Went To UConn’s Pro Day

// March 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Minnesota, Uncategorized

Had the pleasure of stopping by UConn this afternoon.  Believe it or not it was my first time back on campus since I left for Austria.  Anyway, I’ll keep it short, its 6:20pm and no one is reading this anyway.  I know it’s cliche to say, but I swear those guys get bigger every year.  And not only that, more talent.  No, I’m not talking about this year’s crop of NFL talent, I mean the freshman, the redshirts, the pimple faced future of UConn Football.  Apparently freshmen have been turning heads so far in Spring ball, could be a “youthful” line up come fall (see what I did there).

As far at the NFL guys go, I’ll keep it brief.  Mike Hicks is slim and trim, and poised to win. Dan Ryan jumped an impressive 32 or 34 inches, depending on who you asked.  Witten and Vaughn improved their 40’s and looked remarkably fit.  Pretty much all I got on that one.

Final Thoughts:

Maybe I’m sounding like the sentimental push over, but there is no program in the country that welcomes back it’s alum like UConn.  Even pseudo-media types like me.  Open arms, lots of hugs, hellos, handshakes, whatever.  Coach Edsall even through me a curve-ball with a brief-man embrace.

Football is probably like bizzaro world in terms of heterosexuality.  Tight pants, ass slaps, hugging, crying, all acceptable on the field or in the stadium.  That goes double for the combine and pro-day.  You remove the element of pads, and add in a display of spandex, compression shorts, and cameras.  And I love it.  Well if that makes me gay then fine.  I’m as gay as they come.  My dad probably just choked on his late noon coffee.

Saw D-But (Darius Butler) at the facility.  Good news Patriots fans (bad news Bills fans), the  kid is still as athletic and muscular as ever.

UConn And The NFL Draft

// May 1st, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

Do you know how weird it is to go to bed on one day, wake up the next and your friends call you telling you they are millionaires. Alright, well that wasn’t the ENTIRE conversation–but it did come up once or twice. The 2009 NFL Draft marks the most significant moment in the UConn football program since the change from IAA to Division I Big East play.
Since Alfred Fincher and Dan Orlovsky in 2004 we (UConn) have been searching for an identity. Are we the little program that could or do we belong in the debate with USC, Michigan (pre Dick-Rod), Notre Dame, or Oklahoma. The slow trickle of NFL talent out of Storrs and into the league in the last 5 years has made the answer (to those outside of Connecticut) a resounding “No.”
In a blog during this past season (Your Questions, Answered!), I wrote “Fight Club” style about what it meant to play for UConn:
UConn Football does not care what others think of UConn Football. UConn Football will keep doing UConn Football until due credit is received. Even then UConn Football is not satisfied. UConn Football does not sleep, UConn Football waits until next Saturday, when UConn football can again prove the haters wrong. Only UConn Football knows how important and talented UConn Football is. Only those inside UConn Football Know how hard UConn Football works. Only UConn Football’s opinions matter to UConn Football. (I am Jack’s Smirking revenge)
What it meant to “silence” the haters and stay focused on our task in the face of little to no media respect (thanks Lou and Mark!) as well as the slew of other insults we endured.

Downtown Donny Brown:
The new face of UConn football in the NFL. I tried to get a hold of Don for this blog (I mean, what coud be more important than this?)–but hes a busy guy. I did get a chance to talk to his Dad a while back and he said that the neighborhood kids were coming to their house asking for old shoes and shirts and having a few, “is Donny home, can Donny come out and play?” moments. Let me tell you one thing. After for years with Don, what you see is what you get. Believe the hype, he is as humble as he is talented. The Colts have picked an outstanding young man.

Cody Brown:
Despite my predictions to Cody that he was going to end up at Buffalo and no one was going to want to go to his games but me, he ended up with the Cardinals. The Arizona Cardinals have picked one of the best athletes in the nation, who possess not only the physical gifts but the kind of personality that goes about his work quietly and efficiently. Cody didn’t really talk to anyone for his first 2 years at UConn, focused on doing his job and that was it. His high school teacher, Ms. Halliday confirms that Cody was always “a quiet storm.” CB called me when I was in Spain (I told him he’d have to pay for the $3.00 a minute charges) and he was ecstatic about his new adventure.
Darius Butler:
I think New England has a new favorite son. Darius is an “athlete’s athlete.” 43 inch vertical? Why not. Big Bill over at Foxborough better know that he has one of the fastest and most ferocious players on his squad, not to mention a man of integrity and discipline.
William Beatty:
It is a well documented fact that I hate all offensive linemen, but its hard to not like Will. The kind of kid that will hold, scratch, claw, and generally annoy you during the whistles, but gently trots back to the huddle for the next play. A disarming niceness and “matter of fact” type humor that can only make you laugh. Like the time I walked in my house (a few miles off campus) to find Will sprawled out on my couch, watching “A Bug’s Life” –which he just ordered On Demand. “Uh, Will–what are you doing here?”
“Watching A Bug’s Life…wanna sit down.” That is Will in a nutshell.

The Fans.
I cannot say enough about the fans of Connecticut Football. My time as a player at UConn (how weird is it to say that) was made enjoyable by the small things the fans did. Warming up in our end zone as we yelled, “gotta be perfect today, gotta be great.” and the group of 10 or 15 who were there to cheer on the D-Line. Or the Husky Walk where Daniel Narvesen would be there, the last hand I’d shake before going into the locker room. Maybe even the people that stopped at our dinner table at Outback (a post game tradition) and congratulated us on doing a “great job” or even a “we’ll get ‘em next week.”
This exposure and success with the players and program is a testament to you, so here is a heart felt “thank you” from me. You made my choice (and my teammate’s choice) in UConn a wise one.

UConn Pro Day

// March 26th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

The 2009 UConn Pro day was held yesterday at “The Shenk” training facility. Workouts were, in a word: OUTSTANDING.
Darius Butler again proved that he can move his hips, and has the kind of speed that can kill.
Will Beatty, performing well in the bench, makes him a discussion topic, as he might be one of the top 5 offensive linemen in this years draft. However there are three stories I want to touch on, after speaking with Cody Brown (DE/OLB), and his pro-day work out.
Cody drastically improved on his 40 time from the combine, running in the 4.5-4.6 ranger, compared to his 4.82 performance at the NFL Combine.
Julius Williams (another one of my brothers on the D-Line) comes out of no where, with a verticle jump over 41inches, and benching 225lbs 36 times. That is simply outstanding. For those of you who dont know, Julius Williams has a back that could block out the sun, a true physical specimen, with an outstanding work ethic.
And then there is Dahna Deleston. What can I say about Dahna. How about “quiet storm?” in 5 years playing with the guy I probably heard him say about 10 words—total.
He weighed in at pro day at 217lbs, ran a sub 4.5 40, and absolutely blew scouts away.
It really is a testament to work ethic, and to the character of these young men, all of which flew under the radar of major college recruiting.