- Joined
- Jun 23, 2010
- Messages
- 18,199
- Name
- Haole
I didn't want to give his name in the title because the guy who told me this story today didn't tell me his name right away either.
I'll try and set the stage a little. I'm a school director for a post secondary school so I have adult students come see me in my office every day. I had one in my office today (a 32 yr old Army Veteran) who got the biggest shit eating grin on his face when he noticed my Ram memorabilia. He looks at me and says "Oh I've got a story for you". We'll just call my student Nick for the story.
He tells me that he played HS football here at Lake Howell (Winter Park, FL area). He was a pretty big time HS player and also played Div 1 in college. So at a HS practice one summer, a new player who was trying out to be the kicker comes up and asks Nick if there was any way he could have his jersey number. This kicker TRY-OUT wanted Nick to give up his jersey number LOL. So Nick tells him "OK,,, you can have my number if you beat me in a 50 yard race". After practice they line up and have the race. Nick was really surprised at the wanna-be kicker's speed, but Nick still won the race and didn't give up his jersey number. The kicker shook hands with Nick and never brought up the jersey number again.... he did end up winning the kicker job though.
Nick goes on to tell me that many of the football players would host parties at their parent's houses. Winter Park, Florida is a very nice area and there are some very large homes there. I guess the kicker hosted one at his house one night. Some of the players, including Nick, ended up spending the night.
So the next morning Nick is sitting in the kitchen. He says that's when he saw this really big older dude walk in. Nick tells me the guy was huge, and he had this mean look on his face. Apparently this old dude didn't say anything to Nick for a few minutes... he was just getting stuff out of the kitchen drawers and cabinets with his massive back facing Nick. I keep stressing the old dude's size because Nick was stressing it big time when he told me this story.
Anyway, the old guy finally speaks to Nick. He asks him "what's your name and jersey number son?". Nick tells him his name and #. That's when the old dude finally turns around... and he has a giant smile on his face. He looks at Nick and tells him that he really appreciated him giving his son a fair chance of winning his jersey number. Nick tells the man that he would have given up the number if he would have lost the race. The old dude thanked him again.
So then the old dude asks Nick if he'd ever had venison. Nick tells him no. Old dude tells Nick he's gonna love it, and then asks him how he wants his eggs cooked. Old dude then proceeds to cook breakfast for everyone. While he's cooking, Nick takes notice of some LA Ram stuff in the other room. He then recognizes that some of the pictures of this LA Ram he was seeing in the other room were pictures of the old dude cooking breakfast. Nick couldn't believe it... he couldn't believe that this new kicker didn't bother to just mention that his father is a HOF football player. Nobody on the whole team knew from what Nick told me.
Nick then realizes why the kicker wanted his #85. So Nick goes on to tell me just how down to earth and nice Jack and his wife were to him. He said they are some of the most humble people he's ever met. He went on and on about how you don't meet people like them very often.
I had to share the story with you guys. I think it's so cool.
I'll try and set the stage a little. I'm a school director for a post secondary school so I have adult students come see me in my office every day. I had one in my office today (a 32 yr old Army Veteran) who got the biggest shit eating grin on his face when he noticed my Ram memorabilia. He looks at me and says "Oh I've got a story for you". We'll just call my student Nick for the story.
He tells me that he played HS football here at Lake Howell (Winter Park, FL area). He was a pretty big time HS player and also played Div 1 in college. So at a HS practice one summer, a new player who was trying out to be the kicker comes up and asks Nick if there was any way he could have his jersey number. This kicker TRY-OUT wanted Nick to give up his jersey number LOL. So Nick tells him "OK,,, you can have my number if you beat me in a 50 yard race". After practice they line up and have the race. Nick was really surprised at the wanna-be kicker's speed, but Nick still won the race and didn't give up his jersey number. The kicker shook hands with Nick and never brought up the jersey number again.... he did end up winning the kicker job though.
Nick goes on to tell me that many of the football players would host parties at their parent's houses. Winter Park, Florida is a very nice area and there are some very large homes there. I guess the kicker hosted one at his house one night. Some of the players, including Nick, ended up spending the night.
So the next morning Nick is sitting in the kitchen. He says that's when he saw this really big older dude walk in. Nick tells me the guy was huge, and he had this mean look on his face. Apparently this old dude didn't say anything to Nick for a few minutes... he was just getting stuff out of the kitchen drawers and cabinets with his massive back facing Nick. I keep stressing the old dude's size because Nick was stressing it big time when he told me this story.
Anyway, the old guy finally speaks to Nick. He asks him "what's your name and jersey number son?". Nick tells him his name and #. That's when the old dude finally turns around... and he has a giant smile on his face. He looks at Nick and tells him that he really appreciated him giving his son a fair chance of winning his jersey number. Nick tells the man that he would have given up the number if he would have lost the race. The old dude thanked him again.
So then the old dude asks Nick if he'd ever had venison. Nick tells him no. Old dude tells Nick he's gonna love it, and then asks him how he wants his eggs cooked. Old dude then proceeds to cook breakfast for everyone. While he's cooking, Nick takes notice of some LA Ram stuff in the other room. He then recognizes that some of the pictures of this LA Ram he was seeing in the other room were pictures of the old dude cooking breakfast. Nick couldn't believe it... he couldn't believe that this new kicker didn't bother to just mention that his father is a HOF football player. Nobody on the whole team knew from what Nick told me.
Nick then realizes why the kicker wanted his #85. So Nick goes on to tell me just how down to earth and nice Jack and his wife were to him. He said they are some of the most humble people he's ever met. He went on and on about how you don't meet people like them very often.
I had to share the story with you guys. I think it's so cool.
