New W.Va. senator played Mountaineer football

Dunmore, W.Va. –

Donald Cookman, Pocahontas County’s new state senator, attended WVU on a football scholarship. I talked to the senator about his playing days.

“Well, I lettered three year,” he said. “I received the Ira Rodgers Award my senior year, for the person that best exemplifies the Mountaineer spirit. And I guess, looking back on it – although I wouldn’t tell my grandchildren this – it’s probably the personality award that you might get in a beauty contest.

“Anyway, I had a very enjoyable times and a lot of fond memories. I played against a lot of great players, including Larry Csonka, from Syracuse; Floyd Little, from Syracuse, and other people like that that stick out in my mind. And I’m reminded of it every time I get out of bed in the morning.”

Q: What position did you play, Senator?

“I played defensive tackle and guard. Guard my sophomore and junior years and then defensive tackle my senior year and I weighed a whopping 195 pounds.”

Q: Are football games won or lost in the trenches?

“Oh, definitely in the trenches. And, of course, being a defensive player, I’m convinced that that’s the most important part of the game. Even with the high-scoring offenses that we have now, defense is very important – as we’ve seen this last season.”

Good luck to Senator Cookman and watch out for chop blocks in the state senate.