Patriots game will be painful reminder for Cowboys' Spears
Cowboys Columnist:
Todd Archer
Dallas defensive end lost a close friend when New England's Hill died in May
09:57 PM CDT on Thursday, October 11, 2007
IRVING – When the schedule came out in April, Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears had Sunday's game against New England circled.
Not because he envisioned both teams being undefeated. Not because he would get a chance to go against Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Bill Belichick and the three-time Super Bowl champions.
He had this game circled because he was going to be able to see his friend, Marquise Hill, a defensive end for the Patriots. They were teammates at LSU and roommates for two years.
The reunion will not take place.
On May 27, Hill and a female friend were jet skiing on Lake Pontchartrain north of New Orleans without life vests when they were flung into the water. Hill helped the woman stay afloat, but after she was rescued, he was pulled under by a strong current.
A friend of Hill's fiancée, Inell Brown, called Spears to tell him his friend was missing. The next day, Hill's body was found a quarter of a mile from where he was last seen.
"When I first got a call they said he was missing," Spears said. "We were concerned, but we thought he'd show up sooner or later. Then when we got the call he passed away, it was tough."
Spears was among several former LSU teammates to attend Hill's funeral in June. Almost the entire Patriots team showed up, including Belichick. Hill's college coach, Nick Saban, was also there.
The Patriots are wearing a No. 91 decal on their helmets as a remembrance of Hill, a second-round pick in 2004. He played in 13 games in his three years and never started a game. But he made an impact in the locker room and community. He helped families in his native New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and in Boston, he helped build a wheelchair ramp for a woman with multiple sclerosis.
"He's always been a help-first person," Spears said. "It was never a me-first thing with him. Since college, he made sure everybody else was OK ... just being on the football field, he'll bring you water before he'd get a drink. He'd get the water for a trainer if the trainer was working with other guys. He'd just do little itty-bitty stuff like that. That's the kind of person he was."
Spears has a picture of Hill taped to his locker. He often finds himself smiling thinking of stories about Hill, especially this week.
"I think it's going to be a great feeling to be out there on the field," Spears said. "You know he's going to up there watching this one."
Todd Archer
Dallas defensive end lost a close friend when New England's Hill died in May
09:57 PM CDT on Thursday, October 11, 2007
IRVING – When the schedule came out in April, Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears had Sunday's game against New England circled.
Not because he envisioned both teams being undefeated. Not because he would get a chance to go against Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Bill Belichick and the three-time Super Bowl champions.
He had this game circled because he was going to be able to see his friend, Marquise Hill, a defensive end for the Patriots. They were teammates at LSU and roommates for two years.
The reunion will not take place.
On May 27, Hill and a female friend were jet skiing on Lake Pontchartrain north of New Orleans without life vests when they were flung into the water. Hill helped the woman stay afloat, but after she was rescued, he was pulled under by a strong current.
A friend of Hill's fiancée, Inell Brown, called Spears to tell him his friend was missing. The next day, Hill's body was found a quarter of a mile from where he was last seen.
"When I first got a call they said he was missing," Spears said. "We were concerned, but we thought he'd show up sooner or later. Then when we got the call he passed away, it was tough."
Spears was among several former LSU teammates to attend Hill's funeral in June. Almost the entire Patriots team showed up, including Belichick. Hill's college coach, Nick Saban, was also there.
The Patriots are wearing a No. 91 decal on their helmets as a remembrance of Hill, a second-round pick in 2004. He played in 13 games in his three years and never started a game. But he made an impact in the locker room and community. He helped families in his native New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and in Boston, he helped build a wheelchair ramp for a woman with multiple sclerosis.
"He's always been a help-first person," Spears said. "It was never a me-first thing with him. Since college, he made sure everybody else was OK ... just being on the football field, he'll bring you water before he'd get a drink. He'd get the water for a trainer if the trainer was working with other guys. He'd just do little itty-bitty stuff like that. That's the kind of person he was."
Spears has a picture of Hill taped to his locker. He often finds himself smiling thinking of stories about Hill, especially this week.
"I think it's going to be a great feeling to be out there on the field," Spears said. "You know he's going to up there watching this one."
posted by The Gryphon at 7:53 AM
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