Cowboys' Anderson has plenty to play for
By TODD ARCHER
The Dallas Morning News
A fullback knows about sacrifice. He must be willing to give of himself so others can get glory, but for Anderson the sacrifice is also for his family.In December, he married Kerri, his girlfriend since he was 15. In May, they had a son, Dasan Joaquin, whom he has seen only for a few weeks because of his commitments with the Cowboys since being picked in the sixth round of April's draft.
There is his father, Terry, who is too sick to work after years in construction. There is his grandmother, Maxine, whom he calls Ma, who adopted him and his two brothers.
There is his aunt, Tanya, who co-signed a loan to help him pay for a semester of college when his dream was nearly derailed because of poor grades.
There is his little brother, Devon, and an older brother, Raymond, who has the same tattoo on his chest but is in a Coleman, Fla., prison for accessory to murder.
"I'm not here for myself," said Anderson, whose mother, Sabrina, left the family when he was 2 and died of cancer when he was a senior in high school. "I have a son, a wife, my brothers, my family. I don't mind the sacrifice. If I have to kill myself every day to see them just be able to smile, it's worth it."
South Providence, R.I., was a nasty place. Gang members lived next door. Drugs were sold on the corners. As police cars or ambulances whizzed by with sirens blaring, Anderson said he would not even flinch. It was mere background noise.
Rough upbringing
"Yeah, we grew up in the 'hood, man," Anderson said. "I'd see people buy drugs and walk right by. My ma would be on the porch, yelling, 'Get that mess out of here.' But I never felt threatened. I never felt at risk. My family has always supported me, always helped guide me."
Now he finds himself with a real chance to not only make the Cowboys' 53-man roster but contribute as a rookie and help his family.
But two summers ago, Anderson's story nearly became a familiar tale of woe. He was flunking out of the University of Connecticut, and his attempts to transfer to a smaller school were unsuccessful. A regular contributor since his freshman year, Anderson was one of the more popular players on the team, loved by coaches for his effort, loved by teammates because of his attitude.
Now, he was on his own, sitting out the 2005 season.
Anderson found himself in Hartford, Conn., living in a $150-per-month apartment, working at a gas station. He later found an overnight job with FedEx. Syringes and crack vials littered the apartment complex courtyard. Teenagers were growing old in front of him.
"The hardest part for me was sitting there watching them kill themselves and I couldn't help," Anderson said. "I gain pleasure from helping others. That's why I'm a fullback. That was the worst part – seeing what I saw. I wouldn't accept it."
Nowhere to go
He re-enrolled at UConn, but coach Randy Edsall would not give him a scholarship. His aunt, Tanya, co-signed on the loan and assumed he would live off campus with some friends.
He did not have enough money for room and board, so he kept his belongings in a friend's car and slept in an out-of-use building next to Gampel Pavilion, where the men's and women's basketball teams play.
"I had no idea," Edsall said.
Anderson said he was too prideful to tell anybody. He didn't want to be a burden. He wanted to make the sacrifice so others wouldn't. Having seen Anderson committed to his school work and to the team, Edsall put him back on scholarship.
Anderson rushed for only 78 yards on 23 carries and caught 14 passes for 101 yards as a senior, starting nine games, but he was voted the team's most valuable player.
"He feels like with everybody on the football team, he's their protector," Edsall said. "If something happens to his teammates, he wants to be there to make it a better situation."
When Julius Jones and Pat Watkins got into a shoving match during a practice at the Alamodome, Anderson was the first player to rush to Jones' defense.
"No one touches J.J.," Anderson said. "The guys were getting on me because I guess when they were pulling me off, that's what I was saying."
NFL not an option
His dream was never to play in the NFL, just to get out. He never saw the scouts at practice unless teammates pointed them out. On Dec. 28, 2006, Kerri learned she was pregnant. A day later they were married. A day after that, an invitation to the NFL scouting combine arrived in the mail.
The Dallas Morning News
A fullback knows about sacrifice. He must be willing to give of himself so others can get glory, but for Anderson the sacrifice is also for his family.In December, he married Kerri, his girlfriend since he was 15. In May, they had a son, Dasan Joaquin, whom he has seen only for a few weeks because of his commitments with the Cowboys since being picked in the sixth round of April's draft.
There is his father, Terry, who is too sick to work after years in construction. There is his grandmother, Maxine, whom he calls Ma, who adopted him and his two brothers.
There is his aunt, Tanya, who co-signed a loan to help him pay for a semester of college when his dream was nearly derailed because of poor grades.
There is his little brother, Devon, and an older brother, Raymond, who has the same tattoo on his chest but is in a Coleman, Fla., prison for accessory to murder.
"I'm not here for myself," said Anderson, whose mother, Sabrina, left the family when he was 2 and died of cancer when he was a senior in high school. "I have a son, a wife, my brothers, my family. I don't mind the sacrifice. If I have to kill myself every day to see them just be able to smile, it's worth it."
South Providence, R.I., was a nasty place. Gang members lived next door. Drugs were sold on the corners. As police cars or ambulances whizzed by with sirens blaring, Anderson said he would not even flinch. It was mere background noise.
Rough upbringing
"Yeah, we grew up in the 'hood, man," Anderson said. "I'd see people buy drugs and walk right by. My ma would be on the porch, yelling, 'Get that mess out of here.' But I never felt threatened. I never felt at risk. My family has always supported me, always helped guide me."
Now he finds himself with a real chance to not only make the Cowboys' 53-man roster but contribute as a rookie and help his family.
But two summers ago, Anderson's story nearly became a familiar tale of woe. He was flunking out of the University of Connecticut, and his attempts to transfer to a smaller school were unsuccessful. A regular contributor since his freshman year, Anderson was one of the more popular players on the team, loved by coaches for his effort, loved by teammates because of his attitude.
Now, he was on his own, sitting out the 2005 season.
Anderson found himself in Hartford, Conn., living in a $150-per-month apartment, working at a gas station. He later found an overnight job with FedEx. Syringes and crack vials littered the apartment complex courtyard. Teenagers were growing old in front of him.
"The hardest part for me was sitting there watching them kill themselves and I couldn't help," Anderson said. "I gain pleasure from helping others. That's why I'm a fullback. That was the worst part – seeing what I saw. I wouldn't accept it."
Nowhere to go
He re-enrolled at UConn, but coach Randy Edsall would not give him a scholarship. His aunt, Tanya, co-signed on the loan and assumed he would live off campus with some friends.
He did not have enough money for room and board, so he kept his belongings in a friend's car and slept in an out-of-use building next to Gampel Pavilion, where the men's and women's basketball teams play.
"I had no idea," Edsall said.
Anderson said he was too prideful to tell anybody. He didn't want to be a burden. He wanted to make the sacrifice so others wouldn't. Having seen Anderson committed to his school work and to the team, Edsall put him back on scholarship.
Anderson rushed for only 78 yards on 23 carries and caught 14 passes for 101 yards as a senior, starting nine games, but he was voted the team's most valuable player.
"He feels like with everybody on the football team, he's their protector," Edsall said. "If something happens to his teammates, he wants to be there to make it a better situation."
When Julius Jones and Pat Watkins got into a shoving match during a practice at the Alamodome, Anderson was the first player to rush to Jones' defense.
"No one touches J.J.," Anderson said. "The guys were getting on me because I guess when they were pulling me off, that's what I was saying."
NFL not an option
His dream was never to play in the NFL, just to get out. He never saw the scouts at practice unless teammates pointed them out. On Dec. 28, 2006, Kerri learned she was pregnant. A day later they were married. A day after that, an invitation to the NFL scouting combine arrived in the mail.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:13 PM
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