Rudy Hubbard wanted past football players to remain connected to Rickards High when he became the schools' head coach a little less than one year ago.
Often, Hubbard says, former players end their connection to the team and school when a new coach enters the picture.
So when he learned that Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay and Kansas City Chief Kolby Smith were working out with his football players last summer, Hubbard personally extended an invitation to the two 2003 Rickards graduates: Whenever they wanted, they were welcome to return as members of the Raider football family.
Well, both Gay and Smith returned Friday night as special guests at the school annual football banquet. Gay and Smith, who both went on to play at the University of Louisville, received appreciation awards from Hubbard during the banquet.
"I wanted to let these guys know that we watch them and we follow them," Hubbard said. "I didn't know these guys would comeback, and I think it's so special they decided to comeback."
Not even a week after his Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII, Gay found a chair in the same cafeteria where he and Smith used to eat chicken tenders and wondered whether they'd attend track practice.
"I shot down here straight from Pittsburgh to be a part of this because this is my home," Gay said. "This is what I believe in. This is what I'm a part of — Rickards High School."
Smith expressed similar sentiments.
"I always come back here to work out in the summer and to let (current Rickards players) know that they can be where I am at the present moment," Smith said. "Like I said, this is where I started out at. This campus, this ground is what got me to where I got today. That's why I wanted to come back."
While receiving his appreciation award, Smith kept his comments on the theme of appreciation.
"I appreciate the work ethic instilled in me here," he added. "I learned to never stop working. You have to grind at all times. No one is going to give you anything. When I was at Rickards, we weren't too successful. That's why we knew we had to go out and play hard and practice hard each and every week."
In a lighter moment, during his comments, Gay took a friendly jab at Smith's Chiefs, who went 2-14 this season.
"He's on a sorry team," Gay said. "And next year it will be an honor for him to be on the same field as the Super Bowl champions."
Smith, who played in only seven games last season due to a leg injury, could only drop his head and laugh.
The presence of the two professionals had Rickards' All-Big Bend junior linebacker Fred Griggs hankering for his own return to the field next season.
"It's crazy," Griggs said. "We got a Super Bowl player and another NFL player here. And you got our whole team coming back here. It just makes me anxious to play next year."
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/2...TS01/902070320
Steelers CB William Gay takes friendly jab at Kolby Smith "He's on a sorry team"
(https://chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=202033)