A reader, Jim Maxwell of Duncan, called the other day and suggested a playalike for Wes Welker. Not a lookalike. A playalike.
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Tommy McDonald.
I know all about McDonald's career; OU superstar 1954-56, then a 12-year NFL wide receiver who in 1998 was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
I know what McDonald did. But I don't know how he did it. I have few snapshots of McDonald's style or talents. So I went to someone who does.
And Clendon Thomas says yes indeed, Welker and McDonald are a good match.
"Absolutely,” said Thomas. "Tommy was very quick. And Tommy had an uncanny ability to catch the ball. So does Wes. He's a fabulous ballplayer.”
Welker is 5-foot-9, 185 pounds; McDonald was 5-9, 178, although admittedly in the 1960s there were no 260-pound linebackers.
McDonald's best years look very much like Welker's 2007, adjusting for the shorter schedule. In 1960, McDonald had 39 catches for 801 yards and 13 touchdowns, and his Eagles won the NFL title. In 1961 and 1962, McDonald averaged 81.7 yards and 81.9 yards receiving per game, extraordinary numbers for almost 50 years ago. Welker's 2007 average: 73.4.
Thomas knows both players well. He was a backfield mate of McDonald in 1955-56 at OU, then played 11 years in the NFL as a cornerback, matching up against McDonald virtually every season. Now Thomas watches Welker, who ranks with Thomas as one of the five or so best football players ever from Oklahoma City.
When Thomas talks about McDonald, he could just as easily be talking about Welker.
"Tommy was a competitor,” Thomas said. "He loved to win ... Tommy would ad-lib a lot. He didn't necessarily break his (pass) pattern, but if he got open, he would do it.”
McDonald also had that bounce-up nature. Smallest guy on the field, but the first out of a pile. You could hit him, but you couldn't hurt him. Same with Welker.
McDonald played before the advent of crazy passing numbers but still caught 495 balls for 8,410 yards and 84 touchdowns. He made the Hall of Fame. Don't put it past Welker, with 112 catches in 2007 alone, to do the same.
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Yeah, why not play up the local connection of someone who did nothing in high school or college, and didn't become famous? Do you even know how the "news" works Barry? By the way, there is not one single mention in this article of Welker's Oklahoma ties.
I just find it amusing, OSU/OU completely being indifferent, that all of a sudden he is being hailed as the next greatest Oklahoma receiver since Steve Largent. Where was all the interest when he was in high school? Where were the stories when he was at Tech? I get sick and tired of news medias (not just Oklahoma's, they do it here to) playing up a local connection to someone only after they become famous.
Hey Darryl, If you read the article aain, HOPEFULLY, you will see that Welker is not being tied or compared to the Sooners but to a person. If Mcdonald would have played for your osu punks down in Stoolwater, the article still would have been written.
It would be great to watch Wes catch the game winning TD, be voted the MVP now that would be great great stuff....Guns Up for the former Texas Tech Star!!!
It's about time someone give Wes a little credit for his team making it to the Super Bowl. All we hear is how great Randy Moss did this year. If it wasn't for Wes the Pats. wouldn't have gone undefeated. He had more catches then Moss, maybe not more td's but a lot more touches to move to ball down field. Just wish he was a Sooner alumni.
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