By RANDY GONZALES
Special to the Hays Post
When his business partner suggested to Billy Sims that they start a barbecue restaurant, the former star running back for the Oklahoma Sooners and Detroit Lions was dubious, to say the least.
“Like most men, we think we can barbecue,” Sims said.
Sims and his partner started out slowly with just a few restaurants in Oklahoma, then started to franchise out locations. On Saturday, Sims signed autographs and met fans for two hours at his Billy Sims BBQ restaurant in Hays.
Brian Garcia was one of those fans who asked Sims, “Why barbecue?”
“When I asked Billy how he got into the business, he said he was still trying to figure that out,” Garcia said.
Opposing defenses never could figure out Sims. As a youngster growing up in St. Louis, he wanted to be a big-league baseball player. After moving to football-crazy Texas, Sims turned his attention to that sport.
“Everybody was playing football,” Sims said. “I decided to get involved in the football side of it. The rest is history.”
Rushing to success
Baseball’s loss was football’s gain.
Sims won the Heisman Trophy his junior year with the Sooners in 1978, rushing for 1,762 yards and 20 touchdowns. Sims did not find out he won the Heisman Trophy with a big ceremony in New York like they do these days.
Sims was in class, and his roommate came rushing in to give him the news.
“That’s how I found out, from my roommate,” Sims said. “My professor didn’t care about the Heisman Trophy. I finished class and was an hour late for my interview.”
After finishing his career at Oklahoma with 3,813 yards rushing and 48 touchdowns, Sims was the overall No. 1 pick in the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions.
“Not bragging,” Sims said. “But ‘first round, first pick’ sounds pretty good until they tell you where you’re going – Detroit!?”
Sims could only laugh at the recollection. But his runs over, through and around defenders was no laughing matter.
After going 2-14 the previous season, the Lions finished 9-7 in 1980, when Sims was named Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,303 yards and 13 touchdowns.
“We started off 4-0,” Sims said. “The whole state of Michigan thought we were going to win the Super Bowl.”
But fate intervened in the form of artificial turf fields, which were popular back then in stadiums. After Sims and the Lions made the playoffs in 1983, the next season would prove to be his last in the NFL.
Knee injury ends career
In the eighth game that year, at the Minnesota Vikings in the Metrodome on their artificial turf, Sims was running on a sweep and planted his right leg to cut upfield. He crumpled to the ground with a serious knee injury. After a seven-hour operation, he vowed to play again. But he was never the same and was forced to retire.
“At that time, there were three or four stadiums with terrible turf,” Sims said. “It wasn’t a hit. It was the turf that got me.”
“I was trying to come back too fast, playing on that bad knee,” he added. “I knew it was time to hang it up.”
Sims, 69, finished his NFL career with three Pro Bowl selections and as a two-time All-American was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
Football’s loss was barbecue-loving fans’ gain.
Sims was in attendance for the grand opening of the Hays franchise for Billy Sims BBQ on July 27, 2017. Saturday was his first time back in Hays since the opening of his 63rd franchise. He said he listens closely to fans’ feedback.
“The fans will tell you the truth about the food,” Sims said.
Meeting his fans
Amy Bohrer, general manager for the Hays franchise, said there were more dine-in customers than usual on Saturday, and fans were lined up outside, waiting for the doors to open.
Fans – many clad in OU garb – patiently waited in line for autographs and selfies with the Sooners legend.
“It’s wonderful to put a personality behind the face we all know,” Bohrer said.
Rod Windholz and his 7-year-old son, Landon, met Sims and got an autograph before heading off to a youth soccer game.
When Windholz learned Sims was coming to town, he looked high and low for an old Sports Illustrated magazine he had with Sims on the cover, but couldn’t find it.
So, he found one on eBay for Sims to sign, but it had not arrived in the mail before Saturday. He told Sims about it, and the former Sooner star arranged to have the magazine mailed to him to sign, then mail it back.
“I’m going to get it signed after all,” Windholz said.
Garcia joined his brother, Colten Acton, and Acton’s wife, Jessica, to meet Sims on Saturday. Colten – a Boomer Sooner like no other – wore an OU jersey and a Sooners cap to the signing.
“I’m a big OU fan,” Colten said.
“I think he’s a bigger fan than me, for sure,” said Jessica, who admitted with a laugh that she roots for Kansas State.
Colten had a spot picked out for his autographed football.
“Probably up on our mantle,” he said.
Sims said his Heisman Trophy is back in St. Louis, at his mother’s house.
When it was time to hit the road Saturday, Sims got a carry-out order. He said he was partial to one particular item on the menu – The Heisman, a sandwich piled high with bologna, hot links and a choice of pulled pork or chopped brisket.
“The Heisman is my favorite item,” Sims said with a grin.