Published: July 05, 2009 12:00 am      

Recalling McNair’s legend

EDITOR’S NOTE: This column, written by sports editor Rocky Higginbotham, was first published in The Meridian Star on Nov. 21, 1994 after Higginbotham attended the Nov. 19, 1994 football game between Alcorn State and Jackson State. Higginbotham was one of more than 200 media representatives on hand nearly 15 years ago to document Steve McNair’s chase for the Heisman trophy. McNair, who was found dead in Nashville on Saturday, went on to finish third in the Heisman race before a storied 13-year professional career which included a Most Valuable Player trophy.

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JACKSON — For nearly half an hour, I sat about 8 inches from Steve McNair on the floor of Alcorn State’s locker room Saturday night.

But not once did I speak to a word to him. Even if I had, he probably couldn’t have heard me.

Let me set the scenario:

McNair had just carried his team to a 52-34 win over arch-rival Jackson State in the Capital City Classic, breaking another NCAA record after passing for more than 500 yards for the fifth time this season.

He and his five touchdowns got the Braves into the Division I-AA playoffs, and they’ll travel to Youngstown State this weekend.

A mob of reporters, fans and autograph-seekers made their way into the Braves locker room. In fact, I’m not sure if I ever moved my feet — but somehow I ended up inside listening to coaches and seniors give postgame talks and security guards shout orders.

Once the green light was given for members of the media to talk to McNair, the bull rush was on again. And again, I don’t know how, but I ended up right there, squatting face-to-face with McNair.

As he was asked questions from all around, two things remained constant in my mind: One, McNair was a marvel. Two, people who are 6-feet-4 shouldn’t squat for long.

So I just sat. Right there on my rear end , front and center of the mob, I sat. I wrote, I scribbled and I listened. And I’ve never heard a college football player handle himself any better than McNair.

He spoke of his game, the 29 completions for 533 yards and five TDs ... amazing stats, once again.

But they don’t take into effect the number of passes McNair zipped to receivers that were dropped. And they don’t take into effect the fact he missed much of the second quarter after pulling a hamstring.

In the second half, McNair wasn’t able to scramble as usual. But he said that wasn’t about to keep him on the sideline.

“It bothered me some,” he said after being asked about his stiff limp after halftime. “But there wasn’t anything that was going to keep me from going out there. This is our biggest game of the year.”

That, I won’t argue. The Capital City Classic was, indeed, a classic.

Officials called it a capacity crowd of 62,512. But let’s put it this way: From start to finish, it was standing-room-only in the aisles all the way around Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Things were so pumped during a first half which produced 63 points that the crowd did the wave. Seriously, the real wave — not one of those two-folks-getting-a-good-laugh deal — but more like one of those some of us are more accustomed to seeing on television or on vacation.

Halftime was no different. JSU’s Sonic Boom marching band was as good as advertised; while Alcorn’s counterpart spelled out “AIR-II” across the field and struck the Heisman pose which has become so popular around the Lorman campus — getting an ovation from even the Jackson State faithful.

A classic all the way around. But trust me, McNair was the showcase.

The press box was so full that some writers were forced to walk the sidelines for the entire game.

In the first half, I sat between a reporter from USA Today and a scout from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both were impressed with McNair; unfortunately, neither is a Heisman voter.

McNair’s stats speak for themselves. If the Heisman went to the player with the best stats, they wouldn’t invite anyone else to New York for the ceremony.

“I don’t know if there’s anything else I could have done,” McNair said of his Heisman quest. “But if I don’t win, it won’t be the end of the world.

“Right now, I’m just concentrating on us getting a playoff berth. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll focus on getting to the NFL. That’ll be my main objective.”

That, I don’t believe, will be a problem.

Standing on the Alcorn sideline in the fourth quarter with current ASU player and former Kemper County standout Kevin Jackson, I got the feeling that even McNair’s teammates are awestruck.

Fans “oohed” and “aahed” when McNair dodged would-be tacklers. And when he gunned a 60-yard, line-drive pass, it sounded like a 300-yard drive leaving the tee box.

On the field after the game, McNair — flanked by security officers on both sides — was presented with a life-size portrait signed by more than 400 teammates and friends.

He cried there with his mother and brother, Tim, as he accepted. Kids with McNair t-shirts begged for autographs and teenage girls squealed like nothing I’ve seen since old footage of Elvis.

Steve McNair is the best college football player I have ever seen. He should win the Heisman, and he’s someone to look up to for all Mississippians.

When asked if four years ago he could imagined this chaos, McNair simply replied “No, but I’m glad we’re getting all this attention. It’s good for Alcorn and it’s good for all of these guys.”

Just one of the many unselfish things McNair said while I sat on that locker room floor.

And just one of the reasons I now believe something I read earlier this season: “When Steve McNair steps on the field, he’s not only the best football player ... he may be the best person.”