Probably more than VY, he aptly represents the whole of a Texas quarterback. I'd say for sure James Street had IT. And yes, #16 belongs in DKR.
Slick was one of the idols of my teenage years. I didn’t get to go to the ’69 game, but I made it to Fayetteville in ’77. It was another exciting, 4th quarter victory, and after the game I was driving my burnt orange Pacer and while trying to get out of there, suddenly someone came running in front of my car and I thought was stiff arming me to let him through. I looked at the smiling guy in orange who wasn’t stiff arming, he was giving me a Hook ‘em. I thought , **** I almost ran over James Street, I wouldn’t ever be able to return to Austin if that happened. I have other off the field memories that involve margaritas at Casita Jorge’s on 6th street, but those memories are faded for obvious reasons. One of the great competitors ever and a wonderful person. We have lost one of the greatest Longhorns ever.
Wish I could find a video of his 42 yard TD run against Arkansas. A great play that gets overlooked because of the great plays that came a bit later. The beginning of that play looked like Vince before there was Vince.
I got to know James Street in the 80's when he was publishing a Longhorn rag on football... Folks, this is a monumental loss. There was never a bigger TEXAS LONGHORN hero in my mind. There was never a nicer, more humble representative of our great University. Rest in PEACE, James Street...you were a hero of mine
I met him and Huston after a UT baseball game one time and they were two of the nicest, most down to earth people. They talked to us like we were old friends, not someone they just met. #16 should be retired and in the ring period.
The first time I met James " Slick " Street was at a Texas vs OSU baseball game in Stillwater. He had walked past me in the stands and I recognized him. Wifey did not want me to run him down but I knew if I did not go introduce myself and get a handshake I would grieve severely about it down the road. He left a little early from Huston's baseball game and I saw him drive away from the top of the stands in a gold Pontiac G-6 car with a tag that said " STREETER"! James Street is possibly the greatest Longhorn EVER. Solidly in the top three. 1. James Street ( Two Titles 20 games in a row) 1a. Vince Young 2. Earl Campbell 3. Tommy Nobis 4. Ricky Williams 5. Bobby Layne ( first Texas QB in the NFL )
For me there are too many greats spanning lifetimes to have a greatest. That just seems to do a disservice to the others. Favorites? Yes. I just prefer to refer to each of them as one of the great players in Texas history.
Condolences to the Street family as well as our Longhorn family. A big hole in the hearts of all of us. God bless James Street.
I would rather see the Number 16 be given to the player who shows the most heart/ Team leader, than see it retired. No better way to honor James than to have the 16 Jersey with maybe a "JS" on the sleeve as a way to honor him. RIP James
Longhorn Network honored James Street by replaying the 1969 Arkansas game, and it brought tears to my eyes, seeing Coach Royal, Freddie Steinmark gutting it out in the secondary, James Street making the big plays, and great friend and cheerleader Jose Pena on the sidelines. On the 42 yard scramble, three Hogs got their hands on Street, including one pretty solid hit, but he escaped and diagonally scampered across the field. He fought his way in to the endzone on the ensuing two-point play as well. Sometimes it is really good to have Longhorn Network.
A terrible loss for the University of Texas and all that love the burnt orange. Pretty much everybody knows the records he set and the kind of player and man he was. Just one of the very best in both regards. RIP Slick, you will be very missed by all Longhorns.
Memory: Was a freshman at UT 68-69. Had moved from Pittsburgh,Pa. to Houston in Summer of 67 (Gulf Oil family). One year of high school and on to college. Didn't know much about UT athletics. Football team takes off with a second string QB named Street. Lots of fun. Then cut Chemistry lab in the Spring to attend a baseball game. The outfield was sure odd, not quite finished in left and center. Then I noticed that the QB is pitching?? Wonderful time to attend Texas!
I got to Texas way after his playing days. With that said I now know a lot about what he did on the field, but more importantly everything I've heard about him off the field is that he was a very good person. Hook 'Em and RIP!!
A true Longhorn Legend. This may ramble a bit but you need to read this. I did not learn until late PM today that Slick had passed away. I am so sad.. only 5 years older than me at his death... what he did at UT in football & baseball. What he has done for UT since. His sons and what they have done for UT. At this moment, I have so much sorrow for his family... he was not only a great player at UT - he was a good man, a good person. I was a HS football Sophmore at the FW Southwest HS football banquet in Dec. 1969 when James was the guest speaker. How the hell a mediocre HS in FW got him as guest speaker for a football banquet on a Friday night that year when UT was # 1 in the nation, I will never know... this was after UT & James big time rallied to beat the lowly hogs in the legendary shootout a couple of weeks prior 15-14. My gawd it didn't get any better than that. The Horns were 10-0 after Dec. 6th 1969 and leading up to the NC game vs. Joe Theisman and ND. My UT grad Dad and I spoke to James Street very briefly after the banquet and got his autograph, which I have framed. He was very humble considering all that had happened prior. I rememeber it so well how it started for him. I was on Boy Scout campout on a Sat. night early Sept. 1968 listening on the radio in my tent to QB Bill Bradley lead the Horns in the Wishbone vs. Tech. I remember the camp was close to Fort Wolters outside Mineral Wells where young guys barely older than me were training in Huey helicopters to land in hostile LZ's in Vietnam. We heard them flying at all hours of the day & night training during that campout and during scout summer camp that summer and again the next summer when I was also there. Meanwhile during his first game, when he had meaningful plalying time, the Horns were trailing Tech by 21 points or so and as later reported, DKR on the sideline says hell James, we cannot do any worse, get in there and see what you can do. He rallied the team vs. Tech for several scores but the hole was too deep and it was too late in the game... however, Street did rally the Horns the rest of the 1968 season: 9-1-1 , if I remember correctly. Aftrt the Tech loss, the team then reeled off 20 straight wins after James Street became the starter. This included a 36-13 victory over a good Tenn team in the Jan. 1, 1969 CB. It was not as close as the score indicated. Street magic had started in 1968 and the Horns finished ranked # 3 after starting the season 1-1-1. Street ran the Wishbone with great precision. Then the incredible magic of that fall 1969... more Wishbone magic that Street perfected to work up to # 2 in the nation.The Horns got some help in late Nov. when Mich and Bo S. upset # 1 tOSU and Woody 24-12. Texas valted to # 1... leading up to THE GAME OF THE CENTURY vs. Arky. The hogs D stuffed the Horns for 3 quarters until lightening struck in the early 4th quarter - Street magic pulled us out of huge 14-0 hole and we won a thriller for the ages. I am not going to go into all the rest because most all of you know the history that season. RIP Loghorn Lengend James Street
Great Story WorsterMan This team is going to have JS on the back of their helmets. They bettter play as hard as they possibly can to show respect for wearing that set of letters on their gear. We will miss #16 forever.
RIP James Street. There are some great memories being shared over at hogville if anybody wants to check them out. He broke our hearts back in 69 but you find nothing but respect for James Street in Hog land.
