Feb. 3, 2005

With Darwin Walker on the field for the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday's Super Bowl XXXIX, the string of former Vols who have played in the annual NFL championship classic continues seemingly unabated.

From the perspective of history, Super Bowl Sunday is the time of year that always gets the attention of such former Vols as Ron Widby, John Michels and Steve Kiner.

Widby punted for the Cowboys in Super Bowl V and VI, earning a ring in that latter game.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime type experience," he said. "Super Bowl V was not so good, but we got a ring in Super Bowl VI. I still have it. It pales in comparison to the rings the Cowboys got in the 1990s, but people notice it's not quite so big and gaudy."

Michels, a UT All-America (1952) and College Football Hall of Fame selection (1996), coached with the Minnesota Vikings 27 years and was on the sidelines for four Super Bowls - against Kansas City (Super Bowl IV), Pittsburgh (Super Bowl IX), Miami (Super Bowl VIII) and Oakland (Super Bowl XI) - and has a unique perspective about the late January or early February classic.

"The hype and the pressure are just unbelievable," he said. "If you can control the hype, it makes the game a lot easier. There's constant pressure for players to do things and the game becomes secondary to a point. All of it occasionally becomes just too much. We never learned to control it and I guess the coaches who won did."

Michels also disagreed, vehemently, it seemed, with those who say that getting to the Super Bowl is the goal.

"When you lose the Super Bowl, it's like the end of the world," he said. "It just destroys your season. I'm not really over it yet. You can flip a coin as to which of the games hurt the worst."

Michels still remembers Kansas City coach Hank Stram's taped commentary on the sidelines at the 1970 game in New Orleans, which made things even worse than losing. It's hard, he said, even now, to watch the tape of Stram's wide-ranging comments, which appear every now and then on ESPN, especially during Super Bowl week.

"I didn't like it," he said, "but he backed it up and won the game. I'm a competitor and have never liked to lose," harking to his days at Tennessee when the Vols lost just four times in three years, including two in bowl games.

For his part, Kiner (1967-69, All-America 1968-69) found it hard to believe he played in Super Bowl V nearly 35 years ago, wearing a blue Cowboys jersey No. 60. He made the cover of Sports Illustrated's Super Bowl issue in 1971, trying in vain to block Jim O'Brien's game winning field goal that gave Baltimore a 16-13 victory.

"I do remember we should have won the game," Steve said. "We had the ball and were past midfield with a third-and-8. Instead of running a draw or screen, we went down field and Mike Curtis intercepted. Johnny Unitas completed a couple of passes and they kicked the winning field goal."

There was, however, more to Super Bowl V than that, Kiner said.

"I also remember how it was a carnival atmosphere leading up to the game," he said, echoing what Michels had said, "something which was very strange to me. I kept wondering what all the excitement was about. We were just going to play another football game. It was no big deal.

"I personified young and dumb. I had no sense of time, no perspective about professional football or the history of it. I was playing and having a great time. After the loss, a great sense of missed opportunity lingered for years. When I was with the Oilers, my focus was getting back to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately we could never get past the Steelers."

Former Vols have, since Super Bowl I, been integral parts of the excitement of Super Bowls. Jack Reynolds and Bill Bates each played in three Super Bowls, while Ron Widby, Craig Colquitt, Mickey Marvin, Raleigh McKenzie, Alvin Harper, Reggie White, Bruce Wilkerson and Leonard Little have played in two each.

Jamal Lewis' 102 yards on 27 carries in Super Bowl XXXV are the most yards rushing for a former Vol, while Willie Gault (Super Bowl XX) leads former Vol receivers with four catches for 129 yards. Lewis and Alvin Harper (Super Bowl XXVIII) are the only Vols to score in a Super Bowl.

Here's a look at Vols in the Super Bowl:

• Bill Anderson (Super Bowl I, Green Bay).
• Ron Widby (Super Bowl V, VI, Dallas) ... nine punts for 41.9-yard average, long of 49, in Super Bowl V; five punts for 37.2-yard average, long of 47, in Super Bowl VI.
• Richmond Flowers (Super Bowl V, Dallas).
• Steve Kiner (Super Bowl V, Dallas) ... returned a kickoff for 2 yards.
• Bob Petrella (Super Bowl VI, Miami)
• Neil Clabo (Super Bowl XI, Minnesota) ... seven punts for 37.9-yard average, long of 46.
• Craig Colquitt (Super Bowls XIII and XIV, Pittsburgh) ... three punts for 43- yard average, long of 52; in Super Bowl XIII; two punts for 42.5-yard average, long of 50, in Super Bowl XIV.
• Eddie Brown (Super Bowl XIV, Los Angeles Rams) ... one interception for 6 yards.
• Jack Reynolds (Super Bowls XIV, Rams; XVI and XIX, San Francisco) ... eight tackles in Super Bowl XIV; nine tackles in Super Bowl XVI, including key stop on fourth-and-goal in third quarter; Reynolds was specifically mentioned by CBS analyst John Madden for wearing his uniform on the team bus to the game.
• Mickey Marvin (Super Bowls XV, Oakland Raiders; XVIII, Los Angeles Raiders).
• Craig Puki (Super Bowl XVI, San Francisco) ... one tackle.
• Roland James (Super Bowl XX, New England) ... six tackles.
• Stanley Morgan (Super Bowl XX, New England) ... six catches for 51 yards, long of 16.
• Brian Ingram (Super Bowl XX, New England) ... one tackle.
• Willie Gault (Super Bowl XX, Chicago) ... four receptions for 129 yards, long of 60; four kickoff returns for 49 yards, long of 18.
• Raleigh McKenzie (Super Bowls XXII and XXVI, Washington).
• Tim McGee (Super Bowl XXIII, Cincinnati) ... two catches for 23 yards.
• Carl Zander (Super Bowl XXIII, Cincinnati) ... two tackles.
• David Douglas (Super Bowl XXIII, Cincinnati).
• Keith DeLong (Super Bowl XXIV, San Francisco).
• Alvin Harper (Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII, Dallas) ... three catches for 75 yards, long of 35, in Super Bowl XXVII; 45-yard TD pass from Aikman in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXVIII; first Vol to score in Super Bowl.
• Bill Bates (Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX, Dallas) ... one tackle, one deflected pass.
• Cory Fleming (Super Bowl XXX, Dallas).
• Reggie White (Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII, Green Bay) ... three sacks for minus-23 yards, in Super Bowl XXXI; one tackle in Super Bowl XXXII.
• Bruce Wilkerson (Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII, Green Bay).
• Aaron Hayden (Super Bowl XXXII, Green Bay).
• Chuck Smith (Super Bowl XXXIII, Atlanta) ... one tackle and one assist.
• Ben Talley (Super Bowl XXXIII, Atlanta).
• Marcus Nash (Super Bowl XXXIII, Denver).
• Trey Teague (Super Bowl XXXIII, Denver, injured).
• Joey Kent (Super Bowl XXXIV, Tennessee).
• Jason Layman (Super Bowl XXXIV, Tennessee).
• Leonard Little (Super Bowls XXXIV and XXXVI, St. Louis).
• Jamal Lewis (Super Bowl XXXV, Baltimore Ravens) ... carried 27 times for 102 yards and one TD; second former Vol to score in a Super Bowl on 3-yard run in fourth quarter
• Dave Thomas (Super Bowl XXXV, New York Giants) ... one tackle.
• Marcus Nash (Super Bowl XXXV, Baltimore).
• Cosey Coleman (Tampa Bay, Super Bowl XXXVII).
• Charley Garner (Oakland, Super Bowl XXXVII) ... carried 7 times for 10 yards; caught 7 passes for 51 yards.
• Travis Stephens (Tampa Bay, Super Bowl XXXVII, injured).
• Deon Grant (Carolina, Super Bowl XXXVIII).
• Shane Burton (Carolina, Super Bowl XXXVIII).