In the spring of 1974, the Canadian Football League was on the hunt for top-notch American football players.
Vic Rapp, two years removed from a stint as tight ends coach for Dan Devine at Missouri, his alma mater, was no exception.
kAm#2AA[ E96? 9625 4@249 @7 E96 t5>@?E@? tD<:>@D[ 925 9:D 6J6 @? 2? p==\p>6C:42 @776?D:G6 =:?6>2? 7C@> p=6I2?56C r:EJ G:2 }@CE962DE6C? $E2E6 :? %29=6BF29[ ~<=29@>2]k^Am
kAm%96 J@F?8 >2?’D ?2>6 H2D (:==:6 r2C= |2CE:?]k^Am
kAm“pE E96 E:>6[ E96 ru{ H2D >2<:?8 2 3:8 >@G6 E@ 86E p>6C:42? A=2J6CD[” |2CE:? D2:5] “*@F H@F=5 36 2 AC6>:F> A=2J6C H96? J@F H6?E E@ r2?252 3642FD6 E96J 4@F=5?’E 92G6 3FE `d p>6C:42?D @? E96 E62>] %96J H6C6 8F2C2?E66:?8 4@?EC24ED 2E E96 E:>6] x 925 2 8F2C2?E665 4@?EC24E 2?5 2 D:8?:?8 3@?FD]k^Am
kAm“r@249 #2AA 42>6 5@H? E@ %29=6BF29 2?5 D2:5 E96J H6C6 8@:?8 E@ @776C >6 2 4@?EC24E E@ 4@>6 E@ r2?252 2?5 E@=5 >6 23@FE E96 8F2C2?E665 >@?6J 2?5 2D<65 >6 :7 x H@F=5 4@?D:56C :E 367@C6 E96 }u{ 5C27E] x <?6H E92E x H2D 8@:?8 E@ 36 5C27E65[ 3FE x 5:5?’E <?@H H96C6] %96C6 H2D 2 =@E @7 F?46CE2:?EJ] p?5 36:?8 7C@> p=6I r:EJ 2?5 2 G6CJ 9F>3=6 =:76DEJ=6 2?5 E@ 36 23=6 E@ 277@C5 D@>6 E9:?8D 7@C >J 72>:=J[ x 564:565 E@ 8@ E@ r2?252]”k^Am
kAm~? $2EFC52J[ |2J `a[ |2CE:? H:== 4@>6 9@>6 H96? 9:D 9@>6E@H? 46=63C2E6D (:==:6 r2C= |2CE:? s2J[ 9@?@C:?8 E96 p=6I2?56C r:EJ ?2E:G6 7@C 2== E92E 96 92D 244@>A=:D965 2D 2 7@@E32== A=2J6C[ 2 4@249 2?5[ >@DE :>A@CE2?E=J[ 2 >2?]k^Am
kAm%96 6G6?E H:== 36 96=5 2E E96 q6EEJ r2C@= vC292> %649?@=@8J r6?E6C @? E96 r6?EC2= p=232>2 r@>>F?:EJ r@==686 42>AFD] s@@CD @A6? 2E `icd A]>] H:E9 E96 46=63C2E:@? 368:??:?8 2E aib_ A]>k^Am
kAm%96 6G6?E H:== 96=A 6?5@H 2 D49@=2CD9:A :? |2CE:?’D ?2>6 E92E H:== 8@ E@ 6:E96C 2 q6?;2>:? #FDD6== w:89 $49@@= DEF56?E @C 2 r6?EC2= p=232>2 r@>>F?:EJ r@==686 DEF56?E 32D65 @? ?665D]k^Am
kAmu@C |2CE:?[ E92E H2D E96 36DE A2CE 23@FE 36:?8 9@?@C65]k^Am
kAmw@?@CD 2C6 ?@E9:?8 ?6H 7@C |2CE:?]k^Am
kAmq67@C6 }@CE962DE6C? $E2E6 2?5 E96 ru{ – 2 >@G6 |2CE:? D2JD 96’D ?6G6C C68C6EE65 2?5 2 42C66C E92E D2H 9:> H:? EH@ vC6J rFA E:E=6D H:E9 E96 t5>@?E@? tD<:>@D 2?5 36 ?2>65 E@ E96 p==\r2?252 E62> D6G6C2= E:>6D :? 9:D `_\J62C 42C66C H:E9 t5>@?E@?[ E96 w2>:=E@? %:86C\r2ED[ E96 %@C@?E@ pC8@?2FED 2?5 E96 (:??:A68 q=F6 q@>36CD – |2CE:? A=2J65 9:D 9@>6 82>6D @? %9FCD52J 2?5 uC:52J ?:89ED 2E w2>A {J@? $E25:F> 7@C E96 {2FC6= w:89 $49@@= w@C?6ED] %96D6 H6C6 E96 52JD @7 D68C682E65 9:89 D49@@=D – |2CE:?’D D6?:@C J62C H2D E96 =2DE 367@C6 :?E68C2E:@?[ :? 724E – 2?5 w2>A {J@? H2D C6D6CG65 7@C q6?;2>:? #FDD6== @? uC:52JD]k^Am
kAm“pE E96 E:>6[ H6 H6C6 <:?5 @7 2 E62> :? EC2?D:E:@?[” |2CE:? D2:5 @7 E96 {6> y@?6D\4@24965 {2FC6= E62>] “(6 5:5?’E 92G6 >@C6 E92? b_ A=2J6CD @? E96 H9@=6 E62>] (6 925 D@>6 E9:?8D E@ @G6C4@>6 2D 72C 2D A=2J:?8 D@>6 3:886C D49@@=D =:<6 t2DE w:89=2?5 :? $J=242F82]k^Am
kAm“qFE 2 8C62E >6>@CJ H2D H96? x D4@C65 2 E@F495@H? 282:?DE }@CC:D w:89 @7 pEE2==2] (6 C2? 2 A=2J 42==65 E24<=6 6=:8:3=6] x H2D A=2J:?8 @776?D:G6 E24<=6 2?5 WBF2CE6C324<X {2CCJ w2CC6== E9C6H >6 E96 32== 2?5 x D4@C65 2 E@F495@H? @? :E]”k^Am
kAm%96 `heh D62D@? H2D 2 E@F89 @?6 7@C {2FC6= 2D E96 w@C?6ED 7:?:D965 `\g :?4=F5:?8 2 dg\_ =@DD E@ (6DED:56 :? E96 D49@@=’D 7:?2= 7@@E32== 82>6]k^Am
kAms6DA:E6 {2FC6=’D `heh H@6D[ |2CE:? 92D H2C> >6>@C:6D @7 9:D w@C?6E E62>>2E6D]k^Am
kAm“x’== 2=H2JD 496C:D9 36:?8 :?G@=G65 H:E9 >J E62>>2E6D[ E96 @?6D E92E 3642>6 >J =:76=@?8 7C:6?5D[” |2CE:? D2:5] “x >256 2 =@E @7 C6=2E:@?D9:AD 324< E96? 2?5 x 5:5?’E C62=:K6 :E 2E E96 E:>6] %96 8FJD x A=2J65 H:E9 2C6 AC@323=J E96 @?6D x’G6 366? 4=@D6DE E@ E9C@F89 >J 25F=E J62CD] %96C6 H2D E96 BF2CE6C324<[ {2CCJ w2CC6==[ 2 8C62E CF??:?8 324<[ {]|] wF?E6C[ 2?5 2? @776?D:G6 =:?6>2? E92E A=2J65 ?6IE E@ >6 2?5 6?565 FA 36:?8 >J W56462D65X 3C@E96C\:?\=2H[ r92C=6D qC@@<D] w6 H2D 2 7:?6 >2? 2?5 2 C62= 8@@5 7@@E32== A=2J6C] w6 H2D 2 36EE6C A6CD@? E92? 96 H2D 2 A=2J6C]”k^Am
kAm|2CE:? DE@@5 @FE 6?@F89 7@C E92E =2DE {2FC6= E62> 56DA:E6 :ED C64@C5 E92E r92C=6D {66 C64@>>6?565 9:> 7@C 2 9:89 D49@@= 2==\DE2C 82>6 :? %FD42=@@D2]k^Am
kAm%92E’D H96C6 |2CE:? 3642>6 E96 7:CDE 3=24< A=2J6C E@ 36 @776C65 2 7@@E32== D49@=2CD9:A 3J !2F= (] “q62C” qCJ2?E]k^Am
kAm|2CE:? D2:5 ?@]k^Am
kAm“r@249 W!2EX sJ6 H2D E96 C64CF:E:?8 4@@C5:?2E@C 2E p=232>2[” |2CE:? D2:5] “w6’== E6== J@F] (6’G6 E2=<65 23@FE :E >2?J E:>6D] w6 E9@F89E E92E x H2D E96 42=:36C @7 2E9=6E6 E92E 4@F=5 4@>6 E@ p=232>2 2?5 86E 2 =@E @7 A=2J:?8 E:>6 :? >J 42C66C] qFE[ 9@?6DE=J[ H:E9 6G6CJE9:?8 E92E H2D 8@:?8 @? – 2?5 y2>6D ~H6?D 5:5 :E 2E pF3FC? 2?5 x 8:G6 9:> 4C65:E 7@C 5@:?8 H92E 96 5:5 G6CJ H6== – x 5:5?’E E9:?< E96 E:>:?8 H2D C:89E 7@C >6 E@ 8@ 2?5 36 y24<:6 #@3:?D@? 2E p=232>2]”k^Am
kAm$@ |2CE:? A=2J65 2E }@CE962DE6C? $E2E6 7@C qF5 r2D6J – H9@[ :C@?:42==J[ H@F=5 36 q@ y24<D@?’D A@D:E:@? 4@249 2E pF3FC? 7@C sJ6 – 2?5 E96? H6?E @? E@ 2 DE6==2C ru{ 42C66C]k^Am
kAmpD =F4< H@F=5 92G6 :E[ H96? |2CE:? C6E:C65 7C@> E96 ru{[ q2C32C2 *@F?8 ?66565 2 7:==\:? E62496C 2E #25?6J t=6>6?E2CJ $49@@=] $96 2D<65 |2CE:? 2?5 96 DE6AA65 :? 7@C 2 76H H66<D 367@C6 3C:67=J >@G:?8 E@ r9:428@] (9:=6 E96C6[ 96 C646:G65 2 42==65 7C@> y6CCJ {2HC6?46 2E p=6I2?56C r:EJ |:55=6 $49@@=[ H9@ 2D<65 9:> E@ 4@>6 324< 9@>6] %H@ J62CD =2E6C[ |2CE:? H2D DE:== 2E pr|$ H96? $E6G6 $2G2C6D6[ E96? E96 3C2?5 ?6H 9625 7@@E32== 4@249 2E q6?;2>:? #FDD6==[ 92AA6?65 FA@? E96 J@F?8 >2? H@C<:?8 H:E9 2 8C@FA @7 49:=5C6?]k^Am
kAm“x H2D 2E E96 9:89 D49@@= H:E9 AC@323=J 23@FE e_ <:5D 2?5 r@249 $2G2C6D6 42>6 FA 2?5 D2H 2== E96 <:5D[ 9@H x C2? >J AC24E:46[ E96 @C82?:K2E:@? A2CE @7 :E 2?5 96 76=E =:<6 x 4@F=5 36 2? 2DD6E E@ 9:> 2E E96 9:89 D49@@= 2?5 96 E2=<65 E@ >6 23@FE :E 2?5 2D<65 >6 E@ ;@:? 9:> 2E E96 9:89 D49@@= 2D 9:D 5676?D:G6 =:?6 4@249[” |2CE:? D2:5] “%96 ?6IE J62C[ r@249 $2G2C6D6 :?G:E65 >6 E@ 9:D 9@>6 2?5 D2:5[ ‘{2DE J62C[ x 2D<65 J@F E@ 36 >J 5676?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C] %9:D E:>6[ x’> k6>mE6==:?8k^6>m J@F J@F’C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 >J 5676?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C]’”k^Am
kAm$2G2C6D6 H2D 2E q6?;2>:? #FDD6== 7C@> `hgd F?E:= 96 =67E 7@C s2A9?6 :? `hhe] $2G2C6D6 :D ?@H E96 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 p=232>2 w:89 $49@@= pE9=6E:4 pDD@4:2E:@?]k^Am
kAmq#w$ 9:C65 !9:= {2K6?3J[ H9@[ H:E9 |2CE:? 2D 9:D 49:67 5676?D:G6 2DD:DE2?E[ =65 E96 (:=542ED E@ E96 ep 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6 :? `hhf[ H96C6 q#w$ =@DE[ ag\`c[ E@ %FD42=@@D2 r@F?EJ[ 2?5 E96 dp E:E=6 82>6 :? a___[ H96C6 E96 (:=542ED =@DE c`\bc E@ w@>6H@@5 :? 7:G6 @G6CE:>6D]k^Am
kAm%96 7@==@H:?8 J62C[ {2K6?3J C6E:C65] u:?2==J[ :E H2D E96 9@>6E@H? 3@J’D EFC? 2D |2CE:? H2D 9:C65 2D 9625 4@249 @7 E96 (:=542ED] x? 9:D 7:CDE 82>6 2E E96 96=>[ q#w$ A=2J65 w@>6H@@5[ E96 E62> E92E 925 362E6? E96> 7@C E96 DE2E6 E:E=6 :? E96 7:G6\@G6CE:>6 E9C:==6C E96 AC6G:@FD D62D@?] %96 (:=542ED 2?5 w@>6H@@5 H6?E E@ @G6CE:>6 282:? 2?5[ 27E6C 2 w@>6H@@5 7:6=5 8@2=[ q#w$ EC2:=65 w@>6H@@5 3J b] ~? E96:C ~% A@DD6DD:@?[ E96 (:=542ED C2? E96 32== E@ E96 w@>6H@@5`@? E96:C 7:CDE A=2J 7C@> D4C:>>286[ 3FE 7F>3=65 E96 32== 2H2J E96 ?6IE D?2A]k^Am
kAm“x 925 @?6 4@249 ?2>65 %65 s2C3J[” |2CE:? D2:5] “w6 925 A=2J65 @G6C 2E E96 >:55=6 D49@@= 2?5 9:D A2C6?ED >@G65 E@ E96 ~I7@C5 2C62] ~? E96 H2J 9@>6[ r@249 s2C3J =@@<65 @G6C 2?5 D2:5[ ‘r@249[ :E’D 366? 2 =@?8 E:>6 D:?46 x’G6 H@? 2 32==82>6]’ p?5 x =@@<65 9:> :? E96 6J6 2?5 D2:5 H6 =@DE 2 82>6[ 3FE @FC E62> 8@E 36EE6C] (6’C6 8@:?8 E@ H:? 2 =@E >@C6 32== 82>6D :? @FC E:>6 E@86E96C]”k^Am
kAmq6?;2>:? #FDD6== 7:?:D965 g\a :? E96 C68F=2C D62D@?[ =@D:?8 E@ ep ~A6=:<2 :? 255:E:@? E@ w@>6H@@5[ 2?5 62C?65 2 36CE9 :? E96 r=2DD dp A=2J@77D] %96 (:=542ED C@==65 E9C@F89 q=@F?E Wch\a`X[ ~2< |@F?E2:? Wbc\`cX[ #@36CED52=6 Wcd\`cX 2?5 qC:2CH@@5 r9C:DE:2? Wac\fX 367@C6 56762E:?8 E96:C ?6>6D:D w@>6H@@5[ a_\`b[ 7@C E96 DE2E6 E:E=6]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D 2 G6CJ DA64:2= >@>6?E 7@C >6 =:<6 2 =@E @7 E9:?8D E92E J@F 5C62> :? J@FC =:76[” |2CE:? D2:5] “yFDE 36:?8 E96 4@249 E96C6 2?5 E@ D2J E92E J@F 4@F=5 C6249 @FE 2?5 E@F49 D@ >2?J =:G6D 2?5 96=A A6@A=6 2D 2 4@249] p =@E @7 A6@A=6 5@?’E F?56CDE2?5 E92E 2 4@249 42? 92G6 2 G6CJ A@D:E:G6 :?7=F6?46 @? 2 =@E @7 J@FE9 :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ] p?5 :E 3C:?8D E96 4@>>F?:EJ E@86E96C] ~FC 4@>>F?:EJ 925 2=H2JD 366? G6CJ 4=@D6\<?:E] x 5@?’E 42C6 H96C6 J@F =:G6[ 9@H >F49 J@F >2<6[ H9@ J@F 2C6[ :E ?6G6C H2D 2? :DDF6 2D 72C 2D x H2D 4@?46C?65] }@ 4@249 H@CE9 9:D D2=E H@?’E A=2J 9:D 36DE A=2J6CD]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D 23@FE E96 <:5D[ :E H2D 23@FE 2== E96 96=A] xE H2D?’E 23@FE >6] x ;FDE 9@A6 E92E >J <:5D[ >J E62>D[ >256 E96 4@>>F?:EJ AC@F5]”k^Am
kAmpD :D 2=H2JD E96 42D6 H:E9 |2CE:?[ 96 6?565 E96 4@?G6CD2E:@? H:E9 2 D2=FE6 E@ 9:D H:76[ {6D=:6]k^Am
kAm“x H@F=5?’E 36 E96 >2? E92E x 2> E@52J H:E9@FE >J H:76[” |2CE:? D2:5] “$96’D 366? H:E9 >6 E9C@F89 6G6CJE9:?8 H6’G6 E2=<65 23@FE] $96 H2D >J 9:89 D49@@= DH66E962CEj D96’D E96 >@E96C @7 >J EH@ 8:C=D] p?5 D96’D 366? E96 8C2?5>@E96C 2?5 8C2?55255J E@ >J 8C2?5D@? H96? x H2D 2H2J] p?5 D96’D E96 =@G6 @7 >J =:76]”k^Am
kAmqFE[ @? |2J `a[ :E H:== >@DE 2DDFC65=J 36 23@FE (:==:6 |2CE:?] %:4<6ED 2C6 Sad 2?5 E:4<6E @C56CD 42? 36 >2:=65 E@ {2<6 |2CE:? q2>2 r=F3[ !] ~] q@I `[ p=6I2?56C r:EJ[ p=232>2 bd_``] %:4<6ED 42? 2=D@ 36 AFC492D65 2E E96 7@==@H:?8 =@42E:@?Dik^Am
kAm• p=6I2?56C r:EJ r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46jk^Am
kAm• %96 p=6I2?56C r:EJ ~FE=@@<jk^Am
kAm• %9@>2D |@CE8286[ `ac r2=9@F? $EC66E[ p=6I2?56C r:EJjk^Am
kAm• |2C< z:?8’D {2<6 |2CE:? uFC?:EFC6[ p=6I2?56C r:EJjk^Am
kAm• ~C 42== y6CCJ qFC?6EE6 2E ade\a`a\abeh]k^Am
kAm k^Am
