UDFA Antonio Coleman's tough life

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

interesting story about undrafted rookie FA Antonio Coleman from his local paper and an earlier piece from bb.com.

 

The day Coleman decided to get his life into order was the same day it could have easily fallen apart.

 

His older brother had just been released from a short jail sentence and returned to find that his ex-fiancée had taken up with another man, and he suspected that man of abusing his children. When Coleman returned from church that Sunday, he found his mother crying and learned that his brother had shot and killed his ex-fiancée and her boyfriend before taking own life.

 

Coleman still had four older brothers, but with all of them running afoul of the law the burden was on Antonio. His three nephews and two nieces were between the ages of eight and 12.

 

Plus, the kid can play and still keep his priorities in order

 

Excelling as a pass-rushing defensive end, Coleman would earn 1st Team All-SEC honors as well as SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in his college career. He led the Southeast Conference in sacks as a senior. Those awards paled in comparison though to being named the first recipient of the Hard Fighting Soldier award by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was also recently named the Unsung Hero by the FCA chapter in Clinton, Alabama, an Auburn Alumni group.

 

“Those awards for off the field excellence mean more than the All-SEC and SEC Defensive Player of the Year,” said Coleman. “It wasn’t about football for me. It was about going to school, getting an education and making a better life for my family. Football just enabled me to do that. I hold football real highly, but my family is first and they’re going to be there when football is gone.”

[San Jose Bills Fan]

One of the reasons I follow sports.

 

When you look at some of these guys, it's really easy to focus on the negative and develop a grudge against athletes that ironically runs counter to the entertainment value they provide to us.

 

There are some real prizes out there…the Latrell Sprewells of the world…lots of real jerks.

 

But then you read stories such as this one, or everything Bills linebacker Nic Harris has gone through in life, to overcome steep odds…even people like Terrell Owens.

 

Also think back to the stories about former Buffalo Bills Jon Dorenbos and Ronnie Vinklarek.

 

These are inspirational stories, more compelling than any fiction one might read.

 

I'm very excited to watch Antonio Coleman this summer.

 

edit: and also this fall, hopefully.