Super Bowl Sunday is upon us and for the two weeks leading in, even non-fans can now identify who Tom Brady is and have seen enough of his walking boot to last a lifetime. Fourteen days between games gives the media a lot to conjure up and the average fan to start thinking about spring training. And before that first kick off occurs, Sunday, we will have read about every star player and their story of how they got here.
Overachiever... Perseverance... Michigan alum... Well spoken... Says and does the right things... Wasn't supposed to be here... Surely we are speaking of the beloved and adored reigning MVP, Tom Brady, right? Wrong. Pierre Woods. Pierre Who? Sure everyone knows Brady's story and if you are not a sports fan, read People... he's in there too. Pierre Woods... not many know his story, but it is probably more impressive, with a lot less glamour.
Pierre Woods grew up in one of the toughest parts of Cleveland. His mother raised him alone working two jobs and did her best to make sure her son got home safe from school each and every day. Woods excelled at sports, notably basketball and football. By his junior year of high school at Glenville, Pierre was being recruited by the most elite football programs in the country. While football was his bread and butter, he also had the grades to get into most schools as well carrying a 3.6 GPA. Woods was being coached by a legend in his own right, Ted Ginn Sr., father of former Ohio State star and first round draft pick, Ted Ginn Jr. Ginn Sr. took Woods to many different schools to see which one would be the best fit. Also in that van was Donte Whitner, former Buckeye and first round draft pick as well as future Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, now with the Baltimore Ravens. Ginn Sr. paid the way for these future NFL players and that core of players helped put his program on the national level. Last year, twenty-one Glenville players signed letters of intent to play college football. This year there may be sixteen more.
But Woods was the original big catch. At six-foot five, 245 pounds, with 4.45 speed, Woods was just what the Wolverines were looking for. He started immediately as a freshman. He tallied eight sacks as a freshman and was literally a man amongst boys. But signing Woods meant more to Michigan than just those eight sacks. It meant a pipeline could formed. For the first time ever, Michigan could steal the top talent from Ohio State from their own backyard. The Glenville connection would come to Michigan and John Cooper/Jim Tressel be damned. Michigan and then Head Coach Lloyd Carr wanted Ted Ginn Jr. So too did every school in the country, but Hail to the Victors was not in his vocabulary. Ginn Jr. decided on Scarlet and Gray over the Maize and Blue...(truth be told, Ginn's first choice was USC, but it would be too far for his dad to see him play, so the Buckeyes lucked out because of geography...) After Ginn signed his letter of intent to play at Ohio State, 13 other Glenville football players have also signed. Not one since Woods has gone up north.
Woods' playing time was suddenly cut drastically. No reason was given, but one could read between the lines. Woods played out his career at Michigan. He made career plans for after college and had a terrific job lined up in broadcasting the Wolverine games. He was raising his son and moved his mother to Michigan so the three of them could be closer. One could say Pierre Woods was living the good life.
When the NFL draft aired its two day extravaganza, Woods did not even watch. Why hope for something that is such a stretch, only heartbreak can bring you back to reality. Woods wound up talking to Ginn Sr. after the draft and he encouraged him to try out for an NFL team. His numbers at the scouting combine in Indianapolis were decent, just not off the charts great.
And then one day, he got the call. The New England Patriots wanted him to come try out for them. Bill Belicheck...Tom Brady... Super Bowl champions...Yes, those New England Patriots. So he did and did well. He survived the first cut at training camp, not an easy task for an undrafted prodigy. The second and third cut he also survived. Then it came down to the final cut...him or Chad Brown, a ten-year vet who had Super Bowl experience and was a former Pro-Bowler. Was it to save money or did Belicheck see something in Woods that could help his team? Probably a little of both. Whatever the case, Brown is retired, so too is Carr and on Sunday, Woods has a shot to win a Super Bowl ring. He will see time on special teams and is part of the linebacker rotation.
And that Brady-guy... he's doing pretty good for himself too. I just wish he wouldn't be so camera-shy and maybe we could see him every once in awhile...
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