4/21/05

Final Week

It is amazing that all the work that you do for your entire life, toward one particular goal ,and the status and legitimacy of that goal can be determined by not only one day, and not even one hour, but by one minute. Looking back at all my years of sports and competition, I was always working to be a professional. I might not have known it at the time, but the ultimate goal has been to make it at the highest level. Even when I first set foot on a little league baseball field, or when I ran my first road race at the age of 5, little did I know that every goal I set for myself would slowly mature into an ultimate goal of playing in the NFL. After all the years, months, and hours of blood, sweat and dedication, I never thought that my future as a successful athlete would lie so much in the hands of another. What I mean by this is simply after all the work has been done, how high I go in the draft depends on the opinion of a few individuals very high in the upper ranks of NFL personnel. However, with that said, I know that not only since the start of my senior campaign, but since the start of my life in sports, I can always say one thing, I have not had any regrets.

I was taught at a young age, not only by my father, but internally, the importance of competition, winning, and doing the absolute best that you can. When you walk off that field, court, track, or race course, you know that you played the best that you could in that particular day. Whether it was a successful day or not, you leave in complete exhaustion, and you can be proud because you have left everything out there, and done everything that you possibly could have done to give your best. That is how I feel with my preparation for the NFL. I look back at the hours that I put into my training with Joe, or in the weight room at school. I am pleased with that. More importantly though, the times that I really appreciate are the times when I would sneak back into the weight room or back onto the field after everyone was gone, and get that extra hour of work in. I look back at the times when I would hang around and act like I was changing shoes or resting and just wait for everyone to leave, so I could do the workout again. It was great, and it will be great, because even when I am in the NFL I will hit it even harder. I have always talked about my hard work, but I always wanted it to show through performance, and that is why I hardly would show others the extra that I would do. True passion and desire for something that you love so much cannot be taught and cannot be shown. You are either born with the desire to be the best and act upon it, or you are not. For those or you that are born with it, you know what I mean, and for those of you that weren’t, you don’t have a clue. I ask myself every time I work out or play, “what else can I do”. Every time I ask myself that, the answer might have a few versions, but one thing is always common. It always involves “more“. I don’t care what type of training you do, there is always room to improve your game, and there is always room to do something extra when nobody is looking. It is fun to me. It is great to enjoy training, and striving to be the best as much as some enjoy playing play station, or watching TV. It feels great to be able to do something as much as you want and to really love it. I think its funny when people say, stop, or relax. Do you say that to a guy playing a video game? Rarely. So nobody is going to make me stop working because I love it too much.

In addition to a lot of thinking, and truly cherishing all the work that I have done, I had a fairly eventful week. I had to get one extra lift in before I left, so I stayed and worked out Thursday morning, and then hit the road. Since I had my car in New Jersey with me, I drove it back to Murray. It was exactly 1000 miles door to door, but I was fortunate enough to be able to stay at my sisters house in Columbus, OH. She recently moved there, as she is finishing up her residency as a podiatrist (foot surgeon). Then Friday morning, I hit the road and arrived in Murray by mid afternoon. This was convenient because it was just enough time to get out of my car and head to the field for my Friday conditioning. Not a second of training was missed in my trip, so it made me very happy. Justin Morris, my great friend, has been nice enough to help me train in Murray. He has been in charge of the stop watch, and has also helped me in the weight room. Thanks man. Additionally, on Saturday morning, I headed down to Cullman, Alabama (high school stomping grounds) to spend the day with my best friend, Wesley Britt, and some of my other best friends. My buddy, Justin Kent was recently engaged, and he had an engagement party. It was probably the best opportunity that I was going to have to see all of my old friends from high school, and their parents. It was great to see everyone again because other than Wesley, it has been at least two years. It was great to go back and see how many people are pulling for Wes and I even though we haven’t always been in contact. That is what true friends and great relationships are all about. It is a great life when you have so many friends that truly care about you.

Now, I am sitting on my girlfriends front porch and still thinking back about everything. The years have been fantastic, and it is exciting that I have always had the drive to be the best, and because of that, I have been giving the opportunity to continue my quest to outwork everyone and be successful in the NFL. In fact, over the next year of so, I plan on putting together a book about it. Regardless of who reads it, I have set that as a goal, and I will do it . There is a lot more in the heart of a true warrior than anybody realizes, and I can’t wait to express that to everyone in more detail. Like I said earlier, so much of my life, whether I realized it or not, has been dedicated to becoming a professional athlete. Now, I have done everything I possibly can, and it feels good. I guess I will see how much it has truly paid off this weekend, at mini-camp, and as next season kicks off. Regardless of what happens this weekend, I can sleep good at night knowing that I have been more relentless toward my preparation than anybody, and I know that regardless, when I get to camp, I will continue that same mentality and carry it with me everywhere I go. As long as that mind set stays with me, success will lie in the future.

It has truly been a fantastic process, and as one step comes to a close, another door opens. As the rather lengthy draft process ends shortly, a new exciting adventure is soon to come. Just like college, this process, or even life, you can have someone explain or tell you what to expect, but you never truly know what it is all about until you experience it. I can say that I have fully experienced the process, and I can’t wait to experience life as a professional football player. It is not something that I always expect to be glamorous and fun, but I do anticipate another exciting challenge that I am ready to hit head on. Challenge and hard work are things I find to be fun and entertaining, and I know that I can expect challenge and hard work when I get there.

I know I have said time and time again, but thank you to all my readers. I truly mean it. I hope I have helped add a little more drive to your lives, because I know every time I sit down and write this, I add a little more to mine. It has been great to be able to express how I feel every week since the start of my senior campaign. Regardless of what happens, I assure you that I will never ever give up. A goal has been set, and there is nothing that can get in my way.

4/11/05

Two Weeks and Counting

It has been another fairly uneventful but productive week. I started on an independent study for my e-commerce class, and covered a lot of ground with that. Additionally, after about three weeks into intense football specific drills and lifts, also called the post-combine training month, I have really seen some great benefits. Also, this week, I have seen the first glimpse of sun since I have been up here. Interestingly enough, there actually is sun in Manhattan. In fact, I am sitting outside, writing this journal and doing school work for the first time all year. On a more serious note, early this week, Joe DeFranco, the best personal trainer in the country, went into surgery for his lower back. He will be out of commission for a couple of days, but it was a successful fairly routine surgery. However, he has had his worthy assistants, Ben and Dave, to help us along the way. They have been just as helpful as Joe, and I really appreciate their work as well.

As I said a few minutes ago, this has been an uneventful week, but the most important thing is that it was productive. Every single day I am becoming stronger, faster, and most importantly a better football player. Everything that I can do to make myself better, I am doing. In fact today, on our off day, I snuck over to the outdoor turf and ran route after route. By myself, I practiced releases, takeoff’s, the top end of my routes, and coming out of my breaks and pass-sets. I ran to exhaustion and I loved it. Just as I have stated from day one, I work harder than everyone every day. I know this because from day one I have outworked everyone, and every single day, I dig even deeper for that extra burst, or that extra edge that will get me even better and set me apart from the pack. I know that I have to continue to dig for that extra inch because every time that I get even better, I realize that I have so much more inside me. While most grow weaker throughout a workout, I grow stronger. The desire to become better is the first hurdle to success. In fact, this week in running, while doing drills, the last two of every single drill was faster and stronger than the ones at the beginning. Everybody has a little more in them than they think, and it is the great ones that keep finding it time after time. With my roommates, who lived with me for the last two months, gone, I have to find new ways to dig even farther into my desire to be the best. When I workout one on one with Joe, it makes me even more mentally tough, because I know that my competition is myself, and every time I do something, I have to compete against myself to get better. Every day I must come with the intensity that it is a competition, and if I don’t, I am only cheating myself and making it easier on the other guy.

You know, throughout this process, I have made hundreds of observations. The first is, those of us that work hard, and I mean hard, are actually a rare breed. I went into this process thinking that it would be more of a challenge to outwork everyone because everyone has worked hard to get where they are at. That is true in a sense, but most of the guys who are in the same situation as me, don’t do what it takes to get better, and just like they did in high school and college, they are doing the same now. Most are not doing what it takes to get better at this point. By get better I mean doing what it takes to be the best. Sure, maybe guys will show up and workout and get a little stronger, but are they truly doing what it takes to be the best. I haven‘t seen another one yet. If you get a little stronger, are you getting better? Maybe, but you will never ever be the best if that is the approach that you take with your life. Additionally, the term “workout warrior” has been way overused in this draft season. For those of you who don’t know, that is a title that some give to pro-prospects who test out in their combine drills better than they perform. Let me tell you who those “workout warriors” are. They are the guys who, after their pro-day or the combine, do nothing to better themselves as a football player. They are the guys who worked so hard on the drills and the tests, that they don’t know how to get better as a player. I can assure you of one thing, I tested well, and I will play well. The tests that we do are designed for a reason. They are designed to test your skills as an athlete. However, the day after my last pro-day workout, I was on an airplane back up to New Jersey because I knew that I wanted to improve my game just like I improved my tests. At this point, I am getting better solely from the desire and dedication that I have put into this whole process.

Throughout this process, I have been tagged by a lot as an “intriguing process”. I love that title. I believe I have been tagged this because of my strong desire, relentless work ethic, and motivation to never ever give up. However, I have never known otherwise. I thought that everyone at this level was that way. Well they are not, and that is the extra edge that I am looking for. I will never ever stop. That is one thing that all of you have heard from day one, and that is one thing that has never, and will never change.

Thanks again to all of my readers. Just this week I was sent a message by a friend saying that I inspired her throughout my journals. That really meant a lot. I hope that every time you read these articles, you can feel the pride and energy that I apply to my life. I love to work hard and to see success. But one is no good without the other.

Thanks

3/30/05

Getting Ready (Full Blast)

This week has been very eventful, as well as productive. It was our schools spring break, so while my friends were having fun in the sun of Daytona Beach, I was having fun in the weight room of Joe DeFranco. As I stated last week, I flew back up here to NY/NJ to train for the weeks preceding the draft. Just as I did before my pro-day, I will be more ready than anybody when camp starts. If there has ever been anything in my hands it has been the hard work that I can do to better myself as a person and an athlete. Other than the fact that I love outworking everybody, I love to see the results, and that is why I am up here. Additionally, other notable things for the week are a couple of my training buddies had some great performances at their pro-days. Brian Markowski (offensive guard and center) ran a sub 4.8 40 yard dash at 293 lbs. Also, wide receiver, Grant Adams had some stellar numbers, posting a 40.5 inch vertical leap and also jumping over 11 feet in the broad jump. Those are some great signs of explosiveness. Also, FB Rich Demers formerly of UMass ran 6.9 three cone drill and a 4.0 20 yard shuttle all at 250 lbs. Congrats guys.

As you can see, it has been a great week with a lot of productivity. However, there is still plenty of work to be done. While every scout, GM, head coach, and position coach are going to be breaking down every single pro-prospect in the country in hopes of finding the best ones for their team, I will be training my mind and body to the max in my intense effort to better myself every day, and ultimately become more and more of a dominating tight end. Every team speaks of how certain players have certain skills that will help them fit into their offense, defense, or respective special team’s philosophy. Well it is my goal to work not only work so hard that I make myself the best I possibly can, but it is also my goal to become such a well rounded player that I will fit into anyone’s offensive or special teams scheme. Most people say “yeah, that is great, he has goals.” Well let me tell you something, my goals are different than anybody else’s goals. When I set a goal, I go after it so hard that nothing will ever get in my way. I achieve all of my goals because I work with such relentless effort that I don’t realize how fast and hard I am moving until I look up and my goal has been achieved. I have been blessed with great drive and motivation. I understand that each person was put on this earth with a purpose as well as a gift. I am very thankful that I was created with such drive and dedication, and that I have been fortunate enough to apply that not only to the football field, but my life. I have said it time and time again. I will challenge anyone to outwork me, because it won’t happen. I love to work to complete exhaustion, (even though Joe usually doesn’t let me). I love to do this, because when I walk off the field, out of the weight-room, or off the track, I know that I left it all out there, and nobody has done what I have, and I mean nobody. Sacrifice is another great gift. Some people truly understand the meaning of it, and some people do it half way and don’t have a clue what it means. The people that don’t truly understand at are those who will read this journal entry and laugh, and say there is no way he really works that hard. Well I’ll tell you this, there is a way I work that hard, and I do work that hard. There are those who truly appreciate the meaning of leaving it all out there, and those are the ones that truly appreciate it and the ones that have respect for others who give it their all.

I love how people talk about how they have overcome so much, how they have been through so much, and how they are happy to be where they are. When people have truly have been through some hard times and have found a way to work through these times and better themselves, it is great. It is great because going through hard times and succeeding is what truly makes people better. However, as much as I love to here about people’s success stories and overcoming tragedy, (which truly is a great thing) I equally dislike athletes that draw attention to themselves by talking about how they have overcome devastating injuries. Most of us have been hurt at one time or another, but those of us that truly learned the meaning of hard work and discipline through our rehab are the only ones that have truly become better. The ones that try to tell others that they are tough because they beat an injury truly are not getting better. We are athletes, that is what we do. We beat the odds. We are driven beyond belief because those of us that are truly successful understand the true meaning of dedication and full blown hard work. I love challenges. In fact, it is challenges, and non-believers that keep a certain special breed of athletes digging and driving forward every day. I am getting excited right now just thinking about the next challenge that lies ahead because I can’t wait to hit it with everything I have. I can’t wait to hit it so hard that when I look up, I have met the challenge head on and won. That is what drives me. Don’t ever, ever stop. Everyone has a little more in them then they truly realize. When you dig down and find that potential that is when you find out how successful you really can be.

I hope that everyone enjoyed reading my journal as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you to everyone who is supporting me. I couldn’t be happier with the way things are going. I can assure you of one thing; I haven’t, and never will stop working…..EVER. It is the way I was made, and I am thankful for it everyday. Thanks again.

-Jimmy
 

3/21/05

Workouts winding down

It has been a great couple of weeks. I have finished my pro-days and also successfully finished up all of my mid-term exams. Thankfully, I managed to make high A’s on both of my two big tests, and am moving closer and closer to finishing my masters. However, on an even better note, I have successfully finished my on-campus workouts and am very happy with the results. I have seen the interest of many teams and scouts shift my way, and I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to showcase my talents to them. Additionally, even though most would expect the majority of the work to be done, it’s not. I have continued to work very hard during my short time in Murray, and had the great help of my good friend Justin Morris to help me during my short visit there. He was more than willing to help me work every day, and it was much appreciated. Additionally, as I said, the work is certainly not done. I am writing this entry as I sit in the terminal in Nashville getting ready to board a flight to Newark so I can get right back to training. As most of my friends are heading to the beach for spring break, I am heading back to work. Just like the last couple of months I view this next month as the most important time in my life. As long as I continue to give it every ounce of effort that I can, than I will see the benefits in the end.

The last couple of weeks has produced some great results and has played a huge part in the rising of my stock, but I am very anxious to go back to New Jersey and train with Joe. As I said, I am happy with my workout results, but I am never satisfied. I always want to improve and I am still going to continue to outwork every single player in the country because I always want to get better. I am going hit this next month even harder than I ever have. When draft day comes, I want to be the best that I can possibly be. I know that everybody wants to be in the same situation, but are they all willing to do the work that it takes to get there? I doubt it. When the time comes, once again it will be evident who had done the work, and who hasn’t. This is not something that can start now. If the hunger to put forth this kind of effort is not truly inside you, then it will never be. It is something that you are born with, not something that is trained. Well, I assure you that just like always, I will do the work, and once again I will be more ready for this than anybody. Just as I was excited to prove how much my work has paid off in my workouts, I am even more anxious to apply all of my intensity and hard work to the football field. The time is coming closer and closer, and I will be ready.

I have always taken my situation and the importance of hitting every day as hard and intense as I can very seriously. Everybody always talks about all of the sacrifices and hard work that it takes to be successful. I think it is humorous that there are football players out there complaining about the hard work that they always have to put into their careers. Why would anybody ever complain about the hard work that it takes to be successful? If it is something that you truly have a passion for, then you would enjoy it. I truly have a great time physically improving myself. Just as my friends are enjoying themselves at the beach, working out and becoming stronger and faster is what I enjoy doing. Self-driven athletes have something special in them that rises us above the rest, and that is the true passion for hard work and the benefits that are received from it. In addition to enjoying hard work, I equally enjoy the fact that I can and have outworked everyone and that it has shown. Success is only truly appreciated if achieved through hard work.

Even though I put up some good numbers on my pro-day, I know that I can do even better. However, these numbers are only one indication of what I can achieve. Additionally, I am up here training to better myself as a football player because I plan to treat every day of training and every day of camp as I have my whole life, and that’s with full intensity. I plan on doing this because all of this hard work boils down to what I do and how I perform in camp. I will be ready and will do every thing to become successful in the NFL. When I get to camp, it is going to boil down to what I do, what I have done in the past, and how hard my competition has worked. I assure you of one thing, they will not have worked as hard as me, I don’t care who it is.

Thanks to everyone for the support. It is truly appreciated. I guarantee that I will always hold up to my end of the bargain by never stopping my hard work and true dedication.

-Jimmy
 

3/8/05

Pro-Day Results

After all the talk, all the hype, all the work, and all the talked about results, they came in on Friday, March 4th. That is a day that I have printed out and hung up on my wall for the last two months. I purposely hyped up that day, and talked big for the last two months. I knew with all the big talk some people would really be for me and some would be against me. Everything I did over the last three months had a purpose, and that was to show that I am an elite tight end when my chance came. My chance came on March 4th, and it will come again on March 11th and 18th.

I woke up at 6:45 am on March 4th and was ready to perform right away. I went to the stadium at 9:00 am and met early with the scouts. We were scheduled to run at 11:00 am but I was very anxious. As the interviews went on I felt very comfortable with every single scout. I felt that the excellent people skills that I have acquired while at Murray State prepared me for the questions that were ahead. I was myself through all of the questioning, which resulted in very sincere questions and answers. I really love talking with people and expressing my sincere love for the game of football, and my real respect for hard work and tenacity in working to where I am today.

After all of the testing and the anxiety leading up to this day, I was more prepared than anyone in the country for my pro-day. We started out with vertical, stretch tests, and broad jump. While turning in a decent number at the vertical (33) I also turned in a personal a good number at the broad jump with a jump of 9’10”. I will jump again and reach a better mark in the vertical, and also reach over 10 in the broad jump. Even though these numbers are decent, I was really ready to put on a show outside. I plan on performing these tests again because I will do even better.

We were allowed about 10 minutes to get lose, and then we started the 40. The scouts were very strict with our starts, as they called a couple of guys back to the starting line after rocking into their start. I approached the line and took a deep breath. I have been told that the 4 seconds I am running the 40 can prove to be the most important couple of seconds in my life. Even though I am a firm believer that being good at football is where you become successful, I am also a firm believer that performing well in your testing proves pure athleticism and potential. I went down in my stance and was very comfortable because the dues had been paid and all I had to do was relax and run. I started, and after I had crossed the line for the second time, I had turned in two impressive times that were from 4.57 to 4.63. As far as I know, my slowest time is still the fastest time recorded by a tight end in this draft. This is what I have been talking so much about, and I backed it up. Then the questions started. What shoes were you wearing? What was the condition? What surface did you run on? Let me tell all of you who are wondering and second guessing this. I have done the work and I ran the best times in the country. I was wearing the same shoes that my friends were wearing at the combine, and the NFL scouts approved and agreed that they would not offer me any more benefit. I wore these shoes for every single test and also ran routes in these shoes, so they are obviously normal running shoes. Also, our surface at Murray is the same exact turf that they have at the Indianapolis combine. If I would have been in Indi, I still would have run the same times, and I still would have been the fastest tight end at this point. If you want to second guess me and my results, I’ll tell you this. I could have run even faster. In fact I didn’t even have my best start and finish, so I will tell you that the sky is the limit. I would be more than happy to run these same exact times at another location, but Murray is all I have to offer. Don’t second guess me because I will win every time. My relentless effort is what got me where I am today. That is it. I love to work, and I love to see the benefits, because I know that they are well deserved.

Additionally, the other results were also very good, and after the end of them, I also found myself toward the top of all tight end performances. I turned in times of 4.2 in the 20 yard shuttle, 7.1 in the 3 cone, and 11.99 in the 60 yard shuttle. However, keep in mind that these numbers are average for me, and I can and will do even better. Throughout my college career, and my relentless workouts and effort, I have developed into a fast, strong, and dominating tight end, and my test results are only a precursor to that.

Also, after the testing was done, the other most important part of the day came. I performed very well in my positional workout catching every ball thrown my way, and running crisp, fast routes. I was very very comfortable showing the scouts my talents as a receiver. I have always believed that I possessed some of the best hands in the country, but blocking for three back that went for over 820 yards this year was what I was mostly called on to do, so I did my best at it. However, when the ball was thrown my way, I made some spectacular catches. I love the game of football, and I believe that I have developed into the one of the most complete TE packages in the country. If I was asked by a team what my strengths are, I would tell them that not only and am I a hardworking player who refuses to lose, but I am a tight end that can bring everything to the table. I am fast, big, and strong, I love to catch the ball, and I love to stick my hand in the dirt and open up holes for our runners. Additionally, I take pride in special teams, and will do what it takes to contribute to the team. Also, I have and will always work up to the point that I am a dominating player, no matter what level I am playing at, because, I take pride in outworking everyone, and love to be successful through relentless effort.

My day came, and I have a few more to perform at, and show the scouts that I am a player who should be drafted and will be able to come in and contribute early. I will continue to talk about my relentless effort, and my great results because neither one of them are going to slow down.

Thanks for the support. I will keep everyone updated, and I promise I will never ever stop working because this process is still very young. Also, once again, I want to thank my agent, Max Pastor, and my excellent strength and conditioning coach, Joe DeFranco.

Thank you.

-Jimmy
 

3/3/05

Game Week (Pride and Respect)

This week, just like every other week in training is about pride and respect. I will show you why throughout this entry.

It has been a long road, and I have never been more ready for any type of competition in my life. I started Joe DeFranco’s training back in early December, and I am extremely anxious to show what a benefit his training systems are. I have said time and time again that I truly feel that he is the best pre-draft trainer in the country, and I am going to show everybody why on March 4th. In addition to March 4th we also have Murray workouts set for March 11th and March 18th. I plan on having my big performance day on March 4th, but if it takes me running for somebody every day, then I will. I will not hold anything back, and I say this because I don’t see why people would pass up such an opportunity. What are they scared? Aren’t they prepared? I have been ready to show everyone what I can do for the past month, so I wish I could find out what is taking the other guys longer. These tests are designed to show the athletic ability of every athlete, and that is exactly what I am going to do. I won’t hold anything back, because I am here to show everyone that I am the most physically gifted tight end in this years draft.

This week was a good last full week with Joe DeFranco and all of my buddies at his training facility. All of the guys that are consistently training have really made some great progress. Brian Markowski (the # 57 wrap guy) made some good strides as he reached a personal best today on his one rep bench press. Also, Grant Adams had some personal bests today, posting a one rep high bench max and also very impressive times in the three cone drill. These guys along with my roommates, Carlyle Holiday, Rich Demers (huge bencher), and Jamar Enzor, have formed a good group of guys to work with as this process has come to a close. Additionally, this week was a great week, because I was voted team workout captain for the training sessions with Joe. It was a great honor to be voted this by my peers and to be recognized as the ultimate hard worker. Additionally, Joe is building a new training facility here in New Jersey, and he is highly considering making a Jimmy St. Louis award for every year’s hardest worker. I won’t say who the award for the laziest athlete is going to be named after, even though it would be very humorous. Honestly though, it really is a great honor to be noticed as a very hard worker, even amongst great athletes like the guys mentioned above. Thanks guys.

On a more serious note, the weeks of preparation have been great. I have been up here for two solid months, and every day has had a purpose. As much as we enjoy doing what we do, I take the situation very seriously and am ready to prove to every scout, GM, and coach out there why. Even though numbers and tests don’t mean everything, if they want us to do well at these tests, then that is what they will get. I have seen other numbers that tight ends have put up, and they simply can’t match me. I am ready to prove to everyone what a force I can be. I can’t express in words how excited I am to perform in front of scouts, and to show them how far hard work can bring someone. I have always been a talented and gifted athlete, but through my time here in New Jersey Joe has really helped me recognize my potential, and I can assure you that I still haven’t reached it. The numbers that I can and will put up will be phenomenal, but I promise you that it is only a precursor as to what I will do on the field. I have always been willing to work harder than anyone in the country and have done so in my time here at Joes. I have done everything in my power to make myself better, and that includes meeting with a nutritionist and having an extremely strict diet, getting good sleep, and mentally preparing for every single day that I have the opportunity to get better. Thanks Joe.

Other than the workout captain award and winding down this week in preparation for what I view as the biggest day in my short life, it has been a pretty uneventful week. However, that is how it is supposed to be because it has given me the optimal time to mentally prepare for what lies ahead. I look forward to informing everyone on my exciting pro-day that is just a few days ahead. I have outworked everyone in the country regardless of position, and it will show very shortly. I say this very boldly because I know that I have. I will give you proof in a few short days.

I just want to say, thank you to everyone for the support, and thank you to NFL Draft Blitz for the opportunity to write this article and inform everyone about how exciting this process has been. Even though the process is only half way over, the work has been done, the dues have been paid, the time effort and money has been sacrificed and I can’t wait for it to pay off. I look forward to informing everyone about how I did in all my testing this week.   If I have ever taken pride in anything, it has been hard work and setting my eyes on something and never ever looking back.

Thanks to all

2/21/05

Training In Progress

It has been a great couple of weeks of training, school, and preparation for fast arriving pro-day. I am in the thick of school, and still managing to work hard at it despite the intense training that has been going on the last couple of weeks. Things have really started to come together, and the pieces of the puzzle have been put in place.

As I said, school is in full swing, however, I have still only had one test. I managed to make an A on my Quantitative Financial controls test, even though I have been away from school. My teacher has been gracious enough to fax me the daily notes from class so I can stay on top of everything. In addition to school, I also had an eventful week last week. My girlfriend flew in from Murray and spent a week up here and away from school. We had a great time together, and in the city. We got to see some more of Manhattan which truly is a great city. Additionally, Eugene T Lee, the president of ETL, celebrated his birthday last weekend. Most of the clients were in town so it gave us the opportunity to all be around each other.

Now to the bulk of the subject. The day had been set. I will be in Murray for my pro-day on March 4th. I am ready now to perform in front of any scout that comes my way. All of the hard work has started to pay off, and I am ready to show the scouts that I am the most physically and mentally gifted tight end in this year’s draft. As I have said time and time again, Joe DeFranco is truly the best pre-draft trainer there is. He has really helped me develop into even more of a dominating athlete. Just last week, Joe made a bet with us about our 40 times. He bet myself and the guys that I am training with. He gave us all over/under times for our 40s. We have primarily been working on starts, 10’s, and tempo 40’s; however, he decided to get a legitimate time on us last Friday. At 271 Lbs. I ran a 4.64 legitimate 40. However, in my eyes, I can and will do much better than that at my pro-day. Even though it is a good time for someone my size I want more. In addition to that, I have run a 4.19 in the Pro-Agility (20 Yard Shuttle) and a 6.9 in the three cone drill. These are all very accurate times, and I only expect them to get better, leading up to and at my pro-day. I plan to be the most impressive TE in this year’s draft, and one way I am going to do this is by having the most impressive numbers. The other way is to prove my mental toughness by continuing to work toward my MBA and excelling in my face to face interviews. I am very confident at this point that I will “steal the show” at my pro-day, and that is exactly what I plan on doing. These numbers will help boost my draft status, and then when I get to the field, I will truly show what a force I can be.

Throughout the time that I have been writing this journal, I have always expressed hard work, the importance of it, and how I will challenge anyone, anywhere to try to out work me. I have carried this relentless attitude with me to New Jersey, and it has started to show. Every day I get hassled about how I always want to do more, and how I will be mad if I don’t perform well that day, or if someone beats me. That is because I can’t stand defeat, and won’t ever accept it. Some guys find this humorous, and they are the ones I will be laughing at. There are guys very high on some teams draft boards that go out every night, and don’t come in ready to work. They may think this is a time to go out party, and have the time of their lives. Well I have news for them and every one that thinks this way. Now is not the time for that. Over the last couple of weeks, my eyes have opened and I have truly seen who is real, and who is a lot of talk. Well, the ones that want to talk about how good they are, or how good they will be, and don’t take action on it will be left far in the dust by me. The only reason that I have ever had a problem with someone is because of their lack of work ethic, and respect for hard work. Hard work is the reason I am where I am. Nobody should ever be benefited unless hard work was done to get there. I absolutely cannot wait for my pro-workouts, because throughout my preparation, I have realized one thing, I will be more prepared than anybody. I know I was graciously blessed with great talents, however, I know that there are some people that are slightly more talented. Well, I equalize that and then pass them by my relentless work ethic. I find it humorous and very annoying that people think they can come into this workout program for only two or three days a week and expect to get the same benefits that we are getting at six days a weeks. It will never happen, because I won’t let it. If someone thinks that they can only work out occasionally and outperform me, I have two words, MARCH FOUR. Then we’ll see. This is the best time of my life, because everything I have ever worked for is coming together, and I won’t let that be overshadowed by some guys who think they are great, but the only thing they have to offer is a lack of motivation, and a bad attitude. I am ready and so confident, but I will hold it in until the time is right. Everybody will see then.

OK, now with that said, we have also covered more ground toward my marketing materials. Max, my extremely hard working agent, has managed to send out my highlight DVD to every NFL team, and has also sent out full game tapes, and game footage upon request. Additionally, www.jimmystlouis.com is now posted. There are still some changes that have to be made, such as updated workout numbers, but it has already proved to be a great marketing tool. Additionally, Dave Moore, a 13 year veteran and TE of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers called me this week to give me some great advice. He has been gracious enough to talk to the scouts at Tampa Bay for me, and also offered a great insight of what to expect as my career develops. Additionally, he expressed the importance of my workouts, but I assured him, as I have assured you, that I am ready. Hopefully, we will have a good number of scouts at our pro-day, because I am ready to show them what I have to offer to their team. I honestly believe that I will be a great asset to any team that acquires me. I have lived in many different states, and have been around all different people, and I know that I can adapt positively to any environment.

In addition to more marketing, we also covered a lot of ground as a unit this past weekend. ETL held its annual pre-combine/pro-day prep course. At this, we met with a media coach, two sports psychologists, and a former ETL client Lamont Bryant. Additionally, we took Wonderlic tests, and spoke with the legendary Coach, Tom Bass. He offered us unbelievable advice on what to expect once we are in the NFL. However, everybody had great advice as to what is expected in our upcoming days. Lamont is a great, sincere guy with a lot of encouraging words about our upcoming careers. Everyone there had something different to offer. Also, ETL was proud to announce that Lamont has come on board as an associate of ETL and he will be located in Orlando. He will be doing a great job scouting future stars of ETL.

Thank you to everyone for supporting me through this process. I can’t wait to write again and inform everyone about my progress. I am in the thick of this process, and it is getting more and more excited as the days go on. I know I speak some bold words, and that is why I am so anxious to have the opportunity to show everyone what I’ve got. Thank you to everyone.
 

2/3/05

Weeks 2 and 3 with Joe DeFranco

After three exciting and productive weeks of training with pre-draft expert Joe DeFranco, results have started to poor in. Additionally, school is also in full swing as I have been studying for two classes toward my MBA. I am currently studying investment management, which is the analysis of financial investments, and quantitative financial controls, which is an in depth study of management accounting techniques and methods needed for effective management of business enterprises. Both of these classes are going to be great as both teachers have been generous enough to enhance my education by offering these classes online. I am looking forward to taking these classes and hopefully, I will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best financial advisors in New York. These classes, although mildly stressful, will help me move closer toward one of my goals, completing my MBA.

With classes and training in full swing, things are really starting to roll here. When I arrived here, I was in the best shape of my life. However, these last three weeks have been so productive that I have attained all personal bests in most of my testing. I find that very promising because it is still early in this training process. With about a month left, I am excited to see that progress that can be made on top of what has already been attained. Additionally, I am working out with some great athletes that all offer many different talents. We all push each other in one way or another. Four of us, Jamar Enzor LB, Rich Demers FB, and Carlyle Holiday WR/QB, all live in a house in Upper Saddle River, NJ. ETL Associates, as promised, has done a fantastic job taking care of us throughout this process.

In addition to working hard in training and school, I also recently met with a sports nutritionist, Dr. Billela in Red Bank, NJ. He was a great doctor, and I could not expect more from a nutritionist. He broke down all the positives and negatives of my already strict diet, and told me what changes needed to be made to attain optimal performance. He instructed me on what to eat and when to eat every one of my six meals. I was very happy with him, and as I report back in a couple of weeks, I am excited to see the progress that was made. I have always had a strict diet, as I know that a good diet is the foundation to athletic success.

In addition to hard work in the classroom and toward the playing field, we also managed to cover some ground toward marketing myself. www.jimmystlouis.com is up and almost in full swing. We also managed to get my highlight tapes copied and sent out to several scouting offices. Additionally, an acquaintance in Florida, Bill Horne has offered to personally hand highlight and game tapes to some contacts high up in several NFL scouting offices. Hopefully this will help and then lead to several workouts for NFL team in the coming months. I know that when the opportunity comes, after outworking every single person out there, I will be nothing short of impressive for my workouts. Every day, I am moving closer to establishing myself as the most physically gifted as well as dominating tight ends in the country. Joe DeFranco is gradually transforming me into an even greater athlete right before my eyes.

As this process continues, I look forward to watching all the hard work pay off, by moving up the value boards and up the charts as one of the best tight ends in this year’s draft. Thank you to everyone for the support, and I promise that as long as this process is going on, I will give everything I have to make myself a better football player and individual.

Sincerely,
Jimmy St. Louis
 

1/22/05

Week One of Joe DeFranco Training

This has been another fun productive week of training however there was one event, which I will speak of later, that was upsetting. This week, even though it was more of an introduction into the training, it was also very efficient and impressive. My girlfriend was up here for the week before leaving to finish her masters in accounting at Murray State.

Before I start into the training and entertainment, I will talk about the event that I spoke of in the first paragraph. In the middle of last week, my grandfather, James St. Louis the first passed away at the age of 92. He was the most amazing individual that I have known in my short life. He lived a full, complete, and loving life. He is an amazing story because he never had a single medical problem in his 92 years until an accident shortly before this years thanksgiving break. He lived in the same house for nearly 70 years and was also married to the same women, Bernice St. Louis for the same amount of time. He preferred to live in the upper peninsula of Wisconsin in Niagara, WI, where it is currently a high of 0 degrees. He loved his five children and all of his grandchildren more than anything in the world. He was the best grandfather that anybody could ever ask for. Although he was very wise with his age, he never boasted anything, and only told stories that everyone would be interested in. Like I stated earlier, he was an extremely healthy individual for all of his life. He even used to shovel his own driveway up until a few years ago. The great thing about him is his riches were given to him by the love of his family and his love for everyone, not by money. He passed away in peace. I am glad that his great life ended with such happiness, peace, and love. God blessed him with a great life and I am certain that he is in a better place now. I would love to live the same simple but influential life that he lived. Everyone around him cherished his friendship and loyalty. I could never ask for more from him, because he was such a great grandfather. I love you grandpa.

My grandpa was a great man, and he never wanted anymore out of anybody, except that the things we work so hard for will pay off in the end. He was that way with my dad through medical school, and he was that way with my football and school. That is why now I will talk about the training that I have been doing this week. This week, even though it was more preliminary, was very promising. We worked out very hard, just like I always have. Even though I have been told not to write specific numbers just yet, most of my tests this week have been personal bests, and I am not only confident, but I am certain that when the pro-days come around, I will blow the tests out of the water. I have made it my goal to be the most impressive TE at this years pro-days, and my hard work is already starting to show. Even though I put up some pretty impressive numbers this week I still have plenty of room to get even bigger, faster, and stronger in preparation for the next level. I will be one of the most physically ready rookies in this year’s draft. Even though we tested a good bit last week, it was still very productive in terms of working out. Joe DeFranco is everything that he has been made out to be and more. He does a great job with each of his athletes. The thing that I really like about him is that he does specific lifts and training techniques, and he explains the exact reason that we are doing this specific thing. He has a purpose for everything that he does, and it is not only to test well. It is to prepare me be the best athlete that I can be so I can be ready to be an impact player in the NFL. I am excited to be able to show you guys just how ready I will be for my upcoming career. It is going to be very exciting.

As I stated earlier, my girlfriend headed back to Murray this week, but she did not leave without first having a great time in NYC. I took advantage of this week to not only train, but also to see the city. New York City really is an amazing place. Not just from the lights and the buildings, but because of the amazing efficiency of the city. It is amazing how our nation runs. NYC is truly the center of America’s communication and finances. That is the type of thing that I study so I find it very interesting. It is great to see the things that I study first hand, because I start online classes for my MBA in two days. Anyway, we went through Times Square, Broadway, and the other tourist like things in the city. However, the most touching thing that we saw was ground zero. One of my friends, Dennis Boyer, a future agent at ETL, explained it as having a strange silence about it, and that is exactly what it was like. When you are approaching the area, the city is more at peace. It is almost like you can tell that something happened there. However, one great thing is that they have started to reconstruct the buildings. I think that is great not only because it was a center of world trade, but also as a sign that the USA, the world’s most powerful country, cannot be broken, and that we will just come back stronger.

Additionally, we did some other fun things. We went to a David Letterman show on Tuesday, which was fun. Randy Johnson was the guest. It was fun to see him in person, because my family and I were at the game when he pitched his career’s first major league no hitter for the Seattle Mariners. Also, we experienced a little bit of NYC’s night life, as I went out to eat with Dennis, Eugene (ETL’s president) , my girlfriend, and a couple of future clients of ETL. In addition to the Letterman show, my agent Max Pastor was married this week. It was a beautiful wedding at The Essex (Westin) hotel. Just like Max, his family is very nice, respectful, and kind. It was great to be able to witness such a great event. Congratulations Max and Jenny. He has assured me that he will be working on his honeymoon, but I think I would rather him have a great, unforgettable honeymoon instead. We are building a great relationship, and that is why I would rather have him enjoy his honeymoon that work the whole time. Things are bound to fall in place through hard work on both sides anyway.

As you can see it has been an exciting and productive week. Thank you all for the support through all of the ups and downs of being a future professional football player. This has been a great process that is only going to get better through all of the hard work that has and is coming. I am excited to keep everyone informed. God bless my loved and much missed grandfather.
Thank you, Jimmy

1/12/05

Week 5 of Pre-Draft Training

This has been one very eventful week, however, most of the events aside from intense training, has been non-football related. Even though I have continued to work hard and still haven’t missed a beat with my training, I have had a couple of very eventful days. After a few changed plans, which I will explain soon, I am now (January, 8 2004) writing this journal entry on an airplane heading to New York City. I am very excited and thankful to be heading up there to train with Joe DeFranco, because I know that he is the best, and since I am confident in my discipline and extreme work-ethic, I am confident that we will work very, very well together and continue to make great progress.

The Day

I wrote earlier how I was thankful to be training with Joe DeFranco, and I also spoke about how I had changed some plans and am now flying to New York instead of driving. Here is why I had some changes in plans. After arriving into Des Moines, IA on January 5th, my girlfriend, my dog, and I started on a drive down to Murray, KY where I was planning on packing up the rest of my stuff and then driving up to New York on January, 7. However, about 100 miles south of Des Moines, we had a setback. Even though the roads appeared to be clear, they were not. My front left tire caught a patch of ice and my car soon became uncontrollable. The SUV then headed straight to the snow-filled median in the middle of the road. With the control of the car out of my hands, my car went straight to the median down the embankment and flipped over. The car rolled completely over and landed back on all four tires. By the grace of God, everybody in the car was not only injury free, but also free of any bruises or scratches that could have occurred during the accident. The back hatch of my vehicle was completely ripped off. Additionally, there was damage on all parts of the vehicle, and it is most likely unfixable which is considered a total loss. A lot of the items in the car, after being thrown from the car, were recovered in the snow. The only things that were lost for good were two cellular phones, but those were lost in the accident post-wreck. After about an hour, the flat-bed tow truck arrived and towed my car to the local Mercury dealership. I then spent the next five hours talking with the insurance company and setting up a rental car. However, there was not a rental car place within 100 miles, so we arranged for a ride to Kansas City to pick up a rental car. At 7:00 PM, 8 hours later, we finally picked up a rental car and headed to St. Louis to stay with my great buddy, Justin Morris, who offered us a place to stay. Even though our original plan was to drive to Murray, we felt it would be better to stay in St. Louis for the night and get a good nights rest. After a good nights rest and one of the most emotionally draining days of my life, we then drove to Murray, booked a plane ticket and packed and shipped my things to New York. Then today, we drove to Nashville, TN, dropped off the rental car and boarded the plane that we are now on. However, after a couple thousand dollars and two draining days, my girlfriend and I thankfully managed to get safely on this plane that I am writing this journal on.

After looking back at everything that did happen, I am grateful that a lot of things didn’t happen. Even though I lost some valuables, the value of life is far more important. I am just happy that everyone made it out safely from this unfortunate incident. Additionally, my agent Max Pastor is also doing a great job helping me find transportation while I am in New York. Just as I stated before, he and his colleagues are great agents who really to great work as well as take care of their clients. I am looking forward to be able to put the last couple of days behind me, and move forward toward my future NFL career.

I just want to say, thanks again to everyone who reads these journals. I am looking forward to keeping everyone updated on all of the progress with my strength, agility, mental toughness, and football knowledge that will continue to grow over this process. Even though a couple of things have occurred over the past couple of days, they have not caused a single setback with my training, and just as I have always stated, I have and will continue to outwork everyone all over because I am now prepared to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. I am prepared to show what I can do, and it will only get better as my training progresses. The next time I post a journal entry, my training will be in full force, so I will be able to update everyone on what is going on. Thank you to all of you for your support.

-Jimmy

1/5/05

Week 3 and 4 (Christmas Vacation)

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. It is certainly my favorite time of year because the season of giving is a great thing. It has been a great last couple of weeks. After a little bit of traveling to Des Moines, IA to visit my girlfriend and her family, I have spent the last week and a half with my family in sunny St. Petersburg, FL. I can’t believe people actually live in this weather year round. I have been spoiled by 75 degree weather during Christmas vacation, which is basically unheard anywhere else during this time of year. I am also very excited because I am heading up to New York/New Jersey on January 7, and will begin my training with Joe DeFranco (probably the best combine/NFL draft training expert in America).

However, while still enjoying my time here in Florida, I have still not missed a beat with my training toward the draft. I am very happy with the progress that I have made this early in my training. Even though it would be great to be still playing, I have taken full advantage of my time and am quickly reaching tip-top shape. I am already stronger and faster than I have ever been in some areas. Remember, when it comes to hard work and discipline, the sky is the limit. The training that Joe has me doing is different than anything I have ever done, and I am already starting to see the benefits. I can’t wait to see the results that I will acquire when I am up in New Jersey training with Joe D in person. People say he is the best, and I can see why.

Additionally, my agent Max Pastor (ETL Associates) has been working hard for me by sending game film to NFL scouting offices as well as scouting websites and publications. Additionally, my website, www.jimmystlouis.com, should be up shortly. This site should not only show all the great assets that I can bring to any NFL team, but it will also show the progress that I will be making throughout my training. I am ready to prove to every NFL scout, GM, and owner that I have what it takes to be a force at the ultimate level.

(Now A Little Change of Pace)

I have been doing a lot of thinking the last couple of weeks, and I have come to a great conclusion. It is amazing how the world works. When it comes down to it, most of the way people act is determined by worrying about what other people think. Like it or not, this is true. A lot of people constantly state, “Well, I don’t care what other people think”. Well, for the most part, that statement is ultimately untrue. You see, every day we make decisions based on what other people think of us. For instance, for a job interview, or even our countries leader, George Bush. He would have never been elected president of this great country if he hadn’t worried about what other people thought. We all worry about being accepted by others and what others think. I have already received a full dose of this by going through interview processes for my past summer internship with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, and also though football scouting/recruiting. See, we as football players rely greatly on what others, such as scouts and coaches think of us. Since it is very important, and quite possibly most important that I leave a great, lasting, and positive impression on any scout or opportunity that comes my way, I am going to do whatever it takes in preparation for this exciting process to be a success. I have already began preparation and am ready to prove to anybody that I am and can be one of the most dominating tight ends in all of football. I just like most of you, am concerned about what others think of my ability as a football player, and that is why I work so hard. I want to show every single one of you that I have what it takes to be the best. Whether it is at a combine, an all-star game, a pro-day, a mini-camp, or a pre-season camp, I am going to prove to you that I will be a successful NFL tight end.

With all of that being said, I am excited to keep everyone updated on my progress, as I promise that from week to week, I will get even better. Also, as soon as I feel that I have reached my maximum potential, I will go even farther because in my mind, the sky is the limit. I have made it my goals to not only outwork everyone in the entire country, but also to improve every time I step on the football field, the film room, the weight room, or the track. Additionally, for every person that has helped me and will help me in the future, I promise to put in just as much, if not more effort toward the same cause. Thank you to all of you, and I will be in touch soon.

-Jimmy
 

12/18/04

Week 2 of Pre-Draft Training

This week was another hard yet satisfying week. I finally finished up my first semester of graduate school. I finished decent with two A’s and a B. Of course I would like to have all A’s for my first semester, but I am still happy with how I finished. Also, I had a great, educational, and successful weekend in New York City with my agent Max Pastor and all of the other ETL Associates staff. I am really satisfied with the decision I have made, and am confident that they are going to work extremely hard for me as an individual as well as a football player. They have a great staff that really cares about their players. They have already started to put the finishing touches on my highlight tape, and my player website, which includes player information as well as highlights.

Additionally, I am also very confident in Joe Defranco, the personal trainer that they use for their pre-draft preparation. He has really done some great things for players in the NFL today, and I am sure that he will help me do the same thing, as long as I work hard. However, hard work has never been a problem, and I promise it sure will not start now. From what I have seen, Joe is a great motivator who really cares about his athletes performing to their highest potential. It is my goal to be the hardest worker that he has ever trained.

This week, although mildly stressful from final exams and presentations, was also a great week of training. Joe gave me an outline of the workout for me to do for the next couple of before I head up to NY/NJ shortly after New Years. It was the first structured week of training and I am excited to once again begin to outwork everyone in the country and prepare myself to be in the best shape of my life. I have always worked hard; however, I am now ready to take it to the next level. I know this dedication will pay off. I can’t express how excited I am for this process to begin.

In addition to moving up to New York to train for the next couple of months, I will also still be pursuing my MBA. I have made arrangements with my teachers to take online courses which will bring me closer to my masters degree. After next semester, I should only have 9 hours left before I receive my degree. In addition to excelling in the NFL, completing my MBA and eventually my CFP (certified financial planner) are also some of my ultimate goals to succeed in this world.

This is an exciting time in my life and I am prepared to hit it head on and full speed. I will take full advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. Everyone preaches how discipline and focus are keys to succeeding in this world, but the thing is most people preach it and don’t do it. However, I promise that I will take advantage of every great opportunity to enhance my future NFL career that comes my way.

Have a safe and merry Christmas break!!! I will be in touch before the holidays are over. Thank you to all of my readers.

-Jimmy

12/10/04

Week One of Post-Season/Pre-draft Training

It has been two weeks since our last game and school is starting to wind down, while preparation for April is starting to kick in. I had a great visit in Wisconsin with my Grandpa and other relatives over Thanksgiving. It really gave me some time to relax, and discuss my plans for the fast arriving draft with my dad. School, even though it is winding down, has been a lot of hard work over the last couple of weeks. However, I have set myself up for a great semester. I only have one final next week (corporate finance) and a couple of semester projects. I am really satisfied with the way graduate school has gone, and I have plans to continue working toward my masters even as I am away and training next semester.

Our season was cut short because we did not make the playoffs. However, it has really given me the opportunity to make some very important plans for my future as an NFL player. Additionally, this week has been exceptionally exciting because I have made a decision not only on my agent, but also where I will be doing my pre-combine/draft training. Tomorrow, December 9th, I will be flying to New York, the location of my residence for the next couple of months, to finalize my plans. I will be meeting with my agent, Max Pastor, my training coach, Joe DeFranco, as well as some possible future financial planners. I am anxious to move closer toward and NFL career, and am willing to work harder than anyone in order to make it. The agent selection process was very interesting, educational, as well as fun. Just like high-school recruiting, the opportunity only comes around once, so making the wise decision is very important to future success.

In addition to making a very important decision, we have also worked hard not only on invitations to the Indianapolis combine, but also to post-season all-star games. The opportunity to flash my ability, as well as catch the eye of NFL scouts and coaches is irreplaceable. Should the opportunity arise, as I believe it will, I will perform at the highest level possible. However, performing above NFL standard does not come easy. That is why I want to express the dedication and hard work that is going to be applied to the next step in my life. I have and will continue to out-work every person in the entire country. I will dedicate myself to being the most physically dominating player that I can possibly be. I don’t just work hard for success as a person and football player, but I also work hard to challenge those around me, and to push others. Competition, similar to external doubters, is a key element to my hard work and dedication over the past 22 years of my life. I have enjoyed being the most dominating football player I can possibly be because I have also challenged myself to be the most dedicated and dominating player in preparation for the football field. I was told by one my best friends, Justin Morris, that he is happy for my success because I have always found a way to outwork everyone, no matter what it took. I have and will put in hours upon hours of hard-work, because I know that when the opportunity to flash my potential comes, I will be more prepared than anybody had ever imagined. However, hard work is not all it is. It has also been fun and exciting working hard and having the opportunity as establishing myself as one of the elite tight ends in the nation. I have enjoyed it and am anxious to do what it takes to move up the charts on everyone’s draft board as one of the top tight ends in all of America.

I am pleased at the opportunity to not only share to all of you my future plans, but also to share to you how I plan on achieving all of my goals. Hopefully all this hard-work will lead up to invitations to the Indianapolis combine as well as one of the great post-season all-star games that are offered. I can assure you of one thing, if the opportunity comes for me to show my potential, the hard work that I have dedicated my life to will surely show. Thank you to everyone who has been with me throughout this process. However, it is now truly the beginning. Also, thank you to all of the readers that enjoy reading these journal entries. Hopefully I can inspire one of you to aim full speed at your goals, and not give up until they are achieved. I will continue to keep everyone posted on the progress of everything in the future. Thank You.
 

11/29/04

Week 13 Final Week

Well, this is it. I went through the final week of my college career. It was a very emotional week. We had a normal week of practice, however, our Thursday practice ended with our senior speeches and senior hits. This is a tradition that coach Pannunizio has continued in all of his five years of being the head coach at Murray State. This gives the seniors the opportunity to say whatever they prefer, whether it’s good, bad, ugly, happy, or sad. It gives some guys the opportunity to get some things off their chest that has been bothering them throughout their career. In addition, it also gives many the opportunities to give thanks to coaches and players that have supported them or inspired them throughout their career. Additionally, the senior hit gives each senior the opportunity to hit someone that they either dislike, respect, or someone that they feel needs to step up in the years to come. My senior hit was on freshman TE Ben Rush. He has a bright future ahead of him, so I wanted to pass it on to him. Even though we can only hit one person, I also built a great friendship with Doug Fashaw this year. He is another tight end that has a great future ahead. I also took this unique opportunity to thank all my loyal friends throughout my career at Murray State. The friendships you build on a football team are very special, and I wanted to take the opportunity to let them know how important they have been in my life. I also took this time to thank some of the coaches that have helped keep me focused throughout my injuries. Even though my number one motivator is myself, it is always good to receive encouragement from some outside sources. Murray State is my home and the friendships I have gained from this school are priceless. I have received a business degree from this school, am working on a master’s degree, and could not be happier if I received it from anywhere else.

In addition to having an emotional week of practice, we also had an exciting finish to a fairly successful season. We finished our season with a 30-14 win over Tennessee State at the Titan’s stadium. Not only did we finish the season with a win, but we also finished with a four game winning streak. Even though we finished just 7-4, our season was highlighted with ups and downs that resulted in character building, team chemistry, and irreplaceable friendships. The thing about football is you have a bond with every person on the team whether you realize it or not. Additionally, for Thanksgiving break, I flew to the upper peninsula of Wisconsin to visit my grandfather. He is 92, and has had an amazing life. He is currently in the hospital, and just had surgery on a broken hip. It was really great to see him. He has been a great inspiration in my life.

Individually, I had an emotional game. It really hit me in the middle of the fourth quarter that this was my last collegiate football game. I gave it everything I had every single play. The old saying, “play every play like it is your last” really hit home with me. Every play I had, I finished a block or I ran my routes as hard as I could, because it really was my last, at least for college. I jogged off the field with one minute left thinking that it was the last collegiate snap that I would ever take. However, the next play, or defense recovered a fumble with: 45 seconds left that allowed us to go on the field for one last play. I finished my block until the end of the play and then well after the whistle. It was a great way to finish up my college career. After the game, many tears were shed. I have built friendships that will last a lifetime. I know, that from the tests that this team has been through this year, that we will have many, many successful people come from our program

Individually, I had a great day. It was a good way to finish up my college career. I really showed that I have always been able to do more than just catch. I feel like I developed into the most devastating blocker on the field. I played every play with such aggression that I felt I made the guy in front of me never want to see me again. I am excited to carry that same intensity into the NFL and show that I am a complete tight end that will fit well into any NFL offense. I will pursue the NFL with complete relentlessness until I have established myself as one of the best. I want to be known as a hardworking, resilient player who has worked toward, and achieved all my goals by complete focus.

College in a nutshell

The last five years has been one wild ride with uncountable ups and downs. After a couple of injuries, a transfer of schools, four years of undergrad, a year of grad school, numerous friends coming and going, hundreds of tests, millions of decisions, changing of coaches, and the completion of a successful college football career, I have grown into a man. There are always things in the past that you wish you could change. Whether it’s a football game, a test, a decision, or a friendship, we will all have regrets. However, to be honest, the good decisions that I have made, and all the great times that I have been through, FAR outweigh the few regrets that I have. We all go through things that we wish would change, but everything simply happens for a reason. Every day, we as individuals are tested, but that is what makes us stronger. I honestly feel like I can, will, and do outwork everybody in the entire nation. However, even though I have always been a dedicated individual (not only to my myself, but also to my team) I feel like I might not be the hardest worker in the country if I hadn’t been injured and then turned around without missing a beat and stayed focused toward my goals. It is all a learning process. Everyday, people preach focus and hard work as the keys to success, but it is those that really apply these tools that are successful. I will make it in the NFL, not only because I have been blessed with great talents, but because I will strive to be the best that I can be. I have dreams of being a successful individual but these dreams will not come easy. I am going to have to take my life to an entire new level. It is a dog-eat-dog world, and all of my college experiences have prepared me to be at the top of the ladder. My aspiration of being successful not only in the NFL but also in life is what will drive me to never stop, and work every day. I know that if I slow down for one second, somebody might pass me, and there is no room for that in this world.

Thank you to everyone who is, has, and will support me as this exciting process begins. I will continue to write these journals not only to inform, but hopefully to inspire someone. Thanks.
 

Reader Question:

Reader - Quick question...if you go pro, who would you hope to play for? If not, do you plan to stay in KY or move back to somewhere in the south closer to your family? I know it must be hard being away from your sister and little brothers!

11/18/04

Week 12 UT Martin

This week was another exciting and eventful week. In terms of school, the grind is coming near, so I am doing what I can to prepare for the finals that are approaching fast. In addition, I received a phone call from the president of our school, Dr. King Alexander, and he said that he wanted me to meet him for lunch. So today, I ate lunch with the president and two NCAA officials in charge of student affairs. One of the gentlemen was an ex-coach of the Oregon ducks, and told me that he introduced the run and shoot offense into college football, so we had a lot to talk about. I was asked to attend this meeting to make some requests to the NCAA as well to the president about student issues on and off campus. Some of the things that were discussed were facilities, college life, on and off campus entertainment, and the student pride of Murray State Athletics. We discussed the issues that students appreciated at Murray State, as well as the issues that students disagreed with. It was a great opportunity to speak out and possibly help make some changes for the better at MSU. I really appreciated being selected as a student athlete, to sit and meet with people that can really take action on some of our concerns.

Additionally, I received a phone call from the director of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in Paducah, Scott Dudley. For those of you who don’t know, I did an internship with this great company over the summer. He told me that I had recently been named the number 2 intern in sales nationally, out of 1000 interns. Of course I would like to work to be number one, but either way, after a successful NFL career is over, I will have a great job ahead of me. The Northwestern Mutual Financial Network is one of three AAA rated insurance companies in the nation, and one of eight in the world. It is an honor to be able to work for such a successful company, and especially having the opportunity to show success as one of the top interns nationally. I really enjoy working with people, and the hard work that I have shown on the football field has also carried over to everyday life.

In terms of football, we had another great week that was capped off with another win for our team. This week was a very focused week with one thing on our mind, winning. We went through our normal routine of early morning film sessions, and early afternoon practices. UT Martin has not traditionally been the best team; however, this year they have had a better team than they have had in the past. Our goal for the week was to stay focused on only this weekend, and not look ahead. After a great week of rest we came out ready to play. Our defense played the best game they played all year, and the game ended in the first shutout of the year, 38-0. In addition, we accomplished something that we have never before accomplished in Murray State history. We had three 100 yard rushers. We have three great running backs in Nick Turner, Ron Lane, and Chad Cook, and they all had the chance to flash their potential this weekend.

This weekend was especially important to all of the seniors on our team because it was senior day. We have 19 hardworking seniors on our team that have all helped to turn this program to the right direction. No team at Murray State has been through the type of off-season work that we have, and it has really started to become evident over the last month. Our team has really grown together. Football is a sport where camaraderie is built to such a high level that you rarely ever forget a person on your team, no matter how long it has been since you have seen each other, or even how well you knew each other. For all of you football players our there, take full advantage of the time you have with your teammates, because it goes fast. I will miss every person I have played with, and wish the success upon all the seniors on my team, as well as all the senior players on every team throughout the country. Football is a great sport that teaches so much about life through hard work, teamwork, and dedication, that it should never be taken for granted. Good luck to everyone. Continue to work hard, I promise it will show. I also want to give a special congratulations to Jelani Clement for recently winning the MEAC championship.

11/11/04

Week 11 Off Week

After two solid wins in the OVC and chemistry finally forming throughout the team, a much needed off week approached. Most people would think after a team gets rolling, why would we want an off week to slow us down. The fact is, that we have played seven consecutive games and a break is much needed if we want to finish this season strong. The off week gave everyone a chance to get their legs back under them and also get caught up on all of our school work. Coach Pannunzio held practice to an intense 10 periods which equaled about an hour per practice. These short but intense practices gave us a chance to really practice hard and get on and off of the field quickly. While we were taking steps ahead as a team, we were also gaining the much needed rest for our final regular season games of the season. I say, “regular season” games, because making the playoffs is still not out of our hopes. We are now in sole possession of second place, and just one game behind Jacksonville State. A win in each of our next two games, and one Jacksonville State loss would make us co-conference champions, and give us the possibility of making the playoffs.

Our team has really grown together over the last couple of weeks. We have had guys go down with injuries and other younger guys step-up and do a great job filling some big shoes. To me, that is the ultimate sign of team chemistry because something special happens. That is when the team becomes more important and bigger than the individual. When you have everybody working toward a common goal, a lot can be accomplished, and a lot of odds can be overcome. Throughout this season, as with a lot of seasons, we have had some fair weather fans as well as loyal fans. Now that there might be a little spark of success, people want to jump back on board and really show us their support. When it comes down to it, every team has loyal supporters year in and year out no matter what the outcome. In addition, every team also has fans that really only show their support when teams show success. As a team, we have realized that, and now we are playing for the pride of our loyal fans, ourselves, our coaches, and our community. Being on a football team is a very special privilege. For all of you who have ever played a sport where camaraderie was so important, than you know what I am talking about. It is a great feeling when you have 85 guys who all care about you and all want to accomplish the same things that you do. We have put ourselves in a situation where we have to continue to play hard throughout all ups and downs, and without any excuses.

Individually, my senior season is coming to a close, and I have mixed emotions. Of course I am sad that the game of college football will be over before I know it. However, I am excited about the adventure that football has to offer for me in all the years to come. I feel like I am in great health now, and am really ready to roll for the final games of our regular season, as well any games that we might have the privilege of playing in the post season. Once, again thank you to all my readers, and thank you to everyone that has supported me throughout this season. It is an honor to be able to share my life with you from week-to-week. 

11/3/04

Week 10 Eastern Kentucky Game

What a great week. This week was full of positives all over the board. School is in full swing and I am enjoying it. In addition, we have also put ourselves back in the conference championship running with wins over Southeast Missouri State and Eastern Kentucky. My knee is back to 100%, so I am completely back in the mix of everything just three weeks subsequent to the injury in the Samford game. Additionally, before I start, I just want to say, I hope everyone had the chance to vote. The power to speak your mind is a great gift in this country.

This past weekend, our game against Eastern Kentucky was all about respect. We really had something to prove on both sides of the ball. In the pre-week conference coaches’ show, EKU representatives referred to Murray State as “a bunch of thugs and transfers.” (You will see later in this entry who that really ended up being). After a week of focused practice we went to Eastern Kentucky on Friday and managed to stay focused up until kickoff on Saturday afternoon. Winds were very heavy so a lot of the offensive attack came from the ground. The first points of the game came on an Eastern Kentucky blocked punt. The defense played a great game and managed to hold EKU to only one more touchdown in the first half, however that came off of a couple of unexpected penalties. The defense also blocked and extra point and a field goal in the first half to hold EKU to a first half score of 13-0. Offensively, we had a poor first half performance, completing only two swing passes to Nick Turner, and zero down the field passes. However, we never quit, and despite being a poor second half team in the last few games, we managed to take the game to overtime with a score of 13-13. Defensively, we caused four EKU turnovers in the second half, and five in the game. Offensively, we had a mediocre performance in the second half, but big plays by wide receiver Danny Rumley in the second half kept us in the game. We went into overtime, and after a great defensive stop that held EKU to a 42 yard field goal, we came out on top after a big reception down field, and a Chad Cook touchdown run, for the win 19-16.

After the game, as expected, we were celebrating a big overtime win over our rivals, at their own homecoming, and a fight broke out. Most of us were already walking off the field and into the locker room when an EKU player went after one of our players. It turned into an entire team fight from both sides; however, our coaches were pulling players off of each other, while some of their coaches were throwing punches. However, the fight was broken up fairly quickly, and nobody was hurt. When leaving the field, fans were throwing bottles at us and screaming obscenities. I guess hostile environments are what make college football fun. Things like that happen after a big win, or when frustration gets the best of one team or another.

Individually, I dressed out and ran through all pre-game warm-ups, but before the game we decided it would be best if I could sit out for just one more game. However, now I am back 100% and ready to go. The hard work and intense rehab has really paid off. I am very eager to get out and play, and really prove myself even more as the season comes to a close. I am happy with the way the season has gone thus far, and am ready to roll for the last two regular season games. However, hopefully we will have the opportunity for post-season play. The drive to succeed has kept me going through the last two weeks. I have been blessed with an extraordinary amount of motivation to be the best at what I do. As I see myself getting more and more national attention and emerging as one of the best tight ends in the country, it drives me to work harder and harder every single day. Just when I think I can’t work any harder than I already have, something comes along to drive me even farther. I love having the drive to be the best, whether it is induced by a negative influencer, or somebody who is speaking highly of me. I promise to drive myself to the maximum every day to make believers out of non-believers, and to gain even more confidence out of those who already to believe.

I really appreciate all of you who read my article, and I can’t express how much it means to me to have people respond to my articles. I had somebody close to me respond to last week’s journal about drive and motivation by telling me I am an inspiration to all of them. I am just thankful that I have the opportunity to share with all of you what keeps college athletes such as myself pushing forward every day. For those of you who don’t know, it is the drive to be the best that we can possibly be. I will be a successful player in the NFL because that is what I push myself to be everyday. Never ever ever give up. The drive to succeed is great, but the motivation to be the best is even greater. Thank you!!!!

10/27/04

Southeast Missouri State Week

This week was another tough week due to the fact that I was held back from playing again. My rehab is really starting to come along great. I have been running for the last four days and running very well. I went to the see Dr. Spindler today, and he said my MCL has healed up very nicely and faster than most of the players he has taken care of. This is however, a direct result of the hard work I have been putting into the rehab. He said he will not hold me back from too much activity because he knows I am an intelligent player and will make the right decision. Playing this weekend is looking hopeful, but if not this weekend then I will be playing 100% by the Tennessee-Martin game that follows our off week. This injury (MCL sprain), even though very common and minor, usually takes 4-6 weeks to heal completely. However, not even two weeks later I was back and running at about 100%. So I will still remain optimistic for this weekend. Hard work always pays off, and I have been rehabbing with that in mind. I would hope 4-5 hours per day of rehab would help. There are always people that doubt what I can do, and I thrive on proving them wrong.

This past week our team was focused 100% on the upcoming SEMO game. We felt that their was no need to look ahead because we have to take the rest of the season one game at a time and hopefully let things fall in place. We had a lot of our previously injured players back and ready to go. Nick Turner had a good game and so did Chad “tank” Cook. They both turned in 100+ yard games behind our offensive line. This was a big win for us because SEMO hasn’t beaten us in 12 years. In addition, it kept the door cracked for a hopeful post-season playoff birth. Jacksonville State had its first loss of the season to Tennessee Tech, so that opened the door for some of the other teams, including us, to keep playing hard and hope that things can go our way. After last weekend, an Ohio Valley Conference championship is still not out of the question. We just have to stay focused and play our own game. As long as all the great players on our team stay humble, and continue to stay focused, things will work out.

Now I would like to take the time to write about doubters and negative influencers who keep athletes like myself on our toe’s and working to a higher level than imaginable ever day. Everywhere you look there is always going to be people that doubt the level of accomplishment that you can achieve, especially when you are playing a D-1 collegiate sport. I have set a goal for myself to be drafted in the 2005 NFL draft. I have worked 100% for everything that I have ever achieved, and if you have been around me (teammates and friends) then you know that I have always been the hardest worker around. Doing the extra things when nobody else is around is what makes us athletes exceed to a higher level. However, when I have doubters that are constantly negative such as sports writers or fans, all it does is make me work that much harder to prove them wrong. Athletes, as well as other successful figures, have a special gift that helps us rise above and beyond the occasion. When you tell me I can’t do it, that thing inside me instantly snaps back and says “watch me”. When I play, run, workout, study, or prepare, I constantly want to do it with more intensity than anyone else around me because that is what makes me succeed, and that is what is going to help me get to the NFL and be successful. Hard work and dedication to the maximum is what has driven me as an athlete from day one, and that is what has given me the opportunity to perform as one of the elite tight ends in the nation. We all have set backs, but it is how you overcome them that determines how successful we really will be. I will never stop until I reach my goal of playing in the NFL, and when that happens, I will set a new goal. In addition, just like now, I will have doubters, and I will work as hard as humanly possible to prove them wrong, and attain my ultimate goals. I love being an athlete. Every day I thank God that he has put me in this position for success. I want to let everybody know that I will take full advantage of this situation, and if you have doubts, than I promise that I will prove you wrong.

To finish up, this week is as big a game that we have played at Murray State in a long time. We have not won a road game this year. If we play well, stay focused, and play together like we know we can, things will fall in place. This game will determine where we stand as far as post-season play goes. I want to say thank you to all my readers, and hopefully next week will we will still be fighting for a successful season. Go Racers!!!
 

10/19/04

Week 8 Eastern Illinois

This week was a different week than any other week all fall. School was pretty tough, but I still did well. If you read my journal entry last week you probably also know that football was a little different for me this week as well.

I am rapidly recovering from my mild MCL sprain that occurred last week at the end of the Samford game. It is still frustrating that a lot of the rehabilitation is out of my hands because an MCL is treated like an ankle sprain, so you have to let it heal by itself. However, I go to treatment for an hour every morning from 6:30-7:30 and I also do treatment and rehabilitation for three and a half hours in the afternoon. However, I lift weights during that time and I also ride the bike fairly rigorously to stay in the great shape that I worked so hard to attain.

This week we played Eastern Illinois who was a very tough team on both sides of the ball. They have had a stingy defense and an explosive offense that has shown sparks throughout the entire year. They have the number one rush defense in the OVC and we are averaging about 240 yards rushing per game, so one of those leading statistics had to give. We went into the game with a decent game plan, but in order for us to capitalize; we have to out-physical the other team. One thing that we have established all over the OVC (Ohio Valley Conference) is that we are a very physical football team with tough players. However, Eastern Illinois made the first statement and never looked back. Our offense could not get anything going. This game felt a lot like last year in the sense that we never could find the answer. EIU came out on top 24-9. We made some mistakes that could have changed the game. Once again, we didn’t capitalize in the red-zone, and that obviously hurt us.

It was very frustrating that I could not be on the field this week, not only as a difference maker in the sense of making momentum changing plays, but also as a vocal leader. Regardless of who it is, if any vocal leader is temporarily out, it does make a difference in the game, and the attitude of the entire team.

This was a huge game for us because the winner of this game still had a chance at staying in the drivers’ seat for the race to the OVC championships. However, stranger things have happened, so we have to remain optimistic and continue to play hard. We have a lot of talent on our team. We have great players all over the field, and when we put it all together, we are a scary team. We have done it a couple of times this year, and we even surprise ourselves sometimes.

This week, we have Southeast Missouri State, at home. We have played well at home since I have been here, so hopefully we can keep that going for us. Individually, as always, I am going to continue to work hard toward coming back very soon. I am going to work as hard as I can, while still trying to keep my teammates heads up and headed in the right direction. Thanks for the support, and talk to you next week!!!!

10/13/04

Week 7 Samford

Another week of football and school, and another week of changing experiences. We went into the beginning of the week with confidence that has carried over from week to week from our strong offensive performances. This week we really put an emphasis on scoring in the red-zone and not turning the ball over. Those are the two things that have really put a damper on our 400 yards per game of offense. Those are also two things that we feel will keep us from winning an OVC championship.

This week we had a normal week of practice, with meetings in the mornings and additional film sessions in the afternoon followed by ordinary practice. Our coaches really put an emphasis on turnovers, so every time the ball hit the ground, we had up downs. As far as I know, our defense had an ordinary week of practice because they have been performing pretty consistently.

We went into our homecoming game with confidence that we could outplay Samford. We had a great game-plan and we were ready. We went out in the opening drive and put together a 70 yard touchdown drive that lasted about three minutes. Samford’s offense was really good. They came out and drove the ball down field, but the defense came up with a big stop. After only four drives a piece, we went into halftime with a 17-0 lead.

The second half was a different story. We have played tremendous in the first half all year. It is not a matter of conditioning because while I individually managed to our work everyone in the country this summer, our entire team conditioned harder in our preseason than any other teams around. We have a disciplined team, and if we want to keep winning, we will have to perform in the second half. However, we did come our with a 24-21 win on homecoming.

Individually I had a great first half and solid game. I came out with four big catches in the first half, and made some plays out of all of them by gaining first downs and keeping most of our scoring drives alive. I still blocked well, and managed to keep up my intensity even though we were playing against some younger competition on defense. I felt like I was a dominant player on the field again.

On another note, on the final third down of the game for our offense, I jumped up for a pass, and I was hit in the thigh by one defender and up high by another defender. My friends, the offensive line and Adam (QB) said it was an ugly hit. The helmet was planted in my thigh from the side and bent my knee a little awkwardly. I ran off the field like nothing had happened but after running around a little I felt a little soar. After the game, we watched the hit on film, and it was very scary looking. I was told by our trainer that if anyone, no matter who it was, was hit like that, they would have been injured. Luckily, I came out decently. I have a bruise in my left thigh, and a sprained MCL. I will most likely have to miss a couple of games, but I treat my rehab like I treat everything in my life and every aspect of my present and future athletic career. I will come back with more intensity than ever. Once again, I vow to outwork and outperform everybody. If there is work to be done, I promise you that I will do twice as much, and be twice as intense as anybody could ever ask me to be. I was told by a couple of scouts that this is minor injury is not a problem because it is the most common football injury, and I won’t set me back. I was told that my status for the draft will not be affected because of the minor situation. This injury is apparently treated like an ankle sprain.

One thing that really made me happy was I was told by some scouts that I am one of the hottest rising tight ends in the country right now, and all the scouts across the NFL are very aware of me. I want to stress that I was told that this will not affect my draft status. My hard work on an off the field has really started to pay off. I only have room to move forward from here. Regardless of this minor setback I have proved that I am one of the best and most dominant tight ends in the entire nation. I have proved a lot this season by making some phenomenal catches, and some devastating blocks that were impressive no matter who I was playing against. I will be back soon. These kinds of injuries happen all the time, and I am glad it was something so minor. I look forward to keeping everyone updated next week. Thanks for all the support. 

10/5/04

Week Six Jacksonville State

This week was a basic week of a college football player. School has been going fairly decent. I have made A’s on all of my tests, and our projects are going well. We also really had a good week of practice. We were focused, and we practiced hard in preparation for Jacksonville State. We had a basic week of practice, which consisted of early morning film sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, and longer practices on the same days.

We left for the game on Friday morning at about 8:00am and we took a detour through Chattanooga, TN and ate lunch at the site of the 1AA national championship. Not to look ahead, but every team has goals, and it gave us the opportunity to see where playing together as a team could bring us. We then continued on the six hour trip and we stayed in Carrolton, GA, which is about an hour away form Jacksonville. It was impossible to get a hotel any closer because of the big NASCAR weekend in Talladega, Al. It was a little different getting up and driving an hour to the game, but we just needed to keep our focus.

We went into the game focused and confident. To start the game offensively, we drove down the field and scored to tie the game at 7 a piece. All day long we moved the ball up and down the field. We actually totaled about 460 yards of offense, to put our season average up to 409 yards per game. Driving and making big plays is not the problem for us. Putting the ball in the end-zone without making mistakes is where our problems begin. We had two crucial turnovers in the red-zone that stopped two terrific drives, full of big plays and great blocking by our offensive line.

We did learn that it takes more than an offense that can move the ball to win big games. Our defense played a pretty good game and managed to not give up any huge plays. According to coach Pannunzio, in order to win you have to play good defense, play good special teams, and not turn the ball over. We always play decent if not great defense, but this weekend we turned the ball over and also played terrible special teams. We were killed on the turnover battle, as well as the field position battle. Field position is crucial, and we lost that battle by playing poor special.

Individually, I played a decent game. I blocked well and made a huge play on a wheel route down the sideline that really sparked our offense. I did make some mistakes, but those can always be corrected. I just have to keep correcting my mistakes and try not to make the same mistakes twice, and things will fall in place. I played against Lamarcus Rowell all day. He is another guy who transferred out of Auburn, and he was an extremely sought after linebacker in high school. He is a good player, so I felt like I had something to prove. This game I was on punt team because our protection has been poor in the last couple of games. I was happy that I had a chance to contribute to the team in other ways besides offense and field goal. It was really a challenge playing almost every snap on offense and staying out there to cover on punt.

As a team, if we want this season to turn out the way that we have worked so hard for, we will have to protect the ball, make some adjustments on special teams, and continue to play good defense. We were missing a couple of key guys like Nick Turner and we also missed Ronald Lane in the second half, but we have talent all over the board. Injuries are going to occur, and when they do, guys are going to have to step up and make plays. Danny Rumley stepped up this game and made some big plays for us. Hopefully we will find some new rising stars in the games to come. This week we have Samford for our homecoming game. They are a good fundamental team, but if we play well, and protect the ball, we should be able to play stride for stride with them.
 

9/28/04

Week Five- Tennessee Tech

This week was a lot different from last week. Hurricane Ivan is over. Our house is still standing, but it certainly is not in good shape. The entire lower level of our house is destroyed, but I guess things can always be worse. School is starting to come around. As long as I stay on top of everything, the stress level should stay to a minimum. I also paid another visit to the doctor, and I am feeling much better. Hopefully that will add to my performance on the field.

We really had a good week of practice. We had a fire in our eyes after the disappointment of last week, and we remained focused throughout the week. Our early morning walk through and light practices have been cut back to film sessions, and scouting reports. The early morning film times are very important because it gives us a chance to get a head start on other team’s tendencies while still leaving time for extra film sessions in the afternoons and evenings. There were also a lot of scouts that came through this week, and most of them had some good things to say. I am excited about the future that football has to offer. I just need to continue to outwork my opponents, as well as my competition throughout the country.

Tennessee Tech was a well coached team that really flows fast to the ball. They are a hardworking team that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. We had our starting quarterback, Adam Fisher, back for this game so it really helped. However, we did lose our starting snapper, Zach Spavital, with a broken hand. So we are really having some problems at snapper right now. We had to bring out a snapper that had played here in the past but suffered what we thought was a career ending injury. Clay Harrison, our now starting snapper, has really been doing a good j