Anthony Spencer is ready to play for Cowboys
There’s no hiding tears of joy
By Chad Ryan
cryan@news-sentinel.com
On Saturday, Anthony Spencer took a trip he won’t ever forget. After five long, but still anxious hours hanging out watching TV, playing cards, eating some barbecue and visiting with family and friends, Spencer finally decided to make a quick trip to the restroom.
Of course, that’s when the phone rang.
A few moments later, just after 5 p.m., National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on national television that the Dallas Cowboys selected Spencer with the No. 26 pick in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Spencer closed his eyes, pumped his fist, then embraced his mother, Tonia Creech, for nearly five minutes. Tears flowed around the room as people cheered and clapped in the crowded garage at Creech’s Fort Wayne home.
Spencer made his rounds, hugging as many people as he could. The group of nearly 50 guests included grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, former Purdue teammates Bernard Pollard (now a Kansas City Chiefs safety), and Aaron Lane, as well as several former Bishop Luers teammates and coaches.
Then it was little brother’s turn. Seventeen-year-old Adrien Spencer grabbed his brother in a bear hug, and the two cried. The emotion was real and sincere, and it consumed nearly everyone around them.
“It’s just unreal!” Adrien Spencer said. “I’m so happy for him and everything, because it is his dream. He made it, but I’m just so sad because, you know, he’s going to be in Dallas and super far away. I know I won’t be able to see him as much and bond with him … But I know that our bond is so strong, we’re always going to be like best friends.”
Adrien and Anthony Spencer seemed like best friends. They sat together watching TV and joked with each other throughout the day. Adrien even filled in for his brother, who took a short break from a couple of hands of euchre. But evidence they were brothers resurfaced when Anthony Spencer pulled rank and reclaimed his spot at the game table.
But like friends, they pushed each other. People said that if Anthony Spencer slacked off or wasn’t serious about football, Adrien would give him the business.
“I’m just excited. I mean it’s all excitement,” Spencer said. “I mean, I’m very excited to go to Dallas and get started on the football stuff.”
“This whole process was fun. I met a lot of good people. My family had fun with it. We’re still having fun with it right now. It’s a lot of excitement.”
“It’s a goal of his, too,” Anthony Spencer said about his brother. “He’s probably more dedicated than I was when I was in high school at football. He’s just happy to see my dreams come true. Just seeing me there; I mean it was probably a real emotional time for him, both of (us), our whole family.”
For a few minutes, some of them had to fight to contain their emotions. After Spencer took the call from the Cowboys, he told his mom the news.
“He said, ‘Mom don’t alert anyone, because let’s first hear my name,’” Tonia Creech said. “I was like, OK, and then when my daughter (Diondra Spencer) came along, and we (were) telling her, she got all teary-eyed. That’s when I was like, OK the emotions are coming.”
Diondra Spencer felt relief when the announcement was made.
“I’m very excited and also relieved. Because it was so much tension and stress during this whole process,” she said. “Our family is close. We’re a big family, but we’re close. So we all take part in Anthony’s joy.”
Someone yelled out, “How ’bout them Cowboys!” Emotions stirred up all over again. Then a few minutes later, the crowd parted as a little lady made her way to the garage. She handed off her walking cane, then reached up to give one of the newest additions to the NFL a hug.
“He love his mother; he love his grandmother too, ’cause I’ve always made him pancakes,” Ella Lapsley, Spencer’s great-grandmother, said with a hearty laugh. “Grandmama’s always there for him.”
At least one person predicted Spencer would play for the Cowboys. Parnell Creech envisioned Anthony wearing a Dallas uniform next season. In the interest of full disclosure, however, it should be noted that Creech is Anthony’s stepfather, and his favorite NFL team is the Cowboys.
Over the years, the Cowboys have come to be known as America’s team. On Saturday, more people from Fort Wayne decided to call the Cowboys their team, as well.
By Chad Ryan
cryan@news-sentinel.com
On Saturday, Anthony Spencer took a trip he won’t ever forget. After five long, but still anxious hours hanging out watching TV, playing cards, eating some barbecue and visiting with family and friends, Spencer finally decided to make a quick trip to the restroom.
Of course, that’s when the phone rang.
A few moments later, just after 5 p.m., National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on national television that the Dallas Cowboys selected Spencer with the No. 26 pick in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Spencer closed his eyes, pumped his fist, then embraced his mother, Tonia Creech, for nearly five minutes. Tears flowed around the room as people cheered and clapped in the crowded garage at Creech’s Fort Wayne home.
Spencer made his rounds, hugging as many people as he could. The group of nearly 50 guests included grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, former Purdue teammates Bernard Pollard (now a Kansas City Chiefs safety), and Aaron Lane, as well as several former Bishop Luers teammates and coaches.
Then it was little brother’s turn. Seventeen-year-old Adrien Spencer grabbed his brother in a bear hug, and the two cried. The emotion was real and sincere, and it consumed nearly everyone around them.
“It’s just unreal!” Adrien Spencer said. “I’m so happy for him and everything, because it is his dream. He made it, but I’m just so sad because, you know, he’s going to be in Dallas and super far away. I know I won’t be able to see him as much and bond with him … But I know that our bond is so strong, we’re always going to be like best friends.”
Adrien and Anthony Spencer seemed like best friends. They sat together watching TV and joked with each other throughout the day. Adrien even filled in for his brother, who took a short break from a couple of hands of euchre. But evidence they were brothers resurfaced when Anthony Spencer pulled rank and reclaimed his spot at the game table.
But like friends, they pushed each other. People said that if Anthony Spencer slacked off or wasn’t serious about football, Adrien would give him the business.
“I’m just excited. I mean it’s all excitement,” Spencer said. “I mean, I’m very excited to go to Dallas and get started on the football stuff.”
“This whole process was fun. I met a lot of good people. My family had fun with it. We’re still having fun with it right now. It’s a lot of excitement.”
“It’s a goal of his, too,” Anthony Spencer said about his brother. “He’s probably more dedicated than I was when I was in high school at football. He’s just happy to see my dreams come true. Just seeing me there; I mean it was probably a real emotional time for him, both of (us), our whole family.”
For a few minutes, some of them had to fight to contain their emotions. After Spencer took the call from the Cowboys, he told his mom the news.
“He said, ‘Mom don’t alert anyone, because let’s first hear my name,’” Tonia Creech said. “I was like, OK, and then when my daughter (Diondra Spencer) came along, and we (were) telling her, she got all teary-eyed. That’s when I was like, OK the emotions are coming.”
Diondra Spencer felt relief when the announcement was made.
“I’m very excited and also relieved. Because it was so much tension and stress during this whole process,” she said. “Our family is close. We’re a big family, but we’re close. So we all take part in Anthony’s joy.”
Someone yelled out, “How ’bout them Cowboys!” Emotions stirred up all over again. Then a few minutes later, the crowd parted as a little lady made her way to the garage. She handed off her walking cane, then reached up to give one of the newest additions to the NFL a hug.
“He love his mother; he love his grandmother too, ’cause I’ve always made him pancakes,” Ella Lapsley, Spencer’s great-grandmother, said with a hearty laugh. “Grandmama’s always there for him.”
At least one person predicted Spencer would play for the Cowboys. Parnell Creech envisioned Anthony wearing a Dallas uniform next season. In the interest of full disclosure, however, it should be noted that Creech is Anthony’s stepfather, and his favorite NFL team is the Cowboys.
Over the years, the Cowboys have come to be known as America’s team. On Saturday, more people from Fort Wayne decided to call the Cowboys their team, as well.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:37 PM
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