|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
David Terrell: Ready to make some noise
in the Windy City
By Ross Forman
August 3, 2001
David Terrell, the rookie football player, slowed approached Don Larsen, the retired baseball great. Terrell knew few facts about Larsen and/or his career, mostly just that the former New York Yankee pitcher threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Larsen was signing photos from the magical moment in the backstage area that mid-June afternoon at a card show in Kansas City promoted by Tri-Star Productions, Inc.
Terrell, 22, politely asked Larsen to sign two autographs, both on 16X20 pictures. One was, naturally, for him, which will be framed and hang near his Mickey Mantle-signed baseball. The other was for former University of Michgan quarterback Drew Hensen, now in baseball’s minor leagues. Larsen obliged, without hesitation, offering a personal message for both.
Terrell smiled like a youngster on Christmas Eve when Larsen, moments later, returned the signed photos. “My pleasure,” Larsen said.
“No,” Terrell answered quickly. “This really is my pleasure to meet you.”
The two talked for several minutes before Terrell walked away, his smile still ear-to-ear. “Man, this is great! I feel like a little kid, a little kid!”
Terrell added, “I’ll do anything in the collecting world. I don’t have a problem with this stuff, if only because this is a great way to give back to the fans.”
That’s great news for the collecting public, because Terrell’s football career looks to be nothing short of great.
Terrell (6’2”, 200) was an outstanding wide receiver at Michigan, with two consecutive first-team All-Big Ten seasons to his credit. He completed the 2000 season as the only Michigan receiver ever to have multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons. And he caught at least one pass in his final 24 consecutive games.
His Wolverine career (1998-2000) spanned 37 games, with 152 grabs (for 2,317 yards). He had a 15.2 career average and 23 TDs.
What else? Let’s take a quick look at the Terrell file:
· He won the MVP in the Orange Bowl as a sophomore, destroying the Alabama secondary for 10 receptions (150 yards) and three TDs. The reception and TDs are both new Michigan bowl records.
· He had four receptions (136 yards, one TD) against Auburn in the 2000 Citrus Bowl, his final collegiate game.
· Only Anthony Carter had more receptions in a Michigan uniform.
“Growing up, I collected a lot of baseball cards. That was something I always did and, never in a million years, would I have imagined that I’d be here sitting here signing my own card or signing autographs at a baseball card show. That’s very special,” said Terrell, drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 8th-pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. “I still have all (of) my old cards. Heck, I wish I had brought some of them (to the Tri-Star show). Stan The Man (Musial) could have signed my old ones (of him).
“I’ve got some good old cards, but I haven’t looked at them in so long I couldn’t tell you exactly which ones I have.”
He definitely has such prized pieces as rookie cards of Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Joe Namath, Paul Warfield and Franco Harris, among others. “My sister’s father’s father gave him the cards. He wasn’t into sports or football, so he just gave the cards to me when I was a little boy. And I always kept them.
“I definitely think I got the better end of that deal.
“Now, I need to go back and look at ‘em, see what (cards) I have. I definitely have some good stuff to throw into the collection book, to give to my son when he gets old enough to respect (the cards).”
Terrell earned All-American first-team honors from CNN/Sports Illustrated and College Football News in 2000, plus second-team accolades from Walter Camp and ABC Sports and third-team recognition from Football News. He was a semi-finalist for Football News’ National Player of the Year Award and the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver.
He led Michigan with 67 receptions (1,130 yards) last fall. Terrell had nine receptions against Northwestern, seven against Purdue. Plus, he gained 99-yards on five catches against arch-rival Ohio State.
“The memorabilia world really is big,” said Terrell, a Richmond, Va., native. “Guys like Franco (Harris) and Stan (Musial) have already made their names, on their respective fields of play. They’re great Hall of Famers; I’m now just trying to get to where they are at, and why I’m so honored to be at the same show with guys like that. Plus, it’s fun for me just being here, looking at them, meeting them, greeting them, listening to their old stories about how it was, say, in the dugout or the locker room.
“I like the old cards; I wish I could find an old box of football cards and just open (it) up, look at all the old names. That’s the type of guy I am.”
As for a player, he showed his excellence in Ann Arbor during the 1999 season, with 71 receptions for 1,038 yards and seven touchdowns. He was an All-American second-team selection by CBS Sportsline, with an average 95.8 all-purpose yards per game. Plus, Terrell even played some defense, with six tackles (4 solo) and two pass deflections and an interception.
Also in ’99, Terrell caught eight passes (115 yards) in the season-opener against Notre Dame, seven passes (110) against Syracuse and a career-high 10 passes (86) against Michigan State.
“I have a pretty good collection, but I often give away cards or other pieces of memorabilia to people who really respect and appreciate the player and/or item. I grew up watching baseball and respect it a lot, but Drew really likes it,” Terrell said of former Michigan teammate Hensen. Terrell regularly gets autographed goodies for Hensen, and vice versa. Case in point, Terrell recently received a Topps card from the 1990s featuring Michael Irvin and Jerry Rice on the same card.”
His current collection also now includes countless current baseball and football cards. He resumed collecting basketball cards recently because “I wanted a Jamal Crawford card.” At the NFL’s Rookie Symposium this past spring, all players received packs of cards. Terrell opened his and found a LaDanian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers, 5th pick overall; Texas Christian University) card. Tomlinson, meanwhile, found a Terrell card. The two signed their respective cards and traded ‘em. “That was a lot of fun for me,” Terrell said.
Terrrell appeared in every game for the Wolverines in 1998, starting the Hawaii contest at flanker. He made his college debut with a 4-yard grab against Notre Dame. He was the ESPN Regional Player of the Game against Eastern Michigan (four receptions for 65 yards, two TDs).
“I like signing autographs,” he said. “If that’s the best way to give back to the fans, I’ll be glad to do it. I don’t have a problem at all with signing. Not at all.”
But who do you want an autograph from, David?
He paused, then said Muhammad Ali – on a pair of gloves. “That’s a hard question because there were so many great old-timers. I wouldn’t want anything from us young guys; we can just call one another and tell each other we want an autograph or two.” He also added Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Lynn Swann and, of course, Michael Jordan. “Who wouldn’t want a Michael Jordan autograph?!”
Terrell’s appearance in Kansas City for Tri-Star Productions was his first official card show. But certainly not his first mass signing session. The Wolverines, for instance, host an annual Spring Game, which includes an autograph session. “It seems like more and more fans turn out each and every year (for the autograph session),” Terrell said. “Well, during my sophomore year, Drew and I were signing together in the same booth-like area. And it was so funny … they had our name (signs) wrong, so everyone was lined up in my line and he really had no one,” said Terrell, part-culprit for the mess-up. “I told Drew what happened, and we both laughed. That was one of the funniest things ever.”
Terrell said he received “a lot” of fan mail at Michigan. And answered all of it. “If you wait (to reply), it can get tough. But if you sign the items once they arrive, it’s not too, too bad or too, too tough.”
As for Terrell’s signature, it’s not too, too legible. The first D in DAVID is followed by a line that, he tries to explain, carries every letter. As for TERRELL, it simply appears to be two LL’s.
Terrell was a first-team USA TODAY All-American in high school. He was a three-time All-State honoree with 108 career receptions for 2,546 yards and 41 TDs, plus 30 interceptions.
“The University of Michigan and the Chicago Bears … talk about tradition; it doesn’t get much bigger than those two places,” Terrell said. “Even with (sub-par) seasons of late, the Bears are still a tradition-rich team. There’s a lot of pressure going to the Bears, knowing what the people in the past have done for this team.
“I’m very excited to get this thing rolling. I’m eager, like a little kid again. It’s new and I’m gonna attack it with a smile. I’m excited, that’s for sure. But also nervous.
“There have been so many great Michigan players, especially the guys of late who I’ve idolized like Anthony Carter and Desmond Howard, among others. Then, in Chicago, you’ve got a tradition with names like Payton, Butkus, Ditka, Sayers and so on.
This is a dream come true for me because I’m the type of player who really likes pressure. And when you go to a team like Chicago, a tradition-rich team like the Bears where the fans have huge expectations, that’s very special.”
A stellar open-field runner, Terrell is quick and an excellent leaper. He is agile and has excellent vision on the field.
He is, without question, a big-time, big-player threat.
And, he said, also without hesitation, “I want the ball … I wouldn’t have it any other way; that’s how I was raised.
“When the game is on the line, I love for my name to be called … and I love to come up with the play. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life.”
Terrell will, no doubt, stand alongside Randy Moss, Eric Moulds, Marvin Harrison and other top receivers. And probably sooner than later. He also is an excellent downfield blocker.
“I’m a Michael Irvin-type player, a speedy receiver,” said Terrell. “I basically just look at all of the great receivers, like Terry Holt who also is a short guy and makes it happen, Isaac Bruce, Randy Moss, Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. I then piece their styles into my game.”
Terrell admits he has two games already circled on Chicago’s schedule, the home and away battles against division-rival Detroit. Many former Michigan friends will be watching, he said, and some – not surprisingly – actually will cheer for the Lions, not Terrell and the Bears. No worries, he said.
“I know when those games are, and I know they will be a lot of fun,” he said. “I look forward to seeing my fans, seeing all my old friends. I know a lot of them will be wearing their Detroit colors, but it’s all fun; I know the love is there. But those games I definitely want to win, if only so I have bragging rights during the off-season.
“This year, we’re gonna get it going in Chicago. I know I’m gonna do my part and I know for a fact that the team is ready. We had a great mini-camp, great practices. I came in a little nervous, naturally. But let me tell you, they made it real easy for me – and I respect them for that.
“The three years I played at Michigan were great years. I really cherish those years and respect those years. I had great coaches and great fans. Plus, I had great friends there. The development of myself as a man was the best thing that happened to me at Michigan. Michigan developed me into the man I am right now, because of my coaches and friends who each played a key role.
“I’m happy and blessed that I went to Michigan. It was a great university.
“I wouldn’t say I had one particular highlight from Michigan; it was just my overall career there and improving on a regular basis. That really stands out, plus the fact it helped me develop into an NFL player.”
So, David, what’s Michigan Stadium really like, with more than 100,000 of your ‘best friends’ watching and cheering?
“There’s nothing like it, nothing at all,” he said. “You walk out and you get the chills. It’s like you’re a little kid again. That was very special for me. It’s like walking into the Gladiator’s pit and seeing all your fans … and then it’s time to rock.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s Ohio State or Citrus State, when you walk out (into Michigan Stadium), they get it going. And it don’t matter if you’re freshman or a fifth-year senior, you’re still gonna get the jitters and the butterflies.”
Kind of like when Terrell met Larsen in Kansas City.