NFL Bound

I only caught the tale end of two great collegiate careers, but in the brief time I’ve known Jerome Simpson and Mike Tolbert, I’m excited for them. It could be because we cover them on such a frequent basis, or because I’ve gotten the opportunity to know them off the field. Still in their own ways their accomplishments of moving on to the NFL has been a highlight in my brief time in the Eastern Carolinas.
I witnessed Keith Rivers playing high school ball for Lake Mary in Florida, and even then we knew he’d be a special talent. Jerome has that same appeal, with his acrobatic knack for catching the football, and huge oven mitt hands. But when it comes to Mike, he’s a blue collar athlete. He’s not blessed with blazing speed or a prototypical football body. He’s the type of player that spends hours in the weight room, on the practice field or in the film room. He’s a leader not only verbally, but by example. And when his name wasn’t called in this weekend’s draft, you had to feel for the guy. He had an impeccable Pro Day, and always left it all out there between the lines. Mike’s the kind of guy you have to root for because he always rooting for others to succeed. And even though he wasn’t drafted, it was still great to hear, his hard work didn’t go unnoticed. Four teams called him, with the Tennessee Titans and Sand Diego Chargers offering him a free agent try out. Mike chose the West Coast, which would be a good fit for his laid back persona, not to mention his love for sporting the Mohawk.
As for Jerome, to be honest I am little leery about him going to Cincinnati. They have too many off the field issues with that franchise right now. The Chad Johnson ordeal isn’t resolved, and if Ocho Cinco does stay, Jerome won’t see as much playing time as he would elsewhere. Simpson went through a rough year with the “non-domestic dispute” problem with his girlfriend and he just seems extremely impressionable by his surroundings. You have to hope the garbage taking place in the Bengal’s organization doesn’t have a trickle down affect. If he can stay clear of the nonsense and display his talents, he should be in the League for a long time to come.
So I guess this is my way of saying congratulations gentlemen. Good luck and God Bless, I look forward to calling your highlights from the NFL as I did when you played at Brooks Stadium.

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