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Tommy Casanova

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Tommy Casanova
No. 37
Position:Safety
Personal information
Born:(1950-07-29)July 29, 1950(age 74)
Crowley, Louisiana,U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:Notre Dame
(Crowley, Louisiana)
College:LSU(1969–1971)
NFL draft:1972/ round: 2 / pick: 29
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:17
Interception yards:276
Fumblerecoveries:3
Totaltouchdowns:4
Statsat Pro Football Reference
College Football Hall of Fame

Thomas Henry Casanova III(born July 29, 1950) is an American former professionalfootballplayer andpolitician.He played six seasons for theCincinnati Bengalsof theNational Football League(NFL) as asafetyand was selected to threePro Bowlsand was named anAll-Proin1976.He playedcollege footballfor theLSU Tigers,where he was a twice consensusAll-American.He is aRepublicanformer member of theLouisiana State Senate,having served a single term from 1996 to 2000.

Early life and college

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Casanova attended theRoman CatholicNotre Dame High SchoolinCrowley, Louisiana.As a senior at Notre Dame, he was chosen to play in the Louisiana High School Coaches Association all-star game.[1]

After high school, Casanova attendedLouisiana State UniversityinBaton Rouge,where he played for theLSU Tigers footballteam. He was a running back, kick returner, and defensive back for the Tigers. As a freshman in 1968, he led the Bayou Bengals in rushing with 209 yards on 54 attempts. He also returned punts and kickoffs, and was a defensive standout.[2]

In1969,Casanova's first year on the varsity, he was shifted to cornerback. LSU fielded four defensive All-Americans in linebackersGeorge BevanandMike Anderson,defensive tackleRon Estay,and Casanova. Casanova was recognized as a first-teamAll-AmericanbyFootball News.The Tigers lost only one game that year, to arch-rivalOle Miss.[3]

As a junior in1970,Casanova was a consensus All-American. He earned first-team honors from theAssociated Press(AP) andAmerican Football Coaches Association(AFCA), and second-team honors fromUnited Press International(UPI) and theCentral Press.In a 61–17 rout ofOle Missin the final game of the regular season, Casanova had punt return touchdowns of 61 and 73 yards, tying the NCAA record for punt return touchdowns in a game.[2][4]

Prior to his senior year in1971,Casanova was featured on the front cover of the September 13, 1971 issue ofSports Illustrated,with the headline, "Tommy Casanova of LSU, Best Player in the Nation."[5]In the second game of the season, againstTexas A&M,Casanovapulled his right hamstringmuscle and subsequently missed the next five games.[2][5]He recorded his only interception of the year later that season in a nationally televised 28–8 victory over No. 7Notre Dame.Despite missing nearly half the season due to injury, Casanova was again a consensus All-American, earning first-team recognition from theFootball Writers Association of Americaand UPI.[6][7]After his college career, Casanova played in the 1972Chicago College All-Star Gameagainst theDallas Cowboys.His defensive play was lauded in the All-Stars' 20–7 loss.[8]

Casanova was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Famein 1995.[9]In 2000, theWalter Camp Football Foundationselected Casanova for their All-Century team, honoring the best college football players of the 20th century.[10]His jersey number 37 was retired by LSU football on October 10, 2009.[11]NFL and collegiate coachPete Carrollhas stated that Casanova was one of his all-time favorite players.[12]

NFL

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Casanova was drafted in the second round of the1972 NFL draftwith the 29th overall pick by theCincinnati Bengals.After the draft, he received an offer from theOttawa Rough Ridersof theCanadian Football League,which he considered but he ultimately declined, and signed with the Bengals.[13]Casanova played as asafetywith the Bengals and also returned punts. As a rookie, he intercepted five passes on defense and had a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown. He was named the team MVP by his teammates after the season.[14]In 1973, he had four interceptions, including two against thePittsburgh Steelersin the seventh game of the season.[15]He also had an interception in the Bengals' 34–16 divisional playoff loss to theMiami Dolphins.[16]

Casanova was invited to his firstPro Bowlafter the 1974 season. In 1975, Casanova moved fromfree safetytostrong safety.His most productive year on defense was in 1976; he intercepted five passes and returned two of them for touchdowns and also returned a recovered fumble for a touchdown. He was invited to his second Pro Bowl and was recognized as a first-teamAll-Proby the Associated Press. He had another Pro Bowl appearance in 1977 and retired after that season. Casanova compiled 17 interceptions in his career with the Bengals and scored three touchdowns on defense and one on a punt return.[17]

Later life and politics

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While playing for the Bengals, Casanova began to pursue his M.D. at theUniversity of Cincinnati College of Medicine.In 1977, he quit playing football early to pursue his medical degree full-time. He graduated from the UC College of Medicine in 1980, and then began a three-year residency inophthalmologyin New Orleans. After completing his residency in 1983, Casanova went on to complete a specialization inoculoplastic surgeryat theUniversity of UtahinSalt Lake City.[5]

In the 1995nonpartisan blanket primaryin the historically Democratic District 26, formerly District 24, the Republican Casanova upset veteran Democrat state SenatorArmand Brinkhaus.[18]Casanova received 21,543 votes (58 percent) to Brinkhaus's 15,753 (42 percent).[19][20]After a single term, Casanova declined to seek reelection and returned to his ophthalmology practice in Crowley. He was succeeded by the Democrat Fred Hoyt.

References

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  1. ^Joly, John (June 23, 1968). "Pick 4 Area Gridders, Lee for All-Star Games".The Times-Picayune.p. 10.
  2. ^abcTommy Casanova – Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.lasportshall.Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  3. ^Hilburn, Chet (2012).The Mystique of Tiger Stadium: 25 Greatest Games: The Ascension of LSU Football.Bloomington, Indiana:WestBow Press. pp. 47–48.ISBN978-1-4497-5269-9.
  4. ^"Tiger Den Archives – V".Golden Rankings.RetrievedJanuary 2,2017.
  5. ^abcMcEntegart, Pete (August 14, 2000)."Tommy Casanova, Two-way Star – September 13, 1971".Sports Illustrated.Vol. 93, no. 6. p. 29. Archived fromthe originalon December 31, 2016.RetrievedDecember 31,2016.
  6. ^Gangi, Ted."FWAA All-America"(PDF).Sportswriters.net.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on December 27, 2015.
  7. ^"All-America Lists... AP Squad... UPI Squad".News-Journal.Associated Press. December 2, 1971. p. 42.RetrievedJanuary 1,2017.
  8. ^"Morton Guides Dallas".The Fort Scott Tribune.Associated Press. July 29, 1972. p. 8.RetrievedDecember 31,2016.
  9. ^"Brown, Robeson among 13 named to football shrine".Lawrence Journal-World.Associated Press. January 19, 1995. p. 2C.RetrievedJanuary 2,2017.
  10. ^"All-Century College Football Team".Walter Camp Football Foundation.Archived fromthe originalon September 9, 2006.RetrievedNovember 20,2006.
  11. ^Vincent, Herb (October 29, 2009)."LSU Retires Three Legends' Jerseys".LSUsports.net.Archived fromthe originalon January 29, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 11,2016.
  12. ^Kleinpeter, Jim (November 3, 2016)."Ed Orgeron says Pete Carroll 'wanted to coach at LSU'".The Times-Picayune.RetrievedDecember 31,2016.
  13. ^Roesler, Bob (April 27, 1972). "Canada Calling".The Times Picayune.p. 1.
  14. ^"Bengals' Best".The Tuscaloosa News.December 20, 1972. p. 19.RetrievedDecember 31,2016.
  15. ^"Tommy Casanova Career Game Log".Pro-Football-Reference.Sports Reference LLC.RetrievedDecember 31,2016.
  16. ^Markus, Robert (December 24, 1973)."Bengals fall 34–16 in Miami".Chicago Tribune.p. 1.RetrievedJanuary 1,2017.
  17. ^"Tommy Casanova Stats".Pro-Football-Reference.Sports Reference LLC.RetrievedJanuary 7,2017.
  18. ^"Living Legends: Armand Brinkhaus".acadiamuseum.RetrievedMay 23,2014.
  19. ^"Official Election Results Results for Election Date: 10/21/1995".staticresults.sos.la.gov.RetrievedOctober 16,2013.
  20. ^"Membership in the Louisiana Senate, 1880-Present"(PDF).senate.la.gov. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on April 4, 2019.RetrievedOctober 16,2013.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Louisiana State Senator for the 26th District, including Acadia Parish
Thomas H. "Tommy" Casanova, III
1996–2000 		Succeeded by
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