Sunday, August 8, 2010

Legends of the Fall

Blogger's note: In honor of the great high school football traditions within Washington and Greene Counties and a few outlying areas, The Varsity Letters begins a new weekly installment titled, "Legends of the Fall." Starting this week and running through the conclusion of the high school football season, we will take a brief look back at a local football legend.

If there is someone you'd like to see mentioned, e-mail me at mkovak@observer-Reporter.com.


Myron Pottios
Mike Ditka might be the toughest football player to come out of Beaver County but those who watched Pottios play at Charleroi High School around the same time as Dikta did still tell tales of his legendary braun.

Once dubbed the "hardest-hitting fullback in the WPIAL," Pottios helped the Cougars reached the WPIAL Class AAA title game in 1956 for legendary coach James "Rab" Currie. The Cougars lose to Jeannette, 16-13.

Pottios played at Notre Dame from 1958-60 and was an All-American guard in 1960. Pottios spent 12 years in the NFL as a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1961-65), Los Angeles Rams (1966-70) and Washington Redskins (1971-74).

Pottios played in Super Bowl VII with the Redskins. Washington lost to Miami.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it me or has the football talent in this area fallen off the map in the last 40 years. Who was the last NFL player to come out of Washington, Greene or Fayette county? Legends of the fall is perfect for this debate.

mike_kovak said...

Not sure about Fayette County but the last guy from Washington or Greene county to actually play in an NFL game was Anthony Peterson from Ringgold.

I agree that there has been a dropoff but you could say the same about many places in Western Pennsylvania that were once far more populated.

Here's the stat I find as alarming as the Peterson factoid: The last time a team from Washington or Greene county played for a WPIAL championship was 2001 (Washington and Fort Cherry).

prexie said...

Perry Kemp from fort cherry played in the nfl for several years, and played opposite sterling sharp for green bay. he had several plus 40 reception yrs.there is a player for your legends of the fall. dont knock washington county there is a lot of talent here and you will see more soon.

Anonymous said...

It will be a long time until any team from around here will be playing for a Wpial title again.The best team around here that will even threaten for a WPIAL title, in the next five years? Tyrell Pryor will be the next NFL player, He will be converted over to a tight end though. He's out of the Jamarcus Russell mold, big,fast,athletic but not accurate at all.

mike_kovak said...

Peterson played in the NFL after Kemp, who was part of Techmo Bowl on the old Nintendo system.

Not knocking Washington County, just stating the facts. But to side with Prexie for a second in this argument, there have been an increase in DI players from Washington/Greene the past 6-7 years. One might think eventually the trend will break and there will be another local kid (sorry Terrelle Pryor is a Westmoreland County product and not applicable to this discussion)in the NFL.

mike_kovak said...

Anyone ever play the old Techmo Bowl? That was the first game to keep stats. Loved having Merrill Hoge rush for 3,000 yards in a season.

Anonymous said...

Who from greene county has gone Div 1 in the last 10 years? In football?

mike_kovak said...

Unless my eyes played tricks on me for several years, Carmichaels' Bobby Hathaway was a starting linebacker at WVU.

Not too shabby.

Anonymous said...

I liked Techmo Super Bowl better. I think it was the first football game with actual players. LT was unstopable as was "the Nigerian Nightmare" Christian Okoye. Best football game ever.

mike_kovak said...

Good call anon. That's the Techmo I played.

Loved lining up with the nose tackle, making a quick down move then hitting the slide button for a guaranteed QB sack.

Deion Sanders could cover the entire field.