. George Cafego was Joe's hero.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Here’s a little bit of additional trivia about Cafego’s career as a player at UT: “At Tennessee, Cafego played for General Robert Neyland and was a two-time All-American. Cafego finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1938 and fourth in 1939. Tennessee Vols’ tailback George Cafego went No. 1 overall [in the 1940 NFL Draft, which occurred on Dec. 9, 1939, in Milwaukee] to the Chicago Cardinals.” 1940 NFL Draft: VFL George Cafego selected No. 1 overall

“The Vols got their first major bowl win, 17-0 over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, with Cafego in the backfield. The 1938 team finished 11-0 and Cafego was SEC Player of the Year. The 1939 squad shut out all of its opponents during the regular season before losing to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl. The loss was UT's first in two years and came with Cafego sidelined by injury. Tennessee was 24-4-1 in his three years. During the two perfect regular seasons, Cafego earned back-to-back All-SEC and All-America nods. He also was a Heisman candidate, finishing seventh in 1938 and fourth in 1939.

Cafego served as an assistant coach on Tennessee's staff from 1955-85 under five different head coaches. UT honored the player called the "Ultimate Volunteer" by declaring Sept. 6, 1980, George Cafego Day.” Vols Jersey Countdown #72 - University of Tennessee Athletics

 

[FïreBall]

Seriously. Never heard of him and I’ve been a fan for more than 30 years.

If you like to listen to podcasts.. Check out "A Host of Volunteers" on iHeart or ITunes. Excellent podcast, they relive the Vols past with interviews and John Wards calls to go with the stories. If I remember correctly, they talk some about Coach Cafego. The podcasts are from the guys that work at UT in charger of all the archives.. You get to hear things about the games from a inside perspective..

 

[cardvolfan]

I just found the same information and was going to post it. Thanks. It said that he retired before Spring Practice for the 1985 team. I wonder if the van was given at the first 1985 home game.

Didn't he live in that van down by the river?

 

[PineyBluff Vol]

Who dat?

 

[PineyBluff Vol]

A little something to show what togetherness is in Tennessee Football...Meet Andy Kozar!