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Tennessee Titans fans and players enjoy time at Titans Caravan’s stop at Kroger on Madison Street Monday

2012 Tennessee Titans CaravanClarksville, TN – Called the largest crowd ever by Tennessee Titans play-by-play voice Mike Keith, the Titans Caravan rolled into Clarksville and were greeted by throngs of fans at the Kroger at 1489 Madison Street, Monday night.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, left tackle Michael Roos, corner back Jason McCourty, Titans mascot T-Rac and Keith — on the first day and sixth stop of the Caravan — signed autographs and took pictures with eager Titans fans for nearly two hours after first conducting interviews with the local media, including the Clarksville Sports Network and Clarksville Online.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBQME_e6Tcw[/youtube]

The 14th Titans Caravan is a regional series of school visits and free, public autograph signings, sponsored by Grange Insurance and for the first time, the U.S. Army will be joining the Titans Caravan at public stops. The Caravan will make 50 total stops in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama from April 30th through May 11th. The Titans didn’t hold a Caravan lost year because of the lockout.

Roos began the day with students from Greenbrier and Watauga Elementary Schools.

Tennessee Titan's Left Tackle Michael Roos
Tennessee Titan's Left Tackle Michael Roos

“It’s been a fun day,” Roos said. “It’s our sixth stop and we’ve already been to a lot of elementary schools and public stops in Kentucky and Tennessee and it’s been fun getting to meet our fans and getting the chance to thank them for supporting us.”

Tennessee Titan's Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck
Tennessee Titan's Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck

Hasselbeck joined Roos at the Kroger in White House and then met with students at South Edmonson Elementary School in a private session.

“It’s been a busy day” Hasselbeck said. “Mike started at 8:00am in the morning. I went to the workout in the morning and jumped on a bus right after that so it’s been a long day, but the support has been awesome. We’ve been around Tennessee, been to Kentucky and it’s been fun.”

The day ended with three consecutive public stops: at the Shoe Carnival in Bowling Green, KY, at O’Charley’s in Hopkinsville, KY and finally the  Madison Street Kroger, where McCourty joined the group.

Tennessee Titan's Corner Back Jason McCourty
Tennessee Titan's Corner Back Jason McCourty

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” McCourty said. “A lot of the times we just meet the fans in Nashville. This is actually my first time in Clarksville so getting the chance to meet some of the fans is exciting.”

And the fans were excited to meet the Titans, including two Clarksville High sophomore football players, 15-year old Tony Blakely and 16-year-old Nathaniel Johnson.

“It was great seeing Michael Roos, Jason McCourty and Matt Hasselbeck,” Blakely said. “It was great to see NFL players up close.”

Blakely, and aspiring offensive lineman himself, was also caught of guard by how big the Titans were saying, “They were pretty tall. They were bigger than I expected.”

For Johnson, getting the see Hasselbeck was the biggest thrill, “He went to the Super Bowl with Seattle and he brought in really good experience.”

 

Tennessee Titan's Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck with a young Titan's Fan
Tennessee Titan's Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck with a young Titan's Fan

Johnson also appreciated the fact the Titans came to Clarksville.

“You just don’t get that excitement anywhere,” he said. “Really only at the Titans Caravan.”

Titans Caravan Gallery

14th Annual Titans Caravan Schedule

Tuesday, May 1st:
Time City Location Player(s)
10:30am CT Camden, TN Wendy’s (120 Highway 641) Jason McCourty
3:30pm CT Paducah, KY Logan’s Roadhouse (5317 Hinkleville Road) Jason McCourty
6:00pm CT Dyersburg, TN Mobile Nation (490 Highway 51 Bypass) Jason McCourty, Jared Cook
Wednesday, May 2nd:
Time City Location Player(s)
3:30pm CT Memphis, TN Shoe Carnival (2261 North Germantown Parkway) Jared Cook
6:00pm CT Jackson, TN West Tennessee Healthcare Complex (250 Bancorp S Pkwy) Jared Cook, Alterraun Verner, Colin McCarthy
Thursday, May 3rd:
Time City Location Player(s)
3:00pm CT Centerville, TN Pamida (1768 Highway 100) Alterraun Verner, Colin McCarthy
5:00pm CT Dickson, TN O’Charley’s (2409 Highway 46) Alterraun Verner, Colin McCarthy
Friday, May 4th:
Time City Location Player(s)
11:30am CT Pulaski, TN Holley’s Printing (955 West College Street) Mike Munchak
1:30pm CT Fayetteville, TN Town Gazebo (Fayetteville Square) Mike Munchak
3:30pm CT Shelbyville, TN Kroger (1010 North Main Street) Mike Munchak
5:30pm CT Murfreesboro, TN Kroger (2325 North Memorial Boulevard) Mike Munchak
Monday, May 7th (“Legends Day”):
Time City Location Former Player(s)
11:15am CT McMinnville, TN Kroger (1410 Sparta Street) Blaine Bishop, Frank Wycheck
3:30pm CT Gallatin, TN Kroger (2011 Nashville Pike) Blaine Bishop, Frank Wycheck
5:30pm CT Mount Juliet, TN O’Charley’s (401 South Mount Juliet Road) Blaine Bishop, Frank Wycheck
Tuesday, May 8th:
Time City Location Player(s)
3:30pm CT Cookeville, TN Cane Creek Sportsplex (2200 West Jackson Street) Rob Bironas, Jake Locker
Wednesday, May 9th:
Time City Location Player(s)
3:30pm ET Knoxville, TN Academy Sports + Outdoors (145 Moss Grove Boulevard) Jake Locker
6:30pm ET Chattanooga, TN Academy Sports + Outdoors (2200 Hamilton Place Blvd) Jake Locker, Kenny Britt
Thursday, May 10th:
Time City Location Player(s)
3:30pm CT Huntsville, AL Shoe Carnival (6275 University Drive NW) Kenny Britt
6:00pm CT Florence, AL Buffalo Wild Wings (2870 Florence Boulevard) Kenny Britt, Marc Mariani
Friday, May 11th:
Time City Location Player(s)
1:00pm CT Lawrenceburg, TN Rotary Park (927 North Military Avenue) Marc Mariani
3:30pm CT Spring Hill, TN Logan’s Roadhouse (2008 Crossings Circle) Marc Mariani
5:30pm CT Brentwood, TN Kroger (6690 Nolensville Road) Marc Mariani
James D. Horne
James D. Hornehttp://www.clarksvillesportsnetwork.com/
James D. Horne began his writing career at the Carrollton Missouri Democrat in 1995, and was the assistant sports editor/writer for the Hammond Louisiana Daily Star for two years.  In 1998, Horne became the Missouri Basketball beat writer for the Columbia Daily Tribune. He joined The Leaf-Chronicle in Oct. 2003 as the lead prep writer and became the Austin Peay beat writer in March of 2005. During his career he won a state association sports writing award at the Daily Star and two while at the Leaf-Chronicle. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Horne earned his B.A in communications from Central Methodist University in Fayette Missouri.
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