Looking back over a college and pro football career that spanned the 1970s, Ron McCartney says he operated by a proactive philosophy.

"I always believed in making stuff happen,'' he recalled with a chuckle.

A defensive end for Tennessee and a linebacker in a short NFL career, McCartney made enough stuff happen to merit induction in the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame on July 17.

For example, did you know McCartney made Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson retire?

"I was the last guy to tackle O.J. Simpson before the L.A. County police,'' McCartney said.

"We played 'em in Atlanta. I hit him in the third quarter and he fumbled. He figured out if slow white guys like me could catch him it was time to retire.''

At UT, he was known for a 1974 hit when the Vols played Kentucky in Neyland Stadium with a Liberty Bowl bid on the line.

Mike Fanuzzi, Kentucky's dangerous option quarterback, never saw the blind-side lick McCartney put on him that knocked him out.

Fanuzzi watched the rest of the game from the sideline through a fog of cobwebs. Tennessee won 24-7, beat Maryland in the Liberty Bowl and finished 7-3-2.

"People seem to remember that one,'' McCartney said. "That was a big game for us. (Coach Bill) Battle was kind of struggling and Kentucky was pretty good.''

McCartney's career at UT (1972-75) spanned a gradual decline in fortunes during the Battle era. McCartney started three years, won All-SEC honors and was a captain in 1975.

He was drafted by the Rams, did a year on the taxi squad, then played three seasons for the Falcons before his body encouraged him to make a less-violent living.

He came back to Knoxville and raised a family that includes daughter Staley, a Lady Vols diver, and son Grant, who plays for UT's rugby club.

His family has grown by one important member since his playing days - his father.

Growing up in Charleston, W.Va., McCartney never knew his dad. As an adult, curiosity led to a 1992 meeting.

"All my life I was looking for a father and he was looking for the son he never had,'' McCartney said.

"I'm proud that he'll be at the Hall of Fame (induction). It'll be his first chance to see what my life has been like the last 35 years.''

It's a life that encountered plenty of football's famous names.

The link from Charleston to UT was assistant coach George Cafego, a West Virginia native. But first McCartney had to go to Morgantown and tell the coach - Bobby Bowden - he wouldn't be a Mountaineer.

"I asked him could he guarantee he'd coach me throughout my career,'' McCartney said, "and Coach Bowden said, 'Son, I can't guarantee I'll coach you tomorrow.'

"I immediately got in the car, drove to Knoxville and told Coach Cafego I'd play for Tennessee.''

On that drive he got wind of a future teammate:

"The interstate wasn't done so we had to go over Norris Dam. Right when we went across the dam WIVK started playing (the song) 'Go Holloway!' They were talking about a guy who had never played a game.''

When Condredge Holloway played his first game that fall, 1972, McCartney knew he had a special teammate. Larry Seivers, Andy Spiva and Stanley Morgan were pretty good teammates as well.

By '75, Holloway was gone. When Morgan got hurt, the Vols were in trouble and lost to North Texas State and Vanderbilt.

"Stanley was the key to our whole offense,'' McCartney said. "When he ain't on the field, it's like shooting a gun that doesn't have any bullets.

"We held North Texas to 152 yards and still lost the game.''

McCartney, 53, still bleeds orange and is active in the Letterman's Club. The relationships and the traditions mean more to him than the hits or wins or losses.

"That's what Tennessee football is all about,'' he said, "Coach Cafego giving us that speech before the Vanderbilt games.

"We can't let old stuff slip away. That's what got Tennessee football where it is.''

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.