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found this from albany paper...

Apr 23, 2012, 10:09 AM

http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2012/apr/23/26th-annual-albany-sports-hall-fame-tommy-sharpe-f/

26th annual Albany Sports Hall of Fame — Tommy Sharpe: Former Westover star football player Sharpe found at home on Clemson’s offensive line

By John Millikan (299)

As of Monday, April 23, 2012
© Copyright 2012 Albany Herald

Tommy Sharpe, 53, was told he was too small to play for Clemson, but the tough-as-nails Sharpe, seen here blocking for the Tigers, made a name for himself at Clemson, where he emerged as a star and was a two-year starter at center. Tonight the Westover High grad will be inducted into the Albany Sports Hall of Fame.

#ALBANY — At 6-foot and 240 pounds, few would have called Tommy Sharpe small when he graduated from Westover in 2000.

#But that’s how the Clemson football staff saw him — and that’s why they didn’t offer the offensive lineman a scholarship.

#It took more than that to end Sharpe’s dream of playing college football.

#He walked on to the Clemson team, established himself as the starting center midway through his sophomore season and became one of the most successful and decorated offensive linemen to come through the ACC school in years — which is why he is part of the 26th class of the Albany Sports Hall of Fame being inducted tonight.

#Sharpe began his athletic career as a swimmer in the Albany Recreation Department’s summer swimming program and went on to swim year-round with the Albany Swimming Red Wave, the Albany-Americus Blue Tide, the Americus Blue Tide and the Westover swimming team.

#He lettered four times on the Westover swimming team, but he found his true calling on the football field, where he was a four-year starter on the offensive line. He left Westover for Clemson, which is where he found his first road block.

#“I went to a summer camp my senior year (of high school), and they liked me but I was just too small,” Sharpe said. “The coach flat out told me they couldn’t sign me.”

#Sharpe walked on to the Clemson team and was red-shirted his first year. Things didn’t get much better his second year when he served as the long snapper in practice but never saw a minute of playing time.

#“The spring before my sophomore season, I went to coach and asked him if I could go out for the offensive line,” Sharpe recalled. “I started out as the fourth-string center.”

#By the end of spring, Sharpe was the second-string center, took snaps with the starters and even saw some playing time in the regular season.

#He remembers talking to his dad on the phone the night before his first appearance in a game — an Aug. 31 game at Sanford Stadium against the University of Georgia.

#“My father asked me if I thought I was going to play, and I said, ‘There is no way. This is too big of a game,’ “ Sharpe said. “I got in during a drive in the second quarter. We lost the game by a field goal, but it was pretty intense. After that you get used to it and just go out and play.”

#The Clemson faithful soon got used to seeing Sharpe on the field. He got his first start in the third game of the season against Georgia Tech and then started the final four games of the season.

#He remained the starting center for his final two years and left Clemson as one of the most honored players of his class. He was named “Offensive Player of the Game” in 2005 against Georgia Tech; awarded the Offensive Hustle Award, the Iron-man Award, the Most Improved Offensive Player Award, and the Joe Francis Leadership Award. And after winning all of those acolades on the field, Sharpe was named to the Academic All-ACC team his senior year.

#He also left his mark in another way at Clemson.

#“It was the opening day of the (2003) season against Georgia at 3 in the afternoon. It was the hottest day of my life. I probably lost 14 pounds that game,” Sharpe remembered. “We were in the middle of the drive. We did a no-huddle offense, and I got over the ball, got gagged with my sinuses and kind of let it go.”

#Sharpe vomited mid snap all over the ball that he was hiking to quarterback Charlie Whitehurst — but it’s a moment Sharpe can laugh about almost 10 years later.

#“The quarterback had a nice surprise when I hiked it to him,” Sharpe said. “People think it was because of nerves, but I have bad allergies.”

#Sharpe, who now has two children (Bella and Thomas) and is married to fellow Clemson grad Ariel, took a handful of souvenirs with him from his college days — like his helmet and a few framed jerseys --- but he said it’s the memories and friendships that have lasted.

#“I probably couldn’t tell you the score for more than three of four games,” he said. “A lot of that fades with time, but the friends and coaches that you walk away with are what you treasure the most.”

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It has been a while but I remember a walk on named

I remember a walk on named Tommy Sharpe puking on the ball.***

was he 250 soaking wet? luved that guy.***

I think they used to say about 280

found this from albany paper...

gratz to tommy.***

terrific article.......thanks***

Re: found this from albany paper...thanks

he looks good for his age...

Figured that out in retrospect but started off lost.***

I agree - if you don't know how to execute the basics then..

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