Edgerrin James - Players' Tribune Article

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A few great paragraphs:

In high school, I had a cheat code, for real. I used to wake up at five in the morning before school and do workouts by myself in this field behind my house. Then I’d shower and go to school like nothing happened. I didn’t tell nobody — even my boys. It was my secret weapon. And man, I used to do the same thing in the NFL. No lie. It’s two o’clock in the morning, and I’m in the club. I used to see dudes from the other team, and they’re looking at me like, Ahhh, alright, it’s cool. Edge out here partying, too!!! So it’s not a big deal, right? But what they didn’t know was, I’d be leaned back sipping on some cranberry juice. Right in the same type of cup as their liquor was poured in. We leave the club and everybody else is going to the crib to pass out. But I’m in the GYM at three-four-five o’clock in the morning by myself, putting in work. While they was sleeping, I was grinding.

That’s what they don’t understand about The U. See, they’re jealous of the U. Everybody else, they talk about us like we were wild. And yeah, we were wild, like all youth. We were wild as ****, matter of fact. But the U in the ’90s? It was about that WORK. I mean, oh my God. It was FIVE-STARS ONLY. It used to be a dogfight every single practice. Reggie Wayne. Santana Moss. Ed Reed. Somebody was always coming for your spot. I remember we used to have a saying whenever somebody got hurt. They’d be icing their leg like, “Man, I’m out today. I can’t go.” And the reply was always, “**** … your bad.”

Twelve thousand yards. Four Pro Bowls. That’s whatever. That’s playing a kiddie game. What I care about is that I got a daughter in law school. I got another daughter killing it at an HBCU. I got more coming up the pipeline. I’m trying to go six-for-six on college degrees. Let that be my legacy as a man.
 
That was one of the best things I’ve read in a while. Edge is the best. Is he actually the only one who has a bust with dreads?
 
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Man, I get in the car and I’m like, “Wait a minute, how the **** do you turn this thing on?” I’m bugging out. I mean I didn’t even sit in this thing in the dealership. I’m looking around the car and I don’t see anything familiar. All I see is paddles and red buttons. It’s looking like I’m trapped in a video game. Mind you, everybody is surrounding the Lambo. It’s like a movie. I’m sweating. I’m flipping paddles every **** which way and nothing is happening. Finally, I give up. I roll down the window and I’m looking at one of my teammates like, Who the **** knows how to start this s***?!?! We gotta find somebody into cars to show me how to start a Lambo!!!!
 
I didn’t change for anybody. When I’m long dead and gone, kids are gonna be walking the halls of Canton and they’re gonna come across the gold bust of Edgerrin James. (The only bust with dreads.) They’re gonna see somebody who looks like them. Somebody who did it his own way. Somebody who did it for the culture. They’re gonna see them dreads immortalized forever.

Started with the gold teeth. Ended with a gold jacket. That’s the story of Edgerrin James.
 
THESE are the players that roamed our University. THIS is how practice was supposed to be. THIS is how competition at the U used to look.

Thank you OP for posting this, and reminding us what our players should look like.

Also; the best line from Edge “trying to go 6 for 6 with college degrees.” Love how he wants his children to carry on his legacy as a father. Dope.
 
Salute to Edge. He was always a monster.

dope that Indy gave him a ring to. Irsay a real one!
I agree; it’s like The Lakers giving Elgin Baylor his ‘72 ring. Class act. Edge was part of the corner stone for Indy for so long. Could never get over the hump, and the first season he’s not there, Indy wins a chip. Glad Irsay recognized with no Edge & Peyton, Indy wouldn’t be where they were.
 
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THIS IS WHY YOU LOVE THE U! The edge, ST, Ed Reed, and many others who you would not find anywhere else. THAT heart and work is why the U was so special. These days you have recruiting sites and teams like Alabama etc which reload with 5 star players year after year but NONE of them are like the EDGE.
 
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