Wolf
100% Texan
CORPUS CHRISTI Just give Ernest Givins a call, and he'll do the Electric Slide in the spotlight once again.
The former Houston Oilers wide receiver wants the Tennessee Titans -- the erstwhile Oilers -- to give him a call, vow to dust off jersey No. 81, showcase it and then put it out of commission for good with the six other numbers retired by the organization.
The 5-foot-9, 181-pound receiver wants much to be considered. Consider not just showmanship, but toughness and durability. Consider nearly 8,000 receiving yards in nine seasons with Houston, splitting catches every season with at least four other primary receivers.
Consider his way with fans, as he obviously still resonates with them, being voted by caller.com readers to the Houston all-time pro football team.
But the jersey definitely is a place to start.
"I want to see if the Oilers/Titans are ever going to retire my jersey," said Givins, who now is a successful semi-pro coach. "I hope they do it before I'm dead and gone. Before I leave this Earth, I would love for the Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers to retire my jersey.
"Why did it take so long for them to retire (quarterback) Warren Moon's jersey? Just because you have bad blood with the city of Houston, that does not modify what the players have done."
Givins did a lot, being a second-round choice out of Louisville in 1986 despite weighing, he said, 145 pounds. He caught his first pass from Moon in a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, and everyone was given a preview of the fun times that were ahead.
"I caught it and brought it back with me to the huddle," Givins said. "I never let it go. I wouldn't stop talking. I couldn't stop talking -- 'Hey did you see that?' -- until finally Warren said, "Calm down. I've got to call the next play.'"
Givins started as a rookie and hauled in more than 1,000 receiving yards. He immediately showed off his moves, dancing after scores and big plays. Eventually, the Givins trademark was the Electric Slide. Givins would slide his foot across the turf and shake just about everything else, almost convulsing.
It was a quality show for even those in the game.
"Ernest was a crowd favorite," said teammate Cris Dishman, an Oilers cornerback. "(Defensive lineman) Ray Childress and I would sit there and watch the monitor and wonder what Ernest was going to do when he caught the ball. Always interesting."
Givins' outgoing personality was not confined to dance. During pregame, he would head into the stands, strike up conversations and shake hands even when he was supposed to be working out. The fans were paying for the experience. Givins was giving full value.
http://www.caller.com/news/2010/aug/24/oilers-ex-givins-still-looking-for-recognition/