Tennessee basketball trivia quiz: Wayne Chism and what other player are the winningest Vols of all time?
Ernie Grunfeld? Dale Ellis? Vincent Yarbrough? Chris Lofton?
How about Quinn Cannington?
It's true. The odd couple.
Chism and Cannington have teamed up for 99 Tennessee basketball victories and aim to make it 100 on Thursday when the Vols (23-7) meet LSU (11-19) in the first round of the SEC tournament in Nashville (3:15 p.m., WVLT).
Chism has scored 1,512 points. Cannington is only 1,498 behind.
"I don't think too highly of myself,'' Cannington said with a laugh Tuesday. "I'm appreciative of the opportunity to play with these guys. They've made me a whole heck of a lot better.''
Cannington is a senior walk-on from Fulton High School. He made the team as a practice player in an open tryout his freshman year.
For four years he has done the largely thankless job of playing on the scout team in practice and hoping, on a fortunate night, to get in the real game for a moment.
That has happened 24 times in his career. He's scored 14 points.
"Looking back on the four years,'' he said, "I can almost guarantee I've had more fun than any walk-on in history.
"We work hard, we try to do our best on the scout team. Other than that, we're on road trips and hanging out and having a whole heck of a lot of fun.''
One of his best friends on the team is Steven Pearl, a fellow walk-on who has cracked the rotation the past couple of months.
"It's been a great journey, these last four years,'' Pearl said. "We've had the scout team connection.
"We stick up for each other because sometimes it's us against them.''
Cannington has twice gotten to play in Rupp Arena - he even scored a basket there last year. He has played in an SEC tournament game.
The most memorable game, though, was his junior year against Georgia - because it wasn't mop-up time.
Coach Bruce Pearl gave the 6-foot-4 guard six minutes of real-time duty against the Bulldogs and he responded with a basket.
Almost invariably, though, a scout-teamer can cross his fingers and hope the margin is lopsided enough to get a minute at the end of the game.
"It's a tough thing to get in a game late,'' Cannington said, "when you've been sitting for a couple of hours. And it's nerve-wracking because you're not warm.
"You have to remind yourself to enjoy it and have fun and don't take yourself too seriously.''
One thing he has taken seriously is the fact that he had never missed a 3-point shot.
"Three-for-three,'' he said.
Until Senior Night, that is.
Last Wednesday, he got his mop-up minute against Arkansas and overruled his inclination to protect his perfect mark. So he launched one and missed.
"At least I shot it,'' he said. "I'm glad I did.''
Knoxville is Cannington's second home. He was born in Manila, in the Philippine Islands, the son of missionaries.
That's where he spent his first 13 years and wouldn't trade anything for the multi-cultural experience.
If that sounds familiar, it's because it's also the Tim Tebow story.
"I have a friend that says, 'You and Tebow are the exact same person, except he's good,' '' Cannington said with familiar self-deprecating humor.
Cannington didn't win a Heisman Trophy. But he's won 99 games in a Tennessee uniform and nobody can top that.
Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6276.
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Comments » 36
Fryinpansvols writes:
Quinn thanks for all that you have done in your 4 years at UT. Without guys like you we wouldn't be any where near where we are. I'm sure you will be successful in anything that you do in life. God Bless and GBO!
tenuscvol writes:
Way to go Quinn.
Hope you have 8 or 9 more games....GBO.
golfballs03 writes:
I like this story. Thanks to Cannington for all the hard work! That scout team truly is thankless, but they are crucial. I hope to see him play some minutes this post season!
thomastruxtun writes:
Thanks for representing Fulton High School. I hope you know that Bill Justus and Ron Widby, two of the finest players to ever don a Vol basketball uniform, were also graduates of Fulton.
charles57#1378642 writes:
Touching, nice story!
volsr4me writes:
Quinn thanks for a job well done. I sure there are alot of other guys that would like to have been in your shoes over the past four years.
Good Luck @ GBO
MiserableFloridaVol writes:
Very cool
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
Thanks Canns. I believe CBP gets these guys into a few more games than other coaches do. I just wish he would let them start on Senior Night, the players have earned that.
I played on a Scout Team in College, the players and coaches do appreciate you, but there isn't alot of Glory to be had.
richvol writes:
You have been truly blessed Quinn,congratulations.
Down_The_Field writes:
"I don't think too highly of myself''
quinn, we do!
you da man.
LSG410EC83 writes:
Thanks for the years of being a Vol. It has always tickled me to see you get in and am one of the first to shout "shoot it". Good luck in the future young man. Players such as you will be truely missed.
brush#220070 writes:
Very good article about a true Volunteer-wish the best for you young feller
stadium vol 1968
AWOLVol writes:
Obviously without dedicated, high quality walk-ons like Quinn who pay-to-play, we would not have come close to winning 99 games over the past four years. Any coach will tell you how vital these true student athletes are to any program in any team sport. We Vol fans owe a huge debt of gratitude to these all-too-often unsung heroes of our beloved teams. Not all of them get their "Rudy" moments...I'm very glad Quinn's gotten a few of them. I'm very appreciative GVX saw fit to post this article.
Great job, and thanks Quinn!!!
Mjollnir writes:
Thanks for everything, Quinn. Guys like you are what college athletics are all about. I wish you well; peace be on you, brother.
davethevol writes:
That's a good story. Great job on that piece, Mr. Strange.
Southland writes:
living a dream that is what Quinn is doing daring to live a dream He will never regret having the courage to do that.
sitinhere writes:
Love this story. The guy who doesn't get the glory but does all the work. We get stories of all of the spoiled athletes who believe the world owes them something. I believe if Quinn could be a walk on here, he could have been a starter at a smaller school on scholarship. All we Vol fans can say is thank you, you do our University proud.
DarthWilson writes:
Thanks Mike a great story. Quinn you are an outstanding young man. Thanks for all of your hard work. May god bless and GBO!
cmoore7 writes:
Excellent young man
Excellent story
VolInIndy writes:
Wow, 20 comments and not a one negative. That's a record too!
Thanks QC, you just set the positive posts record.
PoochPuntOn3rdDown writes:
I hope we get up by about 30 on LSU with 10 minutes left so Quinn can see some real time. Great story about a humble dude that does it for the right reasons. Good job, Quinn!
samvol writes:
Way to Go Quinn!!
Hacksaw57 writes:
It's nice to have a story on the unsung heroes of our programs. Quinn and those like him are just as important to a team and their success as a Wayne Chism, an Eric Berry or a Shekinna Stricklen.
They do not get enough credit or notice for being an intrical part of a team's chemistry and without them there would be no "TEAM".
THANK YOU to ALL of the Quinn Cannington's that wear the Orange and White of the Big Orange Nation.
tnaseevol writes:
Thanks Mike for a great story on a gracious and great young man. I hope lots more of his dreams come true in his future.
vol88 writes:
Absolutely.
It's Good News week in the KNS. Maybe that will carry over to a couple of tourneys coming up.
carbonzip writes:
Bobby Knight was pretty much a scout team player.
tulelakevol writes:
Great work Quinn!! Thank you for your efforts, you are a true Volunteer, and you will always be remembered.
Great article KNS! Well done!
CoverOrange writes:
Unfortunate that Quinn's contributions are immeasurable but nice to see the appreciation expressed on this board for it. I remember the Georgia game that he spent 6 minutes in and he didn't stand out like a sore thumb. I thought there might be more to come.
I do have to ask though, why Quinn was not included in the 6 scholarship/3 walk-on team back in January. The media played it up that we had only 9 players when we actually had 10 with Quinn.
mytrifecta writes:
Great story. This is what college sports is about.
RichmondKyVol writes:
Just another reason why it's great to be a Tennessee Vol.
shaymous writes:
What a fine young man..you make me proud to be a Vol, imagine how your parents feel....
Gumby#1381110 writes:
Cannington for President! Pokey for Vice President!
mocsandvolsfan writes:
Great job at UT Quinn. Most of us would love to be good enough to be a walk-on anywhere. UT especially!! Thanks for your effort and contributions here.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Great read. Thanks young man.
Rockytop98 writes:
As a 1972 Fulton graduate, I salute your dedication and love for the Big Orange! Let's get on a "roll" and help our NCAA seeding!! GBO
Fulton_Vol writes:
As alumnus of both UT and Fulton, I very proud of this young man. Every day as I arrived on the Fulton campus I was greeted by a sign, which read: Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve. Quinn learned many lessons from family and school and he has used them to serve on the UT basketball team. He has done so in way that honors him and those associated with him, like his family, Coach Wright, his team and CBP. Well done young man.
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