catamount man
November 3rd, 2008, 08:06 PM
Former Catamount still relishes hearing “Hoooov”
Tyler Norris Goode • [email protected] • published November 2, 2008 12:15 am
CULLOWHEE – Brad Hoover can't recall the precise Saturday — or even which season — when he first heard it.
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But he does remember the effect of hearing thousands of people bellowing “Hoooov” from the stands at Whitmire Stadium back when he was a standout fullback for Western Carolina.
At least a decade has passed since “Hoov” inspired the Catamount faithful to invent the personalized cheer, but it still evokes the same emotions.
“It still gives me goose bumps,” said Hoover, who is in his ninth season with the Carolina Panthers and occasionally hears the first syllable of his last name ricocheting around Bank of America Stadium. “It started at Western, and it's just continued on.”
One of five former Catamounts who were voted into WCU's Athletic Hall of Fame this year, Hoover took advantage of the Panthers' bye week and attended the induction ceremony Saturday.
He and the other honorees were introduced at halftime of the Catamounts' game against Chattanooga. The crowd showered Hoover with a loud “Hoooov” when his name was called over the loudspeaker.
Other inductees were baseball pitcher Jason Beverlin, who made it to the big leagues after his WCU career from 1992-94; track and field All-American Tony McKennie (1986-90); and football players John Ruta (1962-65) and Alonzo Carmichael (1983-86).
“First of all, it's an honor that people even considered me to be inducted,” Hoover said. “I'm not even sure what the qualifications were, but I know a lot of the people who have been in recent years have been well over my age. I just think it's a great honor that the selection committee and the people over at Western Carolina have thought that much of me.”
Hoover played for WCU from 1996-99 and still holds the single-season rushing record (1,663 in 1998). He also ranks second behind Darrell Lipford (1974-77) on the all-time list with 3,616 yards.
“He was laden with integrity,” said Bill Bleil, who was Hoover's head coach at WCU and is now an assistant at Akron. “He was a lunch-pail guy. He gave his best every practice and every game.
“Everybody benefited from being around him. He worked so hard that everybody else had to raise their intensity to practice at his level.”
Hoover helped WCU to a 6-5 record in 1998. That year, the Cats snapped a 13-game losing skid to archrival Appalachian State.
But the Cats went 3-8 his senior year, and he wasn't drafted. At that point, the idea of a lengthy pro career with the NFL franchise closest to his hometown of Thomasville wasn't even a pipe dream.
“I never even envisioned first of all having a chance to play,” said Hoover, who is in the first year of a three-year deal that he said pays him roughly $1 million per year. “And then sticking with it, making an NFL roster, period. And then when it became reality, I was just trying to hold onto a job. And it's just kind of grown and grown and grown to where it's nine years later, and I'm still with the same team. Hopefully I'm going to retire with the same team. It's just been a dream come true.”
(Had a beer with HOOOV after the game. Always has been a class act! You've represented WCU very well Brad. All the best!) xthumbsupx
Tyler Norris Goode • [email protected] • published November 2, 2008 12:15 am
CULLOWHEE – Brad Hoover can't recall the precise Saturday — or even which season — when he first heard it.
Advertisement
But he does remember the effect of hearing thousands of people bellowing “Hoooov” from the stands at Whitmire Stadium back when he was a standout fullback for Western Carolina.
At least a decade has passed since “Hoov” inspired the Catamount faithful to invent the personalized cheer, but it still evokes the same emotions.
“It still gives me goose bumps,” said Hoover, who is in his ninth season with the Carolina Panthers and occasionally hears the first syllable of his last name ricocheting around Bank of America Stadium. “It started at Western, and it's just continued on.”
One of five former Catamounts who were voted into WCU's Athletic Hall of Fame this year, Hoover took advantage of the Panthers' bye week and attended the induction ceremony Saturday.
He and the other honorees were introduced at halftime of the Catamounts' game against Chattanooga. The crowd showered Hoover with a loud “Hoooov” when his name was called over the loudspeaker.
Other inductees were baseball pitcher Jason Beverlin, who made it to the big leagues after his WCU career from 1992-94; track and field All-American Tony McKennie (1986-90); and football players John Ruta (1962-65) and Alonzo Carmichael (1983-86).
“First of all, it's an honor that people even considered me to be inducted,” Hoover said. “I'm not even sure what the qualifications were, but I know a lot of the people who have been in recent years have been well over my age. I just think it's a great honor that the selection committee and the people over at Western Carolina have thought that much of me.”
Hoover played for WCU from 1996-99 and still holds the single-season rushing record (1,663 in 1998). He also ranks second behind Darrell Lipford (1974-77) on the all-time list with 3,616 yards.
“He was laden with integrity,” said Bill Bleil, who was Hoover's head coach at WCU and is now an assistant at Akron. “He was a lunch-pail guy. He gave his best every practice and every game.
“Everybody benefited from being around him. He worked so hard that everybody else had to raise their intensity to practice at his level.”
Hoover helped WCU to a 6-5 record in 1998. That year, the Cats snapped a 13-game losing skid to archrival Appalachian State.
But the Cats went 3-8 his senior year, and he wasn't drafted. At that point, the idea of a lengthy pro career with the NFL franchise closest to his hometown of Thomasville wasn't even a pipe dream.
“I never even envisioned first of all having a chance to play,” said Hoover, who is in the first year of a three-year deal that he said pays him roughly $1 million per year. “And then sticking with it, making an NFL roster, period. And then when it became reality, I was just trying to hold onto a job. And it's just kind of grown and grown and grown to where it's nine years later, and I'm still with the same team. Hopefully I'm going to retire with the same team. It's just been a dream come true.”
(Had a beer with HOOOV after the game. Always has been a class act! You've represented WCU very well Brad. All the best!) xthumbsupx