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Hometown hero returns for honor at BYU

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from Provo.. | 8:11 a.m. Aug. 29, 2007
Giff was my basketball hero at provo and football hero and son of my dads golf partner..sounds like a 3 sports town gone good!
Scott T | 9:02 a.m. Aug. 29, 2007
About a year ago I was standing in the security line at SLC airport and my 2 yr old son had a BYU football shirt on that day. Gifford Nielsen saw the shirt and came up to us and was very friendly, he was very approachable and give the kids five.

Class Act, good for him
from Window Rock AZ | 9:10 a.m. Aug. 29, 2007
Gifford was very cool, witnessed the game between Provo Orem rivarly, Giff pulled it out in closing seconds. then he came off the bench in Albuquerque to beat the lobos in the 4th qtr. He's a real hero in my life putting up with adversity early in life. very cool..
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Evan R | 9:16 a.m. Aug. 29, 2007
Giff lived across the street from me when he played at BYU. He was married at the time and still would take time after practice to toss the ball to all the neigbor kids that idolized him. He taught us how to throw a spiral and catch the ball with our hands. He truly is an All-American guy. Still as geniune today as he was then!! And last but not least he is a Bulldog!
Spud Man | 12:20 p.m. Aug. 29, 2007
Don't forget that Ty Detmer's jersey is also being retired. He even won the heisman award.
Kevin Q | 12:30 p.m. Aug. 29, 2007
I got thrown out at third base by Gifford Nielsen while playing church softball in Houston (Sugarland). What an arm! Serves me right for trying to turn a double into a triple against a pro! Gifford is a class act!
John S | 3:18 p.m. Aug. 29, 2007
My great memory was striking Giff out in church softball in Sugarland. He was the guy who was always a class act and even made me feel like I was still an athlete.

Might have been the same summer Kevin.
bcsrevolution | 8:36 p.m. Aug. 29, 2007
since byu and utah can rarely beat bcs teams, and since the bcs is clearly a monopoly, why be a part of the bcs. it is time for byu and utah to take place in the greatest sports revolution in history - the downfall of the bcs.
bcsrevolution.com

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Deseret Morning News archives

Provo native Gifford Nielsen captured the nation's imagination at BYU in the '70s.

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