. But this time, Turner stayed mentally strong. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. It was his stepfather who took him to his first NFL game -- they took the train to Shea Stadium -- at the age of "10 or 11" and he was mesmerized by the Joe Namath-led New York Jets. Bats and agaves make tequila possibleand theyre both at risk, The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, 3 ways Jimmy Carter changed the world for the better, The meaning of the cross of ashes on Ash Wednesday, This disease often goes under-diagnosedunless youre white, The groundbreaking promise of cellular housekeeping. One hundred ninety years is a lot of time for a case to grow cold. Hes humble from the get, saying he had no business ever playing in the NFL at all because it wasnt talent that got him there. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Old cells hang around as we age, doing damage to the body. "I knew I had limited time, so I had to make something happen fast," he added. An 1831 woodcut depicted Nat Turner's insurrection. Social vs. medical egg freezing: Whats the difference? He shaved his 40-yard dash time from 4.54 to 4.37 -- and NFL teams took notice. You see it slowly approaching and all you can do in the meantime is prepare and figure out how strong it will be once it arrives. Vernon Turner (born January 6, 1967) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back, wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) and NFL Europe League (NFLE) for eight seasons during the 1990s. Turner's aunt was pitching in with the kids, while Olivieri was doing all he could for Vernon financially, but eventually his aunt informed him she could no longer support the family. I dont know what it is, Turner said. But now, only South Koreas Sanghyeok Woo has jumped higher than Turners 7-7 this year. What got him there was why he was so motivated to succeed in the first place the need to take care of his family. But deep inside he felt that Turners remains should be reunited with his descendants. Setting everything aside, putting myself first, has helped me accomplish the things I wanted to.. Certainly, this fragile fragment holds enormous emotional value for me, for my family. Though the shock of a culture change, moving from a predominantly African-American neighborhood into an almost exclusively white area, would rattle any young boy, it was what was going on under Vernon's own roof that would truly change his life forever. But its happening. [3], After graduating from high school, Turner enrolled at CarsonNewman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee, where he was recruited by head coach Ken Sparks to play running back. When the bloodletting ended, 55 whites lay dead. In other words, elite high jumpers must be strong and fast and possess impeccable technique. I dont know if I was tired. [citation needed], National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, "Ex-NFL player Vernon Turner tells his story, no holds barred", "Carson-Newman carries on football successes", "CarsonNewman rushes to NAIA championship", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vernon_Turner&oldid=1131071940, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 2 January 2023, at 11:55. After one season with Buffalo, Turner joined the Los Angeles Rams for two years, before moving on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two more years and rounding out his career with a final stint in Detroit. "I witnessed one of the best players on the planet and I wanted to be just like him. He made a rare trip to Staten Island last summer, visiting his own exhibit at the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame. The movie "Relentless", based on his life, is currently in pre-production thanks to investments from celebrities Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Russell Wilson, and Ciara. "My purpose is to help as many people as I can before I join my mom, dad, and sister. At quarterback, Turner rewrote the school record book at the time -- tossing for a then-record 3,654 career passing yards, tallying 537 rushing yards during his senior season alone. One skull is a very small sample of this highly variable world, he said. But my goals never varied. With college aspirations in mind, Turner once again enlisted the help of his mentor, Olivieri. "The rule was if you were late you don't play, but the coaches played me anyway," explained Turner. But available evidence strongly suggests that this sordid tale had a gruesome appendix, and there began the mystery of what happened to Nat Turners body, and whether part of it now resides in a lab of the Smithsonian Institution. 'It was a great move':How risky strategy propelled Oklahoma State's Taylor Roe to national title. Today, this is all that remains. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. He owned an office furniture installation business in North Carolina, moved into the tire manufacturing business,[2] and currently works in the oil refining industry in Houston, Texas. "It was the 1970s, and Staten Island wasn't known for its affection for black people," says Turner. Big Joe Turner, byname of Joseph Vernon Turner, (born May 18, 1911, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.died November 24, 1985, Inglewood, California), American blues singer, or "shouter," whose music included jazz, rhythm and blues, and boogie-woogie. This memoir is a brutally honest and inspiring look back on the life of one of Staten Island's greatest football heroes. * Vernon attended Curtis High School (1983-1986) where he all-stared in football and track. The Journal of Negro History article said Turners ear was kept as a curiosity somewhere in Virginia. Whats more, theres evidence that the brain was removed from this skull forcefully, consistent with mutilation. "I told him when I turn pro I'm going to buy you a car. The second option wasnt even on the table. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Legendary Curtis coach Fred Olivieri knew exactly what Vernon had done -- and an eternal bond between player and coach was born. Bruce Turner said he learned more about it from reading history books in California than he did as a boy in Southampton. Eventually Franklin entrusted the skull to the Breckinridges, who in turn donated it to Hatchers Civil Rights Hall of Fame project. Covids return this winter, which caused Turner to miss multiple stretches of practice. Turner, a junior, is the first NCAA Indoor High Jump champion in Oklahoma history. Spectrum News 1 welcomes Meteorologist Britney Hamilton. Walter "Sweetness" Payton was his idol, and the future Hall of Fame running back for the Chicago Bears later corresponded with the Carson-Newman running back with detailed workout recommendations. For that alone, not to mention all the great coaches and great players that I was blessed to be around, they provided me with an opportunity to take care of my family.. A small group gathered last week in a hotel suite on the outskirts of Gary, Indiana. Hes the oldest, and just a few years later, when Turner was a freshman in college, his dad died. No less certain is the fate of Turners skull. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. You can contact him at benswenson@cox.net. Jenni Carlson: Jenni can be reached at 405-475-4125 or jcarlson@oklahoman.com. read vernon turner's ou bio Those are good, but might not be good enough to get a spot on Team USA. Recently, he turned it over to Turner's descendants, who have enlisted forensic experts for testing. He found the mental toughness to get it done. To hear Turner tell his life story is an experience in and of itself. In honor of Black History Month, Abandoned Country is republishing the following article, which originally appeared in The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press on August 21, 2021 as Its been 190 years since Nat Turners Rebellion. 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