#175 - WS

This person had more contact with my husband than me, but he makes my post vicariously.  At the time Jeff met him, he was a rookie football player for the Saints.  He had been a college stand out, but was just getting started on his pro career. 

The story of how Jeff met him is kinda funny.  It sounds kinda shady, but here it is.  A friend of Jeff's was buying some insurance (I think) from a guy who was the cousin of #175's girlfriend.  (See what I mean?)  This cousin told the friend that he could "hook him up" with a suite to the Sugar Bowl where LSU would be playing in a few weeks.  Anyway...long story short.  Friend called Jeff, who called the cousin, who called #175, who said "Give him my cell phone #", who took Jeff's call, who let Jeff buy him dinner at PF Changs, who tried to get Jeff to pay him a lot of money for use of his suite (which I guess was part of his contract), who negotiated deal...Then we (here's where I make a cameo in this post) went to the game with lots of our friends and had a great time, and then #175 came up to meet us in the suite (with girlfriend and her cousin), and we found out that...

He was so young!!!!!!  I mean, he was only like 24 years old!!!!!!!  Here we are, a little older (haha) and had been working professionals (mostly successful) for over 15 years (I guess at that time), and here he was.  He was very nice and very quiet and very humble.  He spent time taking pictures and talking to everyone, but he really was just a 24 year old who wanted some food and drink, and to watch a football game.  He really didn't even look that big in his street clothes.  Anyway, he made an impression on me because when you watch these guys on TV, they seem larger than life (to me at least), then when you meet them in person...they are regular guys who have tremendous God given talent and the brains enough not to screw it up.  I hope that this year, now that he has a Super Bowl ring and a few Pro Bowl season under his belt, that he is still as humble and gracious as he was as a rookie.  Hmmmmm...who knows if I am right?  I know that Jeff texted him before the Super Bowl game...something short and to the point like, "Good luck, we are rooting for you guys!"  Maybe he is still humble because he texted him right back with thanks for the good wishes.