http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2...mode=fullstory

Floyd was a year or two ahead of me in high school. He was and is a
terrific guy, quick-witted, modest, friendly, and as good on the
basketball court as he was on the football field.

Floyd Little honored as 'Hometown Hall of Famer'

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

By Chip Malafronte, Register Staff
/ Twitter: @ChipMalafronte

NEW HAVEN — The game of football has taken Floyd Little to extraordinary
places since he roamed the hallways of Hillhouse High as a student more
than 52 years ago.

He made his mark as a college player at Syracuse, as a professional in
Denver and received countless awards for his contributions, including
enshrinement as one of the game’s all-time greats in at the Pro Football
Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio two years ago.

On Wednesday, Little was back at Hillhouse to be honored by the Pro
Football Hall of Fame and Allstate Insurance as a “Hometown Hall of
Famer” in a ceremony before the student body. Roger Harrison, a longtime
friend of Little’s from Hillhouse and Syracuse, made the dedication
speech. A bronze plaque will likely be hung in the school’s athletic
center, named for Little last September.

“It’s just been an ongoing wave of opportunity, accomplishment and
awards,” said Little, also honored by the Walter Camp Football
Foundation in January as its Distinguished American. “You can’t imagine
that you started here in New Haven, grew up in these neighborhoods,
played on these fields, went to this high school, and to be blessed like
this is just an unbelievable experience. It’s a red letter day for me
and my family.”

What Little, 69, cherishes as much as the honors in the chance to speak
to students and deliver his message of encouragement in pursuing their
dreams. Now a special assistant to the athletic director at Syracuse,
he’s been back to New Haven several times over the past school year,
speaking with school-aged children each time about his path from 647
Orchard Street in New Haven to NFL glory.

It wasn’t easy. Little struggled academically and, as a fourth string
running back, had to beg his coach Dan Casey for playing time. In a game
against Harding, Casey finally relented and sent Little into the game
with specific instructions: tell the quarterback to run it, and you
block. Instead, he arrived in the huddle with a different message.

“Coach said he wants me to carry the ball,” Little said.

Little took the pitch and went 68 yards for a touchdown, handed the ball
to the official and returned to his spot at the end of the bench. When
Casey approached to tell him he was in for the next series, Little
quipped, “Coach, I only wanted one play.”

Little finished that game with five touchdowns, helping Hillhouse erase
a 21-0 deficit to win, and never sat again. At Syracuse, he was a
three-time All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist. With the Broncos,
he was a three-time Pro Bowl pick who retired as the seventh-leading
rusher in NFL history.

“This is a dream come true for me,” Little told the students. “I was you
a number of years ago. When I walked these hallways I heard I wasn’t big
enough, strong enough, fast enough or smart enough to do the things I
wanted to do. How dare they. Here I am today. There are only 273
inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I’m one of them. You can
be anything you want to be.”