Former UM DT Dwayne Johnson is looking dapper in a three-piece suit as this week's cover boy for Sports Illustrated.
Of course, the main story references his time at the U:
*He was recruited as a DE out of Bethlehem, PA and had offers from every top school: Penn St., FSU, Clemson, UCLA and dozens more but:
"...he hadn't heard from the one that had transcended the sport and become a cultural touchstone: the U."
*So he called Miami's recruiting coordinator and "made his sales pitch. The next day Dennis Erickson was in touch" and in the fall of 1990 Dwayne arrived on campus.
*He says he loved the trash talking that was so prevalent at the time. "Oh man, the s--talking was an art form. It never stopped and it was creative. It helped me when I got into wrestling, right, tapping into all of that for the Rock."
*The story says Johnson made a great impression as FR player and was recruited to Miami by then DL coach and current LSU HC Ed Orgeron. He said, "Dewey was a helluva football player and I thought he had a chance to be a All-America."
*Johnson says his time at Miami laid the foundation for who he would become. As for the team itself: "People saw the cockiness, but no one knows how hard we worked. There was an accountability there..."
*Johnson gives Orgeron great credit for transforming him. He said he "complained about being held by OL in games and during one game Orgeron "got in my face and said, 'They can hold you, they can kick you in the balls, they can f------ spit in your face -- are you going to cry about it or are you going to overcome that and make the play?' That's bigger than football, man. That's a whole worldview."
*As fate would have it, early on Johnson "shredded" his left shoulder and needed surgery. So the coaching staff converted a TE, some guy named Warren Sapp, to take his place. At the time, Johnson says he thought he was better than Sapp but he now admits Warren was a better, "but when you're young, you can't see that."
*Johnson cites a funny story when DE Kevin Patrick was talking s--talking to him in a coach's office and the Rock says he says "I just lost it"and they went after each other, tipping over a desk and chairs. The fight spilled out into the weight room where Rock says he put his fist into Patrick's mouth trying to rip out his tongue. Thankfully for both, he was not successful.
*While he eventually made it back on the field recording 78 tackles and four sacks, four knee surgeries put an end to his football career at the U.
*Johnson went undrafted by the NFL and signed with a CFL team (Calgary) before the start of the '95 season but two months later he was cut.
And that was it for football.
Great read in SI. Hope it is okay to use the story quotes.
Go Canes!
Of course, the main story references his time at the U:
*He was recruited as a DE out of Bethlehem, PA and had offers from every top school: Penn St., FSU, Clemson, UCLA and dozens more but:
"...he hadn't heard from the one that had transcended the sport and become a cultural touchstone: the U."
*So he called Miami's recruiting coordinator and "made his sales pitch. The next day Dennis Erickson was in touch" and in the fall of 1990 Dwayne arrived on campus.
*He says he loved the trash talking that was so prevalent at the time. "Oh man, the s--talking was an art form. It never stopped and it was creative. It helped me when I got into wrestling, right, tapping into all of that for the Rock."
*The story says Johnson made a great impression as FR player and was recruited to Miami by then DL coach and current LSU HC Ed Orgeron. He said, "Dewey was a helluva football player and I thought he had a chance to be a All-America."
*Johnson says his time at Miami laid the foundation for who he would become. As for the team itself: "People saw the cockiness, but no one knows how hard we worked. There was an accountability there..."
*Johnson gives Orgeron great credit for transforming him. He said he "complained about being held by OL in games and during one game Orgeron "got in my face and said, 'They can hold you, they can kick you in the balls, they can f------ spit in your face -- are you going to cry about it or are you going to overcome that and make the play?' That's bigger than football, man. That's a whole worldview."
*As fate would have it, early on Johnson "shredded" his left shoulder and needed surgery. So the coaching staff converted a TE, some guy named Warren Sapp, to take his place. At the time, Johnson says he thought he was better than Sapp but he now admits Warren was a better, "but when you're young, you can't see that."
*Johnson cites a funny story when DE Kevin Patrick was talking s--talking to him in a coach's office and the Rock says he says "I just lost it"and they went after each other, tipping over a desk and chairs. The fight spilled out into the weight room where Rock says he put his fist into Patrick's mouth trying to rip out his tongue. Thankfully for both, he was not successful.
*While he eventually made it back on the field recording 78 tackles and four sacks, four knee surgeries put an end to his football career at the U.
*Johnson went undrafted by the NFL and signed with a CFL team (Calgary) before the start of the '95 season but two months later he was cut.
And that was it for football.
Great read in SI. Hope it is okay to use the story quotes.
Go Canes!
