The Daily Advertiser from Lafayette, Louisiana • 33

Advertiser, Lafayette, June 23, 1915 33 Hall of Fame threesome joined by common thread in his native Crowley, was so Bruce vf" HI it Brown talented there was a constant power struggle between LSU offensive and defensive coaches for his services. Caz eventually settled in as an Ail-American cornerback, was a dazzling punt returner, and was touted for the Heisman Trophy as a senior in 1971 before a pulled hamstring limited his services. THAT SENIOR YEAR of '71 was also Joiner's last year as an Oiler, and the next fall the two found each other teamed up as new members of the Cincinnati Bengals. Both made an immediate impact, Joiner with 24 receptions for two scores and Casanova with five interceptions and 30 punt returns for 289 yards and 66-jrd TD return against Denver (Willie Brown's ex employers). "Tommy Casanova was very talented," said Joiner.

"I think he quit football too soon. I know he wanted to go on to other things, and is now a doctor, but I still think he quit too soon. "HE HAD EVERYTHING he was fast, tall, could return punts. prepared me was the intense competition while I was at Grambling. "When I was there, Coach Rob could line up the top black high school players in the state on the field.

You really had to excel in order to play. It taught people how to compete." JOINER MET WILLIE BROWN one spring when the All-Pro cor-nerback came back to Grambling to lend his expertise to the Tigers on life in the big leagues. Brown began his career in 1963 with the AFL's Denver Broncos, and was burned right away in one embarrassing afternoon by the Jets' Don Maynard, one of the immortals Joiner climbed over to be No.l in all-time receiving. NATCHITOCHES A CONTINUOUS THREAD joins three of this weekend's Louisiana Hall of Fame inductees, a thread sure to be woven into the fabric of the Hall in the near future. He is Charlie Joiner, who has weaved his way through National Football League defenses often enough to become the all-time leading receiver in the history of the game with 657 receptions.

His outstanding career intertwines with those of Grambling State University Coach Eddie Robinson, Grambling-ex Willie Brown, and LSU great Tommy Casanova, who joined Matt Gordy, Ralph Garr, the late Jim Corbett, and Clifford Ann Creed in the Hall at last night's induction ceremonies. JOINER played for Robinson at Grambling, learned from and played against Brown in the NFL, and was a Cincinnati Bengal teammate of Casanova's from 1972-75. Long before Joiner was working his magic with professional defensive backs, he was learning the value of competition at Grambling under Robinson. One of the reasons Robinson has turned out so many pro standouts like Joiner is that he has long called on his former stars to come back and show his Tigers the ropes during spring drills. THAT was how Joiner came to be tutored by one of the best in the game, defensive back Brown, while at the north Louisiana campus.

Joiner and Brown would go on to meet several times on the field in the NFL, but would remain fast friends. Tracing the connection of Grambling and professional football is easy, since Robinson has nurtured so many stars along the way. And the family atmosphere at GSU makes for lifelong relationships. "PRACTICES were tough at Grambling," recalled Joiner. "They're tough everywhere in college, but at Grambling they were tough anclong.

"But, Coach Rob was good at dealing with all types of personalities, and I think that was a big reason for his success. He related to his players. "He also had an extraordinary talent for creating excitement before a ball game." Joiner speaks with great respect 'Coach Rob was goo at dealing with all types of personalities, and I think that was a big reason for his success. He related to his players. He also had an extraordinary talent for creating excitement before a ball Charlie Joiner Save me a spot Former Grambling Tiger Charlie Joiner of the San Diego Chargers, who is the all-time leading pass receiver in the NFL, is sure to join friends Eddie Robinson, Willie Brown, and Timmy Casanova in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in the future.

But in 1964, Brown intercepted nine passes and was quickly establishing himself. He went to Oakland in 1967, picking off seven passes that year. When Joiner was a Houston Oiler rookie in 1969, Brown was helping the Raiders to a 12-1-1 season with five pickoffs. THEN in 1976 when Oakland finished 13-1 and drubbed Minnesota 32-14 in Super Bowl XI, Brown's 75-yard interception touchdown finished Raiders' scoring. Retiring after the 1978 season with 54 career INT's, Brown now coaches Raider DB's in his own, physical style.

"The thing I remember about Willie," said Joiner, "was that he was so much stronger tnan other defensive backs and receivers. He played the bump-and-run technique so well. Mj 'Tommy Casanova was very talented. He had everything he was fast, tall, could return punts, and had great hands. He was just a natural free safety.

He was built for the Charlie Joiner and had great hands. He was just a natural free safety. He was built for the position." Casanova earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl status with such gifts, and yet quit after six years to enter medicine full-time. Joiner's lament for that brief career was not so much a criticism of a former teammate, but rather one of a fan. "I loved to watch him play the game," said Joiner.

"He was a special person to me." SPECIAL could easily describe Charlie Joiner, as well. The soft-spoken flanker, who stepped right in at San Diego with 50 catches for 1,056 yards and seven TD's in his first year of collaboration with Dan Fouts, has hardly slowed down. In nine years with the Chargers, the smooth operator has nabbed 493 of his 657 career catches. Last year, he had 61 for 793 yards and six scores in a season marked by the loss of tight end Kellen Winslow to injury. How long can Joiner go on at this remarkable pace? "I JUST PREPARE for this year," he said in between 9:30 and 4:30 workouts in Houston.

"I'd like to get my production up this year." (Here's a guy in his late 30's aiming to increase production on a 61-catch season!) "I used to work for Gulf Oil for 10 years in the offseason," he noted, "but I'm not doing anything right now. The older you get, the more you have to work to stay in shape to be ready to play. "You want to keep that competitive edge." WHEN Joiner finally does run his last slant pattern, he'll likely wait no more than the minimum three years before being voted into the Louisiana Hall by members of the Louisiana Sportswriters Association selection committee. "I don't know about that," he said. "We'll just have to wait and see." Take it to the bank, he'll be there one day.

The chances of Charlie Joiner joining old friends Eddie Robinson, Willie Brown, and Tommy Casanova in the Hall are as sure as a Joiner reception on third down. WILLIE BROWN TOMMY CASANOVA EDDIE ROBINSON SMU could face NCAA "gas chamber" believed to be one of the strongest in NCAA history. The new enforcement policy could have serious ramifications on SMU, which was on probation from June 1981 to June 1983 and now is appealing to the NCAA Council the latest findings and recommendations of the NCAA Committee on Infractions. at the convention the only president to do so calling for a "broad-based review and revision of the current enforcement system before there is consideration of the single subject of increased penalties." SMU was notified only weeks ago of an impending probation and affection for Robinson, who this season will likely become the win-ningest coach in college football history and who has done so much for the black athlete oyer the years. "BECAUSE he has sent so many black athletes to the pros, Coach Rob has long been in the spotlight," said Joiner.

"He had some of the first all-pros among black players. "He has consistently produced professional athletes, and his success has meant a lot to other small colleges like Grambling. He opened the door for others to be noticed." That was not by accident, according to Joiner. "HE KNOWS what the pros are looking for. He keeps up with them by going to their camps each year.

Plus, every year many of his players (Joiner among them) come back for input for the current Grambling players. "That gave me great preparation for professional football," said Joiner. "But, another thing that "His strength and knowledge made him great. He became an All-Pro, and at one time was considered the best cornerback in football." SO, before Joiner has to face Brown as an Oiler (1969-71), Bengal (1972-75), and San Diego Charger (1976-84), he got a first-hand look at the intimidator at GSU's spring work. "He helped educate me at Grambling," Joiner said with a laugh.

"He taught me how to read defenses, and helped prepare me for pro ball. "We remain great friends, but each had his job to do on the field. WHEN Joiner was breaking into the AFL at Houston with seven catches in 1969, Casanova was breaking into major college ball at LSU as one of the most talented all-around athletes the Bayou Bengals had ever seen. Casanova, now an opthamologist NEW ORLEANS (AP) Southern Methodist University's president said he would have opposed stiffer NCAA enforcement regulations that were pushed through this weekend even if SMU weren't the target of a current investigation into alleged recruiting irregularities. SMU and only five other schools including Texas, Texas and Southwest Texas State voted Friday in New Orleans against a so-called "gas chamber" measure that would ban competition for one or two years in a sport for repeat offenders.

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