You dont know whether the ball is coming to you or not. The finger had been disjointed. WebElmo Wright, Class: Induction: 2020 Sport(s): - Position: Wide Receiver Years: 1968-1970 Place of Birth: Brazoria, TX Date of Birth: July 3, 1949 Jersey Number: Elmo Wright, Elmo Wright was an entertainer at heart. You wanna get the big bucks. He became known for spiking the ball after a score, irking coaches and the NCAA so much so that they banned the practice before the 1969 season. A. It wasnt much, as dances go. Generally speaking, the players who dance are pretty fabulous players. Thats how I started being a receiver, Wright said. All contents During a five-year pro career in the early 1970s, Elmo Wright scored a grand total of seven touchdowns. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Elmo Wright was apparently the first person to dance in the end zone. Im not worthy of that. When I saw my finger like this, there goes the saxophone, there goes the piano, there goes football, Wright said. 509 Olive Way, Suite 305, Seattle, WA 98101, Elmo Wright Says Football Is Supposed to Be Fun, Mattress Mack Puts Massive Sum of Money Where Mouth Is. Bill Yeoman, the last time I saw him, I want yall to know, I was able to tell my coach I loved him. Ahead of last season, though, the league had a change of heartperhaps because fans love the practice so muchrelaxing the rules and allowing groups of players to stage what have become increasingly elaborate skits after touchdowns. He led the NCAA in touchdowns in 1969 and was an All-American in 1970 on one of the few integrated college teams in the South. Asked how he became a prolific receiver in a run-dominated offense, Wright shared a story only he could tell. Join Facebook to connect with Elmo Wright and others you may know. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The next day, the band director whipped me in front of the entire band. At that moment, back in Houston, another UH alum was no doubt smiling: 68-year-old Elmo Wright, All-American wide receiver for the Cougars back in the late 60s, NFL player in the 70s, and the man who invented this mini art form. Angry pants Seattle Seahawks Ron Mattes chop-blocked Bruce Smith after Bruce did a little jig post-sack. In my sophomore year in college at Houston, I was throwing the ball down in the end zone. Put yourself in a receivers shoes. The 1970s were characterized in the NFL dancing realm by the antics of Billy "White Shoes" Johnson.According to the ESPN documentary in the video, Johnson got the snowball rolling in terms of dances in the end zone.Fans enjoyed seeing "White Shoes" break big plays and finish it off with a "chicken dance." This biographical article relating to an American football wide receiver born in the 1940s is a stub. I wasn't that good. Some opposing players would intentionally get in the middle of the Fun Bunch to thwart their touchdown fun and instigate fights. When, where and why did you start dancing in the end zone after scoring a touchdown? In fact, its probably a stretch to call it a dance at all (heres an example, from Elmos days with the Chiefs). Well, when my daughter graduated from Barnard and she walked across the stage, I felt like doing a little dance. I wondered what happened for people to think about me.. He calls it in the huddle, you run out left, you see the defensive back lined up in front of you. For many college football fans, Elmo Wright is known as the guy that invented the touchdown dance, but his career has much more significance than that. Early in the game, Wright caught a pass and avoided Tannen by high-stepping out of his grasp, then continued to high-step his way into the end zone. Among all his accomplishments, Wright might be best known as the founding father of the touchdown dance, first introducing a high-stepping end zone celebration against Florida in the 1969 season opener. Texans Get Their Man as DeMeco Ryans Returns to Houston, Five Things You Didnt Know About Houston Native Jalen Hurts. This week, he said all he wanted to do was score touchdowns and celebrate them. There was no one else in front of me, so I kept high-stepping all the way to the end zone. This was at the height of the civil rights era, and not everyone was happy with Wrights little displays of joy. Theres nothing Im doing now. Im sure the offsetting-penalty technicality has been on the books for years, but it struck me on Sunday as the perfect expression of the Roger Goodell erathe actual football, the stuff that happens after the snap and before the whistle, is no more important than the leagues self-presentation. Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft picks, "Father of End-Zone Dance Explains His Happy Feet", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elmo_Wright&oldid=1083873817, Alumni of George Washington Carver High School (Sweeny, Texas), American football wide receiver, 1940s birth stubs, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles using infobox templates with no data rows, NFL player missing current team parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 April 2022, at 07:35. I was just so excited. Following his college playing days, Wright went on to star for the Kansas City Chiefs.He currently resides in Houston, TX.== References ==Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmo_WrightCreated with WikipediaReaderReborn (c) WikipediaReader If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Bryce Young vs. C.J. Bill Yeoman, I felt when he did that to his program he was doing something that, in my opinion, he needed some help, Wright said. Everybody was asking me what I was going to do. However, the two dances were often combined to justify rules limiting what was usually good, clean fun. Anyone can read what you share. Also, that nickname is fantastic. Elmo Wright remembers the phone call, even if he might have believed it was a case of the wrong number. Elmo Wright debuted his dance in 1969 as a University of Houston Cougar. Woods got his first 2 NFL TDs in week 4 of his rookie year, with his mother in attendance. Injuries would end up derailing Wrights NFL career. By The Tiny Dancer who made football history | Frank's Place But it was when this 5-foot-9, 170-pound flash arrived at Chester's Pennsylvania Military College in 1970 - two years before that school changed its name to Widener - that he made his real contribution to the cultural divide. Players use that in order to play well. The Spike (pictured above, if you squint) came about when Homer was about to toss his game ball into the crowd post-touchdown but realized he would earn a harsh fine, so instead, he spiked it. You cant do stupid stuff. Who Did The First NFL Touchdown Celebration Dance?!? The NFL tried to fine him for that too but had to backtrack on their bull crap. And soon he wasnt the only one. Elmo was living in Houston, having recently retired after working for Harris County for nearly three decades. - Slate One of James Mayfield's teammates was receiver Elmo Wright, inventor of the end-zone dance. Although the Super Bowl Shuffle was not technically a touchdown celebration, it was a celebration and also the most epic music video of all time. WebIn the NFL, endzone dances are often performed after a touchdown has been scored by a team. A. Billy was always respectful with his moves he would avoid any hint of taunting by distancing himself from the opposing team before he started any celebrations. That was recognized as the beginning of what is now a craze in the N.F.L. WebBest Dance Studios in Brea, CA - Stagelight Performing Arts, Academy 831, Stage One Dance Studio, AMNA Dance, Dance Star Academy of Performing Arts, Fred Astaire Elmo Wright, a dazzling split end on the 1968-70 UH football teams, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night. Continue with Recommended Cookies. I thought about Elmo Wright on Sunday, right after DeSean Jackson got himself and his Eagles in some trouble for channeling a little of old Elmos spirit. I started high-stepping to get out of it. You will forever be known as the player who invented the end-zone dance. When people are celebrating, they do a little dance. The infamous "Ickey Shuffle," as performed by Elbert Woods of the Cincinnati Bengals, occurred during the 1980s.Woods would punch-in short touchdown runs and follow them up with a hilarious dance that is made priceless by the size of Woods.The "Ickey Shuffle" is commonly copied in today's celebrations. Who is the "Father" of the End-Zone dance? What are some popular services for dance studios? She also enjoys writing about the history of football, and football affiliated true crime. They called it bustin the ball, he explains. His 34 career touchdowns remained a school record for 41 years. WebView the profiles of people named Elmo Wright. According to the blog Wright was an AllAmerican receiver for the Cougars and, somewhere during his collegiate career, h They had one more connection to make. Yeoman shouted, Let him catch the ball! You don't have to be a sports fan to feel the emotions and celebration of a really good end zone dance. I couldn't believe that people expected me to dance, but forgot what I had to do before that: catch the ball and score a touchdown. In a year that saw a lot of creativity in the end zone, this was the celebration that would be named the best of the season in a survey of NFL players. In his third year with the Chiefs, Elmo caught a touchdown pass in a game on Nov. 18, 1973, against the Houston Oilers and celebrated with what some believe was the first end zone dance in NFL history.the Race was definitely a factor, particularly when the Cougars played schools like Memphis, Ole Miss and Georgia. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Yes, Woods! Elmo expressed his joy through dance; they were always spontaneous reactions to the moment. It was all bone. In the season opener in 1970, NFL scouts from all over the country turned out to see Elmo play. He talks about how the dance is just a way to express the joy that came with achieving his goals.Subscribe to the channel and stay up to date with the latest Sports Connections.Podcast links (subscribe below or find us on your favorite platform):Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sports-connections-with-david-smale/id1547099793Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7q8qZPD3MGSdJs9S0quZs0?si=1Zx2JyLISk6NPUHxrhM82AGoogle: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3Nwb3J0c2Nvbm5lY3Rpb25zL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean: https://sportsconnections.podbean.com Hes the best receiver in the country.. 85 made fans anticipate or hate his touchdowns more than any other player, depending on whether you enjoyed his moves on the field.His antics have tempered significantly since joining the New England Patriots in 2011, but those who loved to see him embarrass the other team can look back and enjoy. Some players didnt love it Lyle Alzado predicted, its going to be a bleeping disco. That was just a little roid rage. In my mind, I know these guys are just having fun and that they know that come the next play, they better have their heads back in the game. In 1969, Elmo Wright, a junior receiver for the University of Houston, is believed to have invented the post-touchdown celebration. Say youre with the coach, and he says, Red Right Forty-Three Forty-Six Slant, and you run out there to tell the quarterback the play. The Astros gave four underdog pitchers a shot. Houston was playing a lot of teams in the South. AP file photo Elmo Wright led Elmo Wright (born July 3, 1949) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). It was the Civil Rights era, Elmo said. Wright had a memorable incident with another player on the team, Floridas Steven Tannen. Explains What His Father Taught Him, Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Tackle Motivated By Wild Card Loss, never started the touchdown celebration trend, popularity grew even with his stats going down, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE. It was kind of a problem with the referees, because theyd have to chase the ball down after a score. College football soon outlawed the practice. Dancing and such closely allied activities as informal singing have, I think, several functions in the novels: (1) Dancing, He was the first football player ever to perform an end zone dance and developed the celebration of "high-stepping" into the end zone. I was working on a magazine story about preening wide receivers. They got the wrong person. Once again, the NFL got cranky. WebOn November 18, 1973, wide receiver Elmo Wright scored a touchdown and became the first professional football player to dance in the end zone. OK, try to follow along here: With the Eagles pinned near their own end zone, Jackson caught a 50-yard heave from Vince Young and then got shoved out of bounds along the New York sideline, whereupon he flipped the ball to a Giants assistant and brushed some invisible dirt off his chest. Wright recalls that refs didnt care for the spike; they always had to run for the ball. Episode 3: Elmo Wright - Sometimes You Just Gotta Dance Sports Connections with David Smale 29 subscribers Subscribe 12 Share 770 views 1 year ago People remember the dance but they forget that I broke an NCAA record for touchdowns, Elmo lamented. Red! and now he changes the pattern. In our first game my junior year, I was going up against an all-American from Florida named Steve Tannen, and I was thinking he was going to embarrass me. Teammates (and his mother) were critical, asking him what he was doing and calling the shuffle prototype wack. It was also called stiff-legged by news services. I cant believe it. I went back also to get my MBA. By In the end zone, I kept high-stepping. They called it bustin the ball, he explains. We will appreciate all of our frolicking football forefathers. He decided he should continue high stepping both faster and higher that was how the first touchdown dance was born. While at the University of Houston, he became the first football At one point, Elmo caught a ball in front of Floridas All-American defensive back, Steve Tannen. Quarterback says, Red! That's the consequence of this. RIP Fred Lane we wish we could have seen more touchdown celebrations from you. All right, so I doubt DeSean Jackson had Bull Connors dogs on his mind when he flipped the ball to that Giants assistant. I was in a bind, but I could run. I said, They got it!, Elmo laughed. Elmo Freestyle is a freestyle recorded and uploaded onto the YouTube channel 912djsupastar in 2011 by Duwap Kaine. Duwap released the song under the alias Dolphin God, when Read More The Section Header button breaks up song sections. Highlight the text then click the link But in the Roger Goodell era, pro football is slowly getting sapped of Elmos spirit, that exuberant mix of Fuck you! Recent on-field antics have included a simulated 100-meter relay; rousing games of Leap Frog and Hide-and-Seek; a potato sack race; and, yes, Duck, Duck, Goose. 509 Olive Way, Suite 305, Seattle, WA 98101Phone: 713-862-4570 Fax: 713-862-4606, By But, perhaps most remarkable, while the Veer was breaking records, Wright finished with 100 yards in 15 of the 32 college games he played. Like most firsts in history, there is no clear consensus on which touchdown celebration came first and what counted as a celebration. Its great on a personal level, but I think of all the players that played with me. After only a handful of seasons, he returned to UH to get his MBA, then went on to serve as chief of staff for former Harris County Commissioner Jim Fonteno for more than two decades before retiring. Heading into his junior year, Wright was named to the prestigious Playboy Preseason All-America team. Following his college playing days, Wright went on to star for the Kansas City Chiefs. today? Elmos the greatest Ive ever seen. I was always aware we were student-athletes, Elmo stated this week. Southern states were less receptive to his celebrations than other locations. Elmo Wright, a dazzling split end on the 1968-70 UH football teams, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night. After a strong first day of draft, Houston is the place to be. During his sophomore season in 1968, Wright took to slamming the ball to the ground. Conversely, Otis Taylor first had the great Chris Burford opposite him at WR for but 3 years, a fast but inconsistent Frank Pitts the next 3 (& Gloster Richardson occasionally) , then Elmo Wright (he of the td dance endzone owner of 6 in his entire 5-year mtier) until the end Otis career. We tend now to think of former NFL players as grim figuresshattered old men limping and doddering arthritically through their emeritus years. record for touchdowns. The tradition has taken off since, with the Packers still doing so with every Aaron Rodgers touchdown toss.The "Dirty Bird," as orchestrated by Jamaal Anderson, would be illegal today because it was a multi-player presentation. I trained very hard to get ready for that game. Even when their teammate returned the following year, the Fun Bunch couldnt stop it was too popular at that point. After his NFL career was cut short by injuries, he came back to the University of Houston and received his degree in 1975 and then an MBA in 1985. They forget that I had 27, 29 yards per reception. All of my kids have loved the classes here. He brought his talents to the NFL in 1971, and we are all the better for it. He was the 16th overall pick by the NFLs Kansas City Chiefs. Elmo counts elephants dancing on a truck. Elmo knows what can dance and what can't. Mailboxes can't, but Elmo can dance while he's mailing a letter. Birthday cakes can't, but Elmo can dance at a birthday party. Telephones can't, but Elmo can dance while he's talking on the telephone. Trash cans can't, unless it's Oscar's trash can . Wrights dances drew attention to just him, much to the chagrin of some fans. Can you show us the touchdown dance? the moderator said at Tuesdays event. Anyway, the N.C.A.A. Thats a guy that clearly wanted to get into the end zone and dance, Wright says, adding that its all about self-expression. In a 2005 interview with the New York Times, Elmo explained how the touchdown dance started: I was going up against an all-American from Florida named Steve Tannen, and I was thinking he was going to embarrass me. That was stupid.. Friends pestered Wright about what he might do instead, but he had no idea. You want stupid? Among all his accomplishments, Wright might be best known as the founding father of the touchdown dance, first introducing a high-stepping end zone celebration Can you imagine living without something worth celebrating? he asks. He came to the Houston Chronicle as part of an internship through the Sports Journalism Institute in 1995. His football credentials more than hold up, too. Quarterback Case Keenumformerly with UH, now with the Minnesota Vikingsjoined his teammates in celebrating his touchdown pass against the Chicago Bears, the players quickly sitting in a circle, tapping one another, and giving chase before resuming the football game.
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