Our old friend Karl Terrebonne from Lafayette walked on at Louisiana Tech and became an All-Southland Conference receiver. He’s a football historian, a lover of the game and its personalities and what it all “means.” It’s more than just scores to T-Bone. He has more old photos and films than you can imagine.

Here was Karl’s reply to DW’s column about world-class sprinters Pat Garrett and Billy Cannon after Dr. Cannon passed away in is sleep Sunday at 80.

Cannon amazed fans at LSU meets when he ran the 100-yard dash in the world-class time of 9.4 seconds, then trotted across the field to throw the 16-pound shot 54 feet, both SEC records at the time.

He also could bench-press 400 pounds, just 20 pounds off the gold medal effort for his weight class in the 1956 Olympics.

He won the Heisman by miles and was voted onto the All Decade Team of the 1950s as a running back AND defensive back. As athletes go, spectacular. Freakish. Beauty and power and grace. But also something else…

I’ve written a column for this Sunday the 27th that has little to do with Billy Cannon the athlete. Neither does the note below, although after a quick first read, it might seem too. Pat Garrett wrote it Monday after reading on DW about his sprints against and friendship with Cannon. This is up-close from someone who crouched with Cannon in the blocks 60 years ago, someone with Olympic-quality speed who was twice nipped at the tape by our absent friend…

Something that doesn’t always come out is his will to win.

Sure, the strength, the build, the speed.

But Billy told me once he didn’t think anyone could beat him.

The will. He willed that TD against Ole Miss and all odds.

He willed the 100-yard dash finish.

Will is a sacred thing. Almost religious in its origin.

I think that is what made Billy Billy. To believe no one can beat you and then will it so is such a mysterious truth.

It was a privilege to compete with someone like that.

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