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Texas A&M Football

Billy Pickard pays homage to Rodney Thomas

June 20, 2014
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Key quotes from Billy Pickard interview

"Rodney Thomas was an unusual individual who spent his time making the people around him better. He was an amazing young man."

"The thing that demonstrates the type of individual he was was when he showed up Sunday morning to unpack the truck after 'Not doing what he was supposed to' during Saturday's game."

"Often what we get now is young men who have been told how great they are for so long and they start to believe it. That's not their fault, but 

"Rodney could have played today. So many guys couldn't play today even though they were great players at the time."

"The Texas game where Rodney was running to the goal line and hurdled a Texas player and scored, that was one of the greatest plays we have ever seen."

"Everything we've built up has been off of Johnny Football. The thing we need to think about Manziel is what law did he violate? All we hear about is him being out of control. Three weeks ago he was criticized for being gone from Cleveland every weekend when one of those trips was forced by the NFL. Johnny was a special player and his special play helped build that stadium over there."

"Rodney and I had good times visiting. I used to get here at 5:30 in the morning and Rodney knew it. We visited every chance we got."

"The biggest thing about the heart award ... Gene Stallings originated it and said he didn't want to base it solely on how good a football player someone was, but also what the individual contributed to the team."

"I've been employed here 50 years. I was here before that with Coach Bryant. I was a trainer at a couple of high schools and then came back with Gene Stallings."

"Nothing changed at Kyle Field from 1929 to 1954. In 1954 we built a little second deck on the west side. I was a student then, that's the same time we build G. Rollie. I've been here as a student or working for nearly every change at Kyle. It's going to be amazing."

"My first meeting with Coach Sumlin was asking if I could still stick around. I don't do much but hang around and be a pest, but Sumlin said absolutely. He told me he wanted to talk to the players before each game every Thursday. Coach Sumlin is magnificent. Every head coach here has been nothing but good to me."

"The guy toughest on pain was Marvin Tate. The guy weakest on pain was Gary Kubiak. He could stand no pain. How tough you are has nothing to do with it, some people can tolerate it and some can't."

"When I got to Kevin Murray when he got hurt, I got about half way there and saw what it was and knew I had to have a splint to put on him. I turned to come back and Coach Sherrill asked if he could play any more today, I said no. He asked if he could play anymore next week, and I said 'No, he's out for the year.' He said, 'You're full of you know what!' I told him to go look and he got about three quarters of the way down there, saw it, and came back. Kevin was going one way and his ankle was going another."  

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Billy Pickard pays homage to Rodney Thomas

14,468 Views | 10 Replies | Last: 10 yr ago by Fleen
Gabe Bock
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1:13p, 6/20/14
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Billy Pickard pays homage to Rodney Thomas
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powerbiscuit
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3:15p, 6/20/14
you need to have him on every week...wow
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WBBQ74
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4:20p, 6/20/14
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Mr. Pickard is from San Antonio, and I have had the pleasure of hearing him speak at the San Antonio A&M Club (Aggie Park) at least a dozen times over the years. He is truly a national treasure and one of the funniest story tellers on the planet. He has plenty of material, too.

I wandered into his office in the spring of 1972 to ask if he would tape my sprained ankle because we (The Aggie Band) was going to have a Maroon/White Band football game on Saturday and I needed the help. He never blinked and taped me up as good as any other varsity player and wished me well. Never got a chance to thank him for it, but it bespeaks loads of the quality of the man. Class act and a real character. If you EVER get the chance to just sit back and listen to him for an hour, don't pass on the opportunity.

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coupland boy
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4:42p, 6/20/14
AG
Didn't know that about Kevin Murray in the '86 Cotton Bowl.

Please get Billy Pickard back on for more discussions because that was outstanding!
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musket
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4:44p, 6/20/14
AG
Back in the early 70's Pick and all his trainers were the absolute best. Add in Monk Meeks and his managers and the locker room under the west stands was something else......
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AgCat93
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11:28p, 6/20/14
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I had the privilege of working for Pick and Sly Calhoun for two seasons. It was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything and am grateful to have had the opportunity to have done it.

When you peel back the layers, Pick is a great person to be around and truly cares about the players as well as the student managers and trainers.
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WBBQ74
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10:21a, 6/21/14
AG
Kevin Murray broke his ankle at the '84 Arkansas State game at Kyle Field, early in the season. It was maybe the 2nd or 3rd game that year, something like that. He had just run a long QB scramble down the west sideline and got tackled inside the 5 yard line. That game was our 10 year class reunion and I was there. Murray had some great games as a freshman the prior year once given the chance to start, but '83 was a 5-5-1 season and there was nothing at the time to think that '85 would turn out like it did. Jackie was on thin ice during the '84 season, losing game after game leading up to that unknowingly pivotal TCU win at Kyle, followed by the monumental upset of Texas a couple of days later.

You never know.

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Farmers Fight83
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5:36p, 6/21/14
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I really enjoyed hearing from Mr. Pickard. Well done Gabe.
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philevans
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2:28p, 6/23/14
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Mr. Pickard had 2 sons of mine as football managers when Sherill was coach.
my sons grew into manhood under his tutelage.
What a fine gentleman he is.

'61
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Fleen
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12:20p, 6/24/14
To this day, Mr. Pickard will ask about my parents by name when I run into him. (Dad was a walk-on in '64 and worked with Billy early '70s) When I was younger I would come up to A&M with my dad to watch spring training and the highlight of the trips was always spending time after practice in Mr. Pickard's office after practice listening to his stories.
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