Where are they now Tommy Polley
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Burt Reynolds may be the most famous athlete turned movie mogul in Florida State history. But Tommy Polley wants to give him a run for his money. The former FSU linebacker isn't acting, but he is producing and directing. In fact, his first documentary called "Poet Pride" is already a YouTube hit and has been put in the Sports Legends Museum in Maryland - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiqKpNZsOnU
The film is about the Dunbar Poets basketball team and their impressive history. Polley himself was part of four straight state championship teams and his success was made possible thanks to the sacrifice of many in the 1960's and 70's.
"It's a documentary about my high school basketball team. We have a great tradition," said Polley. "I have Sam Cassell in it talking about how his rise coming up in Baltimore and him going to Florida State and having his jersey retired. There's a lot of history that came from Dunbar.
"It's a great story, we've been featured in Slam magazine. Everybody in Baltimore loves it, it's a hoop dreams feel. Some guys made it, some guys didn't. But they all have a dream. Some guys got locked up, some killed, but some guys made it to coaching or judges."
Polley is not only loved in Baltimore, Seminole fans also have a fond memory of the former All-ACC member. From 1996-2000, Polley recorded 289 tackles and was a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award. He was also a finalist for the Brian Piccolo Award thanks to his recovery from knee surgery after the 1999 Sugar Bowl. That was a game that Polley remembers more for his injury than he does the scope of perfection that his team was able to achieve.
"I was bummed because I hurt my knee in that game and I was thinking about my future in that game," he said. "I guess it didn't hit me until the next morning when we got home and everyone was excited. At the moment, I was so remorsed that I got hurt."
But after reconstructive knee surgery, Polley did what everyone thought he would do, terrorize the ACC. He and fellow linebacker Brian Allen were ferocious, setting the stage for Ernie Sims after him. But Allen and Sims were both from Florida and both grew up watching FSU. Polley on the other hand grew up in the inner city of Baltimore, a long ways away from the quiet streets of Tallahassee.
"I always wanted to go to Florida State from as far back as I can remember," said Polley. "(Derrick) Brooks is a great guy to follow. He was in the prime of his career when I thought about going there. My senior year I went to a game when they lost to Virginia, (Warrick) Dunn got stopped at the one. I was at that game. Right there I knew I would be a Seminole."
Polley says when it all came down to it, FSU beat out Florida and Maryland for his services. He won a total of six state titles in high school, four in basketball and two in football. At FSU, he knew he could continue that winning tradition.
"The overall experience. Just being there and becoming a man," said Polley. "I got to meet some great players and coached by a legend in Coach (Bobby) Bowden. Those things right there, the whole experience. We went to the national championship game. The highlight of it was in 99. To come back and win it."
Like most players in the 90's, Florida State was "the" place to be. Not only because of the college, but because of the head coach. And Polley says it was Coach Bowden that made him sign the papers and he hopes that he made him proud.
"Coach Bowden has thousands of players come through there and probably doesn't remember them all," he said. "Sometimes the guys on his team he doesn't remember. I knew I made it when he said, Tommy get in (the golf cart). I thought I was in trouble but he was saying you are playing great and we're glad to have you here. That told me that I made it."
After making it at FSU, Polley made it in the NFL. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2001 draft by the St. Louis Rams. In six years with St. Louis, Baltimore, and New Orleans, Polley had 304 tackles but retired in 2007 after a shoulder injury prevented him from going on. But his time in the league was special and he was able to grow up in a hurry.
"It wasn't really that different," Polley said of playing in the NFL. "You practice against a lot of great players so it wasn't the speed or the swagger. It's just, this is my job now. That was the only difference that I see, it's a 9-5. As far as the scrutiny, FSU had it as well."
These days, in addition to making movies, the former 'Nole is also doing charity work. He just recently started the Tommy Polley Foundation (www.tommypolleyfoundation.org) which hopes to help kids in Baltimore become successful citizens.
"We are starting a curriculum as a pilot program," he said. "Hopefully next year we'll have a television and broadcast part at Dunbar. We'll be out and filming everything in the school and having everything on the internet. Football games, plays, musicals. That's what I'm in the process of doing it.
"It started when I came back from the Ravens. I started a free football camp with kids in the inner city who wouldn't have any other means to go to a camp. Pro guys and college guys teach them. It's a good way to give back to the community."
Ten years ago, Polley was one of the most feared linebackers in the country, and now, for the first time in a long time, he's coming back to Tallahassee to help celebrate the anniversary of the perfect season. And when he does arrive back in the Capital City, Polley knows that all those memories will come rushing back.
"We were talking about that the other day, I was talking to Roland Seymour," Polley said. "We have a reunion coming up in September commemorating the national championship game. I'm looking forward to that and seeing the guys."
Lee Gordon is an Anchor/Reporter at WCTV in Tallahassee. Prior to his return to the Capital City, Lee spent three years as a Sports Anchor/Reporter at WTEV-WAWS in Jacksonville and prior to that was Sports Director at WCTV from 2000-2004. Lee has worked for Warchant.com for 5 years and brings over a decade of experience to our staff.
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