Former Gopher Running Back Thomas Hamner

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Thanks for posting the story. Disturbing. I bet there is a lot more to this story. Maybe an ex-Gopher teammate will see this an reach out. I hope Hamner is open to a mental health evaluation.
Hamner brings back great memories. Not real big, but one tough bugger. I absolutely loved how Mason would use him with the wheel route out of the backfield. They'd set it up by running a play three or four times during the game. Then, when the other team was expecting that same play, there was a fake handoff, and Hamner would be wide open! It seemed to work on Penn State time and time again.
Go Thomas!
 

CWCWCW said:
Thanks for posting the story. Disturbing. I bet there is a lot more to this story. Maybe an ex-Gopher teammate will see this an reach out. I hope Hamner is open to a mental health evaluation.
Hamner brings back great memories. Not real big, but one tough bugger. I absolutely loved how Mason would use him with the wheel route out of the backfield. They'd set it up by running a play three or four times during the game. Then, when the other team was expecting that same play, there was a fake handoff, and Hamner would be wide open! It seemed to work on Penn State time and time again.
Go Thomas!
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I know a few of them are planning to go down and see him. It's one of those things you don't know what to say.
 

CWCWCW said:
Thanks for posting the story. Disturbing. I bet there is a lot more to this story. Maybe an ex-Gopher teammate will see this an reach out. I hope Hamner is open to a mental health evaluation.
Hamner brings back great memories. Not real big, but one tough bugger. I absolutely loved how Mason would use him with the wheel route out of the backfield. They'd set it up by running a play three or four times during the game. Then, when the other team was expecting that same play, there was a fake handoff, and Hamner would be wide open! It seemed to work on Penn State time and time again.
Go Thomas!
Click to expand...

That was my first thought after reading the article.

Yeah, he was a great back at the U. Took a lickin' and kept on tickin'. Really tough player.
 


Hamner was a good Gopher back and made those early Mason years watchable on field.

Doesn't the U have a program for guys and gals who left early or never graduated but were athletes that were near degrees to complete them with decent financial aide? Didn't Willie Burton complete a program like that(Willie probably didn't need additional aide). He, Hamner couldn't have been that far off credit wise from graduation, Hamner even if he left college after his junior season.

With his living situation you would think someone from the athletic department would reach out from the U. I know it's not there responsibility but hopefully someone with some pull at the U can reach out and help out. Hamner should not be forgotten, he was too good a Gopher back to be forgotten.
 

Well said.
gopherdudepart2 said:
Doesn't the U have a program for guys and gals who left early or never graduated but were athletes that were near degrees to complete them with decent financial aide? Didn't Willie Burton complete a program like that(Willie probably didn't need additional aide). He, Hamner couldn't have been that far off credit wise from graduation, Hamner even if he left college after his junior season.

With his living situation you would think someone from the athletic department would reach out from the U. I know it's not there responsibility but hopefully someone with some pull at the U can reach out and help out. Hamner should not be forgotten, he was too good a Gopher back to be forgotten.
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I am so sad right now. He was one of my favorite gophers. He was the focal point of the offense that got us to our first bowl game after a long drought and helped us be hang with the big boys for a year. I always thought he got his degree. I know in the article, he says he doesn't need help, but I hope that his friends see past that. He was a total fighter when on the field. It so sad to see that it looks like he gave up on himself after college. Maybe with the help of some old friends he can see that he doesn't need to be on the streets.

Sent from my MUCH i5 using Tapatalk
 

when i saw the link i was afraid it was another article on him being arrested and charged with animal cruelty. hopefully that chapter of his life is in the past.

i also hope he can get back on his feet. i loved watching him play and i hope he can get his life going in a great direction.
 



gopherdudepart2 said:
Doesn't the U have a program for guys and gals who left early or never graduated but were athletes that were near degrees to complete them with decent financial aide? Didn't Willie Burton complete a program like that(Willie probably didn't need additional aide). He, Hamner couldn't have been that far off credit wise from graduation, Hamner even if he left college after his junior season.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if it's an official program, but I know they have a let a lot come back and do that. I believe with Brandon Owens, he came back, and all he had to do was do well one semester and I want to say Maturi said they'd pay for the rest of his school.

Go4 said:
when i saw the link i was afraid it was another article on him being arrested and charged with animal cruelty. hopefully that chapter of his life is in the past.

i also hope he can get back on his feet. i loved watching him play and i hope he can get his life going in a great direction.
Click to expand...

I never followed him, but hope this chapter of his life is over. It's a terribly sad story, and hope he just needs a few people to care coupled with a drive to turn things around.
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
Doesn't the U have a program for guys and gals who left early or never graduated but were athletes that were near degrees to complete them with decent financial aide? Didn't Willie Burton complete a program like that(Willie probably didn't need additional aide). He, Hamner couldn't have been that far off credit wise from graduation, Hamner even if he left college after his junior season.

With his living situation you would think someone from the athletic department would reach out from the U. I know it's not there responsibility but hopefully someone with some pull at the U can reach out and help out. Hamner should not be forgotten, he was too good a Gopher back to be forgotten.
Click to expand...

They may have something now, but I know they didn't have anything like this in the 1980s. I used to play pick-up hoops over at the Salvation Army gym (I passed the ball a lot) and the place was full of ex-Gophers who were just bumming around town and had really lousy jobs. One of the things that impresses me about Kill is that he appears to be dedicated to getting his players degrees. High GPAs are nice, but the degree is ultimately what counts. I think Jeff Jones' mention of Hageman's comments about Kill really taking genuine concern about academic performance bears out my impression.
 

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