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Fans, Titans players alike enjoy time at Titans Caravan stop at Madison St. Kroger Monday (with photo gallery, Clarksville Online video)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 St., 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. 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 30 through May 11. 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. “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.” 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 a.m. 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 St. Kroger, where McCourty joined the group. “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.” 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.” Clarksville Online video![]() Titans Caravan Gallery14th Titans Caravan Remaining Schedule
About James D. Horne
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. Web Site: http://www.clarksvillesportsnetwork.com
SectionsFeatured Story, NFL, Sports, Tennessee TitansTopicsHead Coach Mike Munchak, Jason McCourty, Kroger, Madison St. Kroger, Matt Hasselbeck, Michael Roos, Mike Keith, Mike Munchak, NFL, Tennessee Titans, Titans Caravan, Ttians |