Remember the great Johnie Earl Cooks...

[Rick Cleveland]

So strong, so fast, but the collisions had lasting effect on Johnie Cooks - Mississippi Today

Leland native Johnie Earl Cooks, a Mississippi State and NFL football star, passed away following a long illness. He was 64.

mississippitoday.org

 

[dorndawg]

Thanks for sharing, Rick

 

[dogmatic001]

Very nicely done, Rick. Thank you.

 

[Old Fart Dawg]

Thanks, Rick

 

[horshack.sixpack]

So strong, so fast, but the collisions had lasting effect on Johnie Cooks - Mississippi Today

Leland native Johnie Earl Cooks, a Mississippi State and NFL football star, passed away following a long illness. He was 64.

mississippitoday.org

Good stuff!

 

[L4Dawg]

He is still the best college middle linebacker I have ever seen.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

He is the best old-school player in MSU's football history. He was a good man as well.

 

[dudehead]

I love the calling out the Bear. Never heard that one. Damn. What a man.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I had just never seen a man that big that could run that fast and hadn't seen many since.

 

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Great story, thanks Rick.

 

[cling84]

A monster on the field and a real nice guy off it. I was in a class with Johnie at MSU back then in the 1980s. He would always walk in with a big smile and personality. He would always ask how many weight reps I got in a few days before. A real quality man... sorry to see his struggles over the last few years.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

I wish I could remember the opponent or player he did this to. I do remember him being a good 10 yards behind a tailback who had only green grass between him and the end zone from about midfield. Johnnie wasn't even the closest Bulldog but he ran that guy down at the 15. He just blew by both our safeties.

 

[lanceharbor7]

Hilarious guy. Great guy. "Interned" for him in grad school. Internship involved walking around the Athletic Buildings and Athletic Academic offices (bottom of Hawthorn at the time), running errands, arguing sports and professional rasslin'. Loved that guy.

 

[Cantdoitsal]

I hate seeing my STATE heroes from earlier years die around my same age. Also, there's never been a sports writer that compares to Rick 17ing Bad Azz Cleveland.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

We were playing Miami in Starkville back when Miami was a top 5 program. Johnie got his nose broken and the referee made him go out for one play. One of the Miami players said something smart to him. Johnie replied, number 37 I’ve got your number and you done started it now. Johnie was a total wave of destruction for the rest of the day and I don’t think number 37 enjoyed the rest of his afternoon. Lots of pain. Huge Bulldog victory that day. To this very day our family uses the phrase “going Johnie Cooks on his a$$” all the time. One of the all time greats to ever wear the maroon and white.

 

[DawgInThe256]

I really wanted to find the Bob Hope Christmas Special when Cooks was on the All America Team, but I gave up after about 20 minutes on YouTube.

 

[SixtonPackerish]

What credibility does this "sports" site have?

Johnie Cooks dead: Former Super Bowl champion passes away at 64, cause of death unknown

Johnie Cooks, former Super Bowl champion and integral member of the New York Giants' defense, has passed away at the age of 64.

www.sportskeeda.com

 

[maroonmania]

I know our 1999 and 2018 defenses were really good but my word that 1980 defense with Johnie Cooks, Glen Collins, Tyrone Keys, Billy Jackson, etc. was something to see.

 

[The Peeper]

We were playing Miami in Starkville back when Miami was a top 5 program. Johnie got his nose broken and the referee made him go out for one play. One of the Miami players said something smart to him. Johnie replied, number 37 I’ve got your number and you done started it now. Johnie was a total wave of destruction for the rest of the day and I don’t think number 37 enjoyed the rest of his afternoon. Lots of pain. Huge Bulldog victory that day. To this very day our family uses the phrase “going Johnie Cooks on his a$$” all the time. One of the all time greats to ever wear the maroon and white.

That would have been 1981 because they beat us in Starkville in 1983 (31-7), the only two times I remember them playing here. We beat them down there in 1980 also and they beat us down there in '82 so a spIit for the 4 game series.

I was at that '81 game in Starkville (we won 14-10) and sat on the top row of the West side right next to the old press box that was in the middle of the stadium. That Miami team had Jim Kelly and Mark Richt as QB's on it.

As for Top 5 program, they may have ended some of those seasons during that 4 years as Top 5 (I'm too lazy to look it up) but on the days we played them they were #18, 13, 17, and 10. Good memories.......

Edited to add a pic of the old press box I was referring to in that 1981 game. Don't know what year this pic was taken but its from the MSU archives. That looks like The Hump way off in the background (between the "T" and "E" in STATE watermark) so it would be after 1975

 

[L4Dawg]

We were playing Miami in Starkville back when Miami was a top 5 program. Johnie got his nose broken and the referee made him go out for one play. One of the Miami players said something smart to him. Johnie replied, number 37 I’ve got your number and you done started it now. Johnie was a total wave of destruction for the rest of the day and I don’t think number 37 enjoyed the rest of his afternoon. Lots of pain. Huge Bulldog victory that day. To this very day our family uses the phrase “going Johnie Cooks on his a$$” all the time. One of the all time greats to ever wear the maroon and white.

I was at that game. The Miami center broke Cooks' nose. Cooks went out for one play, the Miami center went out after the play Cooks retuned, I don't think he ever came back in. I'm 59, I think Johnie is STILL the best player I have ever seen play for MSU. That is only referring to what he did at MSU.