Ron_Mexico
I Love Doggies
By ANDREW SELIGMAN - AP Sports Writer
2006-10-13 02:31
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) -When Rashied Davis was a college freshman, he struggled as much with his pads as his fundamentals.
Though he'd never played a down of organized football, what Davis didn't know was that despite his early trouble, he was starting on a path that would take him all the way to the Chicago Bears.
``I can't take the time to pinch myself,'' the receiver said. ``Time is always moving. If I take the time to pinch myself, I'm living in the past.''
His past includes a childhood spent in gang-infested South Central Los Angeles, long commutes to schools in a better neighborhood. He went to junior college, moved on to San Jose State, and, after four years in the Arena Football League, landed here.
In his second season with the Bears, Davis is 27 years old. With eight receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns, he is an important part of the NFL's fourth-ranked offense.
``I was blessed,'' Davis said.
To hear Davis say that belies what he went through growing up.
Davis was 8 years old when his father was killed at a McDonald's late one night. Marion Davis went to the drive-thru and two men demanded his money, then shot him before he could hand it over.
Some of Davis' brothers and friends were in gangs, but they discouraged him from joining - not that he wanted to, anyway.
``They even told me to be a police officer a couple times,'' said Davis, who has seven siblings.
The schools in his neighborhood were ``horrible,'' so his mother, Judy Jamerson, sent him to junior high and high school in the San Fernando Valley. That meant an hourlong bus ride and more than a few moments where he cursed his fate.
``I used to hate it, but everyday I look at where I'm at and I thank her for it,'' said Davis, who has seven siblings.
The long commute combined with his short stature - Davis is 5-foot-9 - made the idea of taking hits from the big kids rather unappealing. Rather than play varsity, he honed his skills on the playground and in physical education, where, he boasted, he went undefeated.
``I never lost, no matter what team I was on,'' he said. ``I was a flag football player, and I was pretty good at it.''
But he was unpolished.
That was clear before his first practice at West Los Angeles Community College, when he had trouble putting on his pads. Friends on the team and a cousin had convinced him to try out for football, and Davis wanted to prove to himself that he could play.
``He was real green, but he was a very hard worker,'' said Antonio Wilson, who coached receivers at West Los Angeles Community.
He saw a player who didn't run routes properly, who couldn't read defenses and who had little grasp of the fundamentals of catching a ball. Wilson also saw a player run a 4.5 40-yard dash the first time he tried.
He saw potential, so they put in the extra work.
``I was behind everybody,'' Davis said.
He caught up quickly. Davis had trouble catching the ball while running to his right at first, but gradually, that went away. Day by day, Wilson saw improvement - enough to make Davis a starter as a freshman.
``He had games where he would score two, three touchdowns,'' Wilson said. ``It came very easy to him.''
Four-year schools took note and most passed, probably because of his size. The only Division I scholarship offers were from San Jose State and I-AA Fordham, and for an admittedly ``average student,'' the choice was easy.
``Like I could go to Fordham,'' he said, laughing. ``I'm not a smart guy.''
``You got that right,'' Bears tight end Justin Gage interjected.
``I know I'm not the smartest guy, but I know where I'm supposed to be,'' Davis said.
He sat in front of a locker packed with Bears jerseys, pads, a helmet and everything else he could need. Wearing a San Jose State T-shirt, Davis boasted to Fresno State alum and former conference rival Bernard Berrian, sitting a few stalls away, that his Spartans are 3-1.
As a junior at San Jose State, Davis caught six touchdown passes and finished with 785 yards receiving. A year later, he moved to defensive back and delivered 26 tackles and interceptions in his final two games.
Davis played on both sides for the AFL's San Jose SaberCats. But the Bears used him on special teams and in the defensive backfield last season, before moving him to offense for the playoffs.
``Being on defense last year, I felt like a fish out of water,'' Davis said.
In the Arena League, his team played mostly man-to-man defense on a short field. But the Bears' system is more complicated. Had he remained on defense, Davis said he would have been more effective there this year.
Now, he's averaging 16 yards per catch - second on the team among receivers with more than one reception. Not bad for a guy who, not too long ago, had trouble strapping on his gear.
``I'm still not the best, and I want to be the best,'' Davis said. ``I don't know if I'll ever be the best, but I'll be the best that I can be.''
2006-10-13 02:31
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) -When Rashied Davis was a college freshman, he struggled as much with his pads as his fundamentals.
Though he'd never played a down of organized football, what Davis didn't know was that despite his early trouble, he was starting on a path that would take him all the way to the Chicago Bears.
``I can't take the time to pinch myself,'' the receiver said. ``Time is always moving. If I take the time to pinch myself, I'm living in the past.''
His past includes a childhood spent in gang-infested South Central Los Angeles, long commutes to schools in a better neighborhood. He went to junior college, moved on to San Jose State, and, after four years in the Arena Football League, landed here.
In his second season with the Bears, Davis is 27 years old. With eight receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns, he is an important part of the NFL's fourth-ranked offense.
``I was blessed,'' Davis said.
To hear Davis say that belies what he went through growing up.
Davis was 8 years old when his father was killed at a McDonald's late one night. Marion Davis went to the drive-thru and two men demanded his money, then shot him before he could hand it over.
Some of Davis' brothers and friends were in gangs, but they discouraged him from joining - not that he wanted to, anyway.
``They even told me to be a police officer a couple times,'' said Davis, who has seven siblings.
The schools in his neighborhood were ``horrible,'' so his mother, Judy Jamerson, sent him to junior high and high school in the San Fernando Valley. That meant an hourlong bus ride and more than a few moments where he cursed his fate.
``I used to hate it, but everyday I look at where I'm at and I thank her for it,'' said Davis, who has seven siblings.
The long commute combined with his short stature - Davis is 5-foot-9 - made the idea of taking hits from the big kids rather unappealing. Rather than play varsity, he honed his skills on the playground and in physical education, where, he boasted, he went undefeated.
``I never lost, no matter what team I was on,'' he said. ``I was a flag football player, and I was pretty good at it.''
But he was unpolished.
That was clear before his first practice at West Los Angeles Community College, when he had trouble putting on his pads. Friends on the team and a cousin had convinced him to try out for football, and Davis wanted to prove to himself that he could play.
``He was real green, but he was a very hard worker,'' said Antonio Wilson, who coached receivers at West Los Angeles Community.
He saw a player who didn't run routes properly, who couldn't read defenses and who had little grasp of the fundamentals of catching a ball. Wilson also saw a player run a 4.5 40-yard dash the first time he tried.
He saw potential, so they put in the extra work.
``I was behind everybody,'' Davis said.
He caught up quickly. Davis had trouble catching the ball while running to his right at first, but gradually, that went away. Day by day, Wilson saw improvement - enough to make Davis a starter as a freshman.
``He had games where he would score two, three touchdowns,'' Wilson said. ``It came very easy to him.''
Four-year schools took note and most passed, probably because of his size. The only Division I scholarship offers were from San Jose State and I-AA Fordham, and for an admittedly ``average student,'' the choice was easy.
``Like I could go to Fordham,'' he said, laughing. ``I'm not a smart guy.''
``You got that right,'' Bears tight end Justin Gage interjected.
``I know I'm not the smartest guy, but I know where I'm supposed to be,'' Davis said.
He sat in front of a locker packed with Bears jerseys, pads, a helmet and everything else he could need. Wearing a San Jose State T-shirt, Davis boasted to Fresno State alum and former conference rival Bernard Berrian, sitting a few stalls away, that his Spartans are 3-1.
As a junior at San Jose State, Davis caught six touchdown passes and finished with 785 yards receiving. A year later, he moved to defensive back and delivered 26 tackles and interceptions in his final two games.
Davis played on both sides for the AFL's San Jose SaberCats. But the Bears used him on special teams and in the defensive backfield last season, before moving him to offense for the playoffs.
``Being on defense last year, I felt like a fish out of water,'' Davis said.
In the Arena League, his team played mostly man-to-man defense on a short field. But the Bears' system is more complicated. Had he remained on defense, Davis said he would have been more effective there this year.
Now, he's averaging 16 yards per catch - second on the team among receivers with more than one reception. Not bad for a guy who, not too long ago, had trouble strapping on his gear.
``I'm still not the best, and I want to be the best,'' Davis said. ``I don't know if I'll ever be the best, but I'll be the best that I can be.''
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