In the Presence of Greatness

Phil Lanford of St. Joe Beach had a big decision to make before the weekend of Aug. 7. Now that he looks back on it, he really had no choice at all.

Lanford was among a group of former Escambia High School coaches invited by Emmitt Smith to attend the 2010 NFL Hall of Fame inductions in Canton, Ohio.

Lanford, an assistant coach when Smith was a record-setting prep runner, later went on to become head football coach at Port St. Joe High School and currently is in private business.

He previously had accepted an invitation to a wedding also held on Saturday in another state. Lanford said his wife understood, and as she headed to the wedding Lanford and son, Charlie, were in Canton.

“I decided a couple weeks (after receiving the invitation to Canton) that my son and I were going to go,” Lanford said Tuesday. What ensued was nearly an indescribable experience.

“It’s kind of hard to put into words,” Lanford said. “You are in the midst of all the greats from the 1960s all the way up to now. Almost all of the (Hall of Famers) who are still alive attend.

“I was able to talk to Emmitt before he received his jacket on Friday night. He was in awe. He said he couldn’t even imagine trying to give a speech in front of all the great players. Giving a speech to his peers, he said, was the toughest experience he ever had to do.”

Smith ultimately met that challenge head on, just like an NFL career that culminated in his retiring as the all-time leading rusher in professional football. His speech was a climactic moment not only for the crowd, but a three-day whirlwind for the Lanfords.

He said they arrived on Thursday and immediately walked through the Hall of Fame building. They returned on Friday morning, then were in attendance when Smith received his Hall of Fame blazer in a ceremony on Friday in the Canton Civic Center.

“They bring in all of the Hall of Fame members who are there to congratulate” the inductees, Lanford said. “They’re introduced one by one and walk to the stage and congratulate the new ones. There was a parade for about two hours in the morning, a buffet for the enshrines and then a dinner for them.”

When the new members were welcomed into the hall and gave their acceptance speeches the Lanfords were about 10 rows from the stage, sitting among former players such as Daryl Johnston, Nate Newton, Leon Lett and Jay Novacek of the Dallas Cowboys.

Afterward about 250-300 attended Smith’s private party, some of the luminaries including Jerry Jones, Urban Meyer and Wade Phillips.

Lanford was struck by the humility of the former NFL standouts.

“I talked to Daryl Johnston, Nate Newton, Mark Stepnoski … they were all just ordinary people, very humble and appreciative of their opportunities and playing on a team with Emmitt and Troy Aikman. Gracious guys.”

Lanford was in attendance with former Escambia coaches Dwight Thomas, Mickey Lindsey and Jimmy Nichols. Thomas, the head coach at the time who also coached at Choctawhatchee in Fort Walton Beach, and Nichols were singled out by Smith in his speech.

“I think it tells how much those days mean to kids that go through a program,” Lanford said. “Ten players off that team were there, all talking about the experience of high school football and what it’s meant to their lives.”

“I’m glad I made the decision to go.”

Lanford has one more trip remaining, albeit this one much shorter. Smith and Thomas will be inducted into the Escambia High School Hall of Fame on Oct. 8 in Pensacola.

It is going to be a reunion of sorts, planned around the football game of Escambia hosting Pace, incidentally now coached by Lindsey.

Excerpt from speech

“Thank you to my high school coach Dwight Thomas for teaching me how to set goals, become a team player, and to shine the spotlight upon others such as my offensive linemen. Thank you to Jimmy Nichols, my offensive coordinator out of high school. You pushed me and helped make me into the running back I became. You set the foundation by teaching me I could never carry the football for you or anyone else if I fumbled. You made it very clear to me that the football was the most important thing on the football field. Both Dwight Thomas and Jimmy Nichols pushed me to a level of greatness at an early age. I began to realize what it would take for me to become successful. I also understood that my job and my role as a teammate had to be fulfilled by all the work that we all put in to what we were trying to get accomplished. So thank you, guys. From Escambia High School to this point for being there and helping me get to this point.”