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Former Auburn and NFL running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams is a member of the 2017 class of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. (File photo)
Every living member of the outstanding 2017 class of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame made an indelible impression during Saturday night's Induction Banquet.
Their acceptance speeches should be required viewing in classrooms across the state.
There was Jeff Herrod and his raw honesty, the warrior of a linebacker from Birmingham who proved so many doubters wrong as he starred at Ole Miss and in the NFL while suffering through, by his count, 17 surgeries in 21 years.
There was Todd Jones and his humble sense of humor, the tough-as-nails pitcher from Jacksonville State who went on to save 319 games as a major league closer.
There was Takeo Spikes and his fierce pride, another warrior at linebacker who knocked down or ran down everything in his path at Auburn and in the NFL.
There was Carnell Williams, the workhorse tailback who refused to go down, often to the detriment of his own health, at Auburn and in the NFL.
Cadillac didn't go crazy in his acceptance speech. Instead his soft-spoken appreciation stood in stark contrast to how hard he always ran with a football in his hands.
There were four more inductees who've passed away, but former Auburn basketball star Lee DeFore, former Alabama defensive coordinator Ken Donahue, former Alabama trainer and administrator Jim Goostree and former Alabama and NFL football star Kevin Turner were ably represented by family members who spoke emotionally on their behalf.
The entire evening was a reminder of why they do what they do and why we care, why the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a special place. They each traveled a long, hard road to become a Hall of Famer.
DeFore was cut as a ninth-grader before his high school varsity basketball coach, almost by accident, realized the error of the ninth-grade coach's decision.
All Spikes wanted to do as a 7-year-old in Georgia was play basketball at the playground, but he was never one of the top 10 players picked. Then one day they played football, he made a nice catch on the sideline and his career path had begun.
The honorees stuck around long after the banquet was done to pose for pictures, sign autographs, renew old acquaintances and make new friends. They demonstrated to everyone there, especially the young students in attendance, that despite all the negative headlines, sports has a good side.
This was the good side of the games people play on full display. This state is lucky each and every one of these Hall of Famers passed this way.