Lee Roy Selmon Passes Away, Tampa Loses Its Heart and Soul

This one hits hard, too hard.

On Sunday afternoon, the day after his beloved South Florida Bulls pulled a mighty 23-20 upset over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Lee Roy Selmon left us.

Lee Roy Selmon passed away on Sunday, September 4, two days after suffering a massive stroke.

He died at St. Joseph's Hospital, a few hundred yards from One Buccaneer Place, and probably a half-mile from the site of the old Tampa Stadium where he had a Hall of Fame playing career.

This one is hard to take because the only thing to say is that today, Tampa lost its heart and soul.

This one hurts. Badly.

I Last saw Lee Roy in June, when he eulogized my old boss at the Tampa Tribune, Tom McEwen.

Lee Roy was elegant, dignified and inspiring when he spoke of McEwen. That's the way he was in life, and that's how those of us who were fortunate enough to know him will always remember him.

It seemed like yesterday when I'd approach him after another Buccaneer loss back in 1976, a season where the first-year team lost every game. Lee Roy left every bit of himself on the field when he played. He'd sit in front of his locker, looking like a man who had just spent three hours running an angry gauntlet.

That's the way he played, and after his playing days, he brought a spirit and enthusiasm to all his endeavors.

One of his biggest contributions was the birth of the South Florida football program. Selmon raised the huge amount of money necessary to start a big-time football program. No one could say no to Lee Roy. That's the type of man he was.

I always looked forward to the times we'd meet and he'd shake my hand with that huge but gentle hand of his. He had the most amazing hands, powerful, with marvelous fingers. A handshake from Lee Roy Selmon was a warm experience, especially when he flashed that big grin of his and would say, "Hey Tom, how are you?"

He made you feel special. He greeted you as if you were a family member he was waiting to see.

We often traded emails, and I'll miss that.

I'll miss everything about Lee Roy Selmon.

That's what made Lee Roy Selmon this community's greatest treasure.

Tampa has the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway and Outback Steakhouse founders Bob Basham and Chris Sullivan own the wonderful Lee Roy Selmon restaurants, along with Lee Roy.

It was a proud day for Tampa Bay when Selmon entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Class of 1995.

It was his destiny. It was also his destiny to touch so many lives in our town. When charities called, Lee Roy answered.

Sitting here now, it is simply very difficult to imagine that I'll never see him again in this life. I looked forward to the next time I'd see him, shake that big friendly hand of his and hear him say, "Hey Tom, how you doing?"

I will miss that priceless, wide grin of his.

He left me and so many of us here in Tampa with a lifetime of memories.

There will be a memorial service in Tampa this week. If they had it at Raymond James, it would be a sellout. His family will then take him home to his beloved Oklahoma.

It was a rare life privilege to know Lee Roy Selmon.

Now, my friend has gone home.

The Lord has his arms around Lee Roy Selmon.