[Lotus]

Locals remember more about McNair than strong throwing arm
Hattiesburg American
July 5, 2009

By ALAN HINTON and JASON MUNZ

Steve McNair passed for 31,304 yards and 174 touchdowns in his NFL career. He was the 2003 NFL co-Most Valuable Player and came within a yard of leading the Tennessee Titans to a Super Bowl victory in 2000.

But there was more to McNair than just a strong right arm.

He was a high school star, a college legend, a pro standout and a Mississippian whom people looked up to almost his entire life.

"After Hurricane Katrina, he sent I don't know how many 18-wheelers of stuff to people on the Coast," said Jay Arrington, a native of Covington County and a friend of McNair, who was raised in Mount Olive. "He always did for the kids and he always did for the underprivileged."

Saturday's death of McNair, 36, who retired from the NFL after the 2007 season, stunned Arrington and other fans throughout the Pine Belt.

"We're still crying," Arrington said. "All of Mount Olive is probably like me, you can't believe it. You cry, why did it have to happen to him? He was so humble. He was just that good ol' guy from Mount Olive. It's been devastating."

McNair's agent, Bus Cook of Hattiesburg, heard about the death in Nashville, Tenn., of his client and an unidentified woman early Saturday afternoon.

"It's just devastating," Cook said. "He was the nicest guy you ever met. There truly was none better."

The Memphis Royals semipro baseball team has been in Hattiesburg this weekend playing in the United States Baseball Congress World Series at Smokie Harrington Park. Some of the team's players were Titans fans.

"He was our first real quarterback," Austin Moody said. "We pulled for him even when he went to Baltimore.

"This is pretty shocking. Unexpected. Disappointing."

Amanda Horvath, 19, of Memphis thought back to last week's death of music icon Michael Jackson.

"So many people are dying," she said. "It goes to show you it doesn't matter who you are, how old you are or how much money you have."

Tootie Myers, a former professional baseball player, knew McNair from when they both were clients of Cook.

"Here's a guy from Mississippi who influenced a lot of guys, both black and white. And he fell at such a young age.

"For the last three weeks, with Michael Jackson and this with Steve, both were young. It shows you that even the best athlete, the best entertainer, could fall at any time. It makes you get closer with the Lord."

McNair sponsored softball teams throughout his adult life and held a free football camp for youngsters at the University of Southern Mississippi only 10 days ago.

He was a fixture on the sideline of Oak Grove football games, where his son Steve McNair Jr. plays.

"I didn't want to believe it at first," said Robert Johnson, a wide receiver on the Oak Grove High School football team. "I had the opportunity to work out with an NFL legend and one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in the league. It was a blessing. He was a great man."

Oak Grove head football coach Nevil Barr also got to know McNair.

"It's just a shock," Barr said. "It's terrible. He was out there at our place about eight or nine days ago, and he was just such a great guy. Such a good man. I thought a lot of him."

"It makes me sad," said Vernis Mackey, 15, a running back for the Alpha Christian School football team, upon hearing the news of McNair's death. "He was a good football player. I liked how he played."

Covington County residents would travel to Nashville to watch McNair when he played for the Titans. McNair, who bought his mother, Lucille, a house near Mount Olive when he signed his first pro contract, would charter a bus to take his old friends and relatives to the games.

"After the games on Sundays, everybody would hang out at the hotel waiting to get on the bus," Arrington said. "He had his two bodyguards with him, and was giving an interview. These kids walked up and he stopped the interview to give autographs to those kids. He was so down to earth."