MACON, GA - Shannon Sharpe recalls the day the late Bill Davis walked onto his family's yard in rural Tattnall County and delivered his simple recruiting pitch. "Son," Davis said, "I want to build Savannah State's football program around you." Now, 25 years later, Sharpe is hearing a similar spiel from his alma mater. He is out of eligibility as a player, but the football program is desperate for his public support, be it moral, financial or all of the above.
And just as Sharpe embraced the Tigers then, he's ready to do so again now. Finally.
Sharpe pledged Saturday to sit down with Savannah State's administration "soon" to discuss taking part in a ceremony to retire his jersey number. The retirement would be the first step toward ending a decade-long divorce between the school and the greatest athlete ever to wear its colors.
"We can move forward in that direction now," Sharpe said Saturday prior to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony. "For someone to think that the No. 2 jersey is so well-respected that they don't want anybody else to put it on is a huge honor, and I don't take it lightly." Savannah State officials won't take Sharpe's willingness to reconnect to the school lightly either. The school's athletic director, Bart Bellairs, breathed an audible sigh of relief when told of Sharpe's comments.
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