Maybe it was because I was lucky to score a single point over the course of a few games, maybe it was because my friends named my style of “shooting” as a “Rob Shot” (who doesn’t take a hook shot from the NBA 3 point line when they are 12?), or maybe it was because I was half the size of the other players on the court – but one thing was obvious to me from 6th grade at Gesu. I was certain that I was meant to be a fan, not an athlete.
In grade school it was clear who the good/amazing athletes were – they dominated everything. Once I got to Ignatius, it appeared that things kind of evened out, and only a select few stood out as great players. One of those players was Tony Gonzalez… he played cornerback and wide receiver for the Wildcats, and performed both jobs well. I was certain he would be a great player. (He eventually went on to play for the Colts – I wish I liked his coach, but that is a different story.)
Once I left for UC (Cincinnati) I started to follow college football more. There are so many schools and so many athletes, but ultimately only a select few are honored with a nomination for the Heisman Trophy. Think about that – there are thousands of players and only a handful are considered to be the best… these guys have to be really amazing to stand out.
6’4, 360 Lbs, and a Mr. T Mohawk: Shaun Rogers stands out just about anywhere. Every time we see him Emily tells me how scary he looks – I will admit he is on the second half of my “People who I want to upset” list. Last Sunday, he stood out amongst other professionals – it was quickly apparent he was playing at a different level. We had Good DA, Edwards with some tape on his hands, and Jamal running with a fresh oil change, but none of them compared to what Rogers willed his body to do on Sunday.
I typically don’t like to point out one guy as the game changer because I realize that the entire team causes a victory. He had 9 solo tackles, a sack, a few hurries, and a FG block. That being said, there are only a few certainities in life: 1) There is a God . 2) I am not him. 3) Shaun Rogers is why we won against the Jaguars.
