Thomson loses a mighty fine Bulldog.

He wore jersey No. 44. He will be missed.

Thomson defensive coordinator John Barnett felt so moved about the passing of former Thomson Bulldog Jerry Winfrey that he was compelled to share a few stories.

Barnett learned of his death just after the Thomson team concluded its opening weight workout of the summer grind.

 "There's one less of the fraternity tonight," Barnett wrote in an e-mail tribute to a former rock of one of his defenses. "One less old dog."

This former Bulldog died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 39.

"Seems the kid who played with so much heart was finally let down by that heart that led him to be one of the greatest to ever wear the Black and Gold," Barnett wrote.

Folks, I know Coach Barnett. I know him enough to know Thomson's coaches throw around compliments the way cheerleaders throw around manhole covers. They respect every Thomson player. Especially on their championship teams.

But they don't get in the ranking business. They do not single out. So to hear Barnett say something like that, that truly means something.

Here's a few tidbits about the way Jerry Winfrey lived across his 39 years:

• He was 5-foot-10 and weighed 185 pounds. Barnett said it was 185 of the most solid pounds you would ever see on a football field.

• Turn the clock back to 1980. Winfrey played on two undefeated R.L. Norris Ram teams. He played on two undefeated Thomson High JV teams in 1982 and 1983. Winfrey then played linebacker in 1984 and 1985 on two undefeated state championship teams.

• Just for those who were not blessed at Math, that's six straight years that Winfrey's teams went undefeated. See a pattern? Let's just say that Winfrey's playing status on those teams and that perfect record was no meer coincidence.

• Winfrey made the All-State team in 1985. 

• He was the Defensive MVP in the Georgia High School All-Star Game. Larry Munson even made a comment during the live telecast that the little linebacker from Thomson was all over the field.

• Winfrey went on to play two years of college football at Northeast Oklahoma Junior College (easily one of the finest JUCO programs in the nation at the time) and then later played for two seasons at Hawaii. Hawaii? What an experience that must have been.

• Winfrey policed himself in practice and would do push-ups for mistakes. He didn't wait for his coaches to call him out, though. He adminstired his retribution for his gaffes. Barnett would have to ask him what he did wrong because he did not see the error in his techinque.

• Winfrey would be furious if his team did not scrimmage live in full pads on Tuesday and Wednesday of each game week.

• He weighed 185. He bench pressed 425.

• He intercepted a pass to seal the state title game win against Marist. 

Barnett shared a great vignette. It came during a game at Westside during his junior year. Winfrey was suffering from severe cramps.

But to know Winfrey was to know that cramps was not the thing to sideline Winfrey. Maybe an H-bomb. But not cramps.

"We finally packed the back of his pants with ice and he limped back onto the field and intercepted a pass in the final minutes of a 52-22 win," Barnett wrote. "As he was running the interception back, ice flew from his pants when he was tackled."

The words are the echo of a player from a generation long gone.

I've been covering high school football teams or playing on them for the last 15 years of my life. Think of the famous Rudy from the Notre Dame teams of the early 70s. That's the one the movie of the same name was about. But then bless that character with more god-given skill and raw determination than three football players should have.  That's the imagine in my mind I have about Jerry Winfrey.

There have been very few Jerry Winfreys. There are even fewer now.  

"I just wish the players we have today could have seen the way he did it," Barnett said. "God bless you, Jerry."

I wish I could have been around to see him his heyday. That would have been a heck of a story.

"There's one less Old Dog tonight," Barnett wrote. "But there will be a 'Ghost of the Bricks' helping us win next year."

Anyone have any more to share about the man? Consider this an online guestbook. I know his time on this Earth wasn't long, but 39 years is long enough for a man to make quite a few ripples in life's pond. 

Anyone else out there got any more Jerry Winfrey stories? I'm thankful to Coach Barnett to giving me a window into a life that's now gone.

If the words of men and the reputation of his peers mean something in this life, then Jerry Winfrey left behind quite a legacy.

I'd love to hear more about this man. I think they players of this era could learn from him. Consider it a public service.

He will be missed. But the words of Coach Barnett are a good start to make sure he is never forgotten. I hope he tells every one of his future linebackers at Thomson about this man.