Rudy Ruttiger. Vincent Papale. Hopefully, Todd DeLamielleure....

The NFL Draft is something I get very excited about, and this year was no exception. I spent pretty much the entire weekend glued to either a TV or my web-enable phone, eagerly awaiting my belvoed Browns first pick in the late part of the fourth round. After the draft is finished up, NFL teams then offer smaller contracts to undrafted players (undrafted free agents, or UDFAs). Drafted and undrafted players then attend a rookie minicamp, and they are accompanied with several other UDFAs that are offered a tryout with the team. Tryouts are longshots to make the team, but somethimes they might stick with a practice squad or another team. Enter Todd DeLamielleure (#68 in the photo; sorry-couldn't find any other pics).

Browns fans may recognize the last name DeLamielleure from the Cardiac Kids era in the early 80s. Todd's father, Joe D, is a Hall of Fame offensive guard whoplayed for the Browns from 1980-84; previously, he blocked for OJ Simpson in Buffalo. Even though Joe D went to a Pro Bowl as a Brown, he is most remembered as a Bill. I then googled 'Todd DeLamielleure', to find a truly epic story about his journey to the NFL....

Todd DeLamielleure was a standout three-yeara starter at Duke in the late 90s, and then finished his NCAA career with a year at Hofstra in 2001. He was signed as an UDFA to the Colts; however, he hurt his shoulder before the season began. He was then sent to NFL Europe the next spring, but his shoulder wasn't quite football-ready. Another injury followed, and he then surgically reparied the shoulder. Tryouts with the Panthers and his father's Bills squad yielded nothing, so he decided to try another career.

In 2004, he became a firefighter in Charleston, South Carolina. He never stopped working out, and kept himself in football shape during his firefighting career. Three years later, on June 18, 2007, four of Todd's closest friends died in a fire at a furniture store blaze. It was a national news story, and my FD actually sent about 10-15 guys up to S.C. for the funerals. A total of nine firefighters were lost that day, and I can only imagine how he must still feel. Charleston is a department of about 250 guys, spread out over three shifts. Realizing how fleeting life can be, DeLamielleure decided to give pro football one more try.

A fledgling pro football league formed in 2007, the now-defunct All-American Football League. It was a second-chance football league that would only allow players with college degrees. Todd D ended up making the Arkansas team; howver, the league folded due to $$$$ problems (I was pumped up for the Florida team, too). DeLamielleure then sent out DVDs and letters to NFL, AFL, and AF2 franchises. Luckily, the Browns' defensive assistant coach Bob Trott coached him at Duke, and now the 29 yea-rold DeLamielleure is among 22 year-olds here at the Browns' rookie minicamp.

Athletically, this guy is tough. He ran the 40 in 4.6, and recently pushed out 37 reps of 225 lbs on the bench press. I guess that shoulder is healed. The question is, can he still play? If this guy gets a spot on the Browns', he will INSTANTLY become a team favorite-right up there with Joe J. I have been scouring the web, sirius radio, and the NFL Network for mincamp news on him. Realistically speaking, the guy has a ghost of a chance of making the Browns. I can only hope that he fights through the decked stacked against him, and triumphs, FireFighter-Style.

Todd D!

How did DC do?

....in his new competitive ventures? Not too bad, I guess; probably better than I expected. Here's a quick recap.

Firefighter Combat Challenge Gainesville, FL
We packed up the family, and headed over to GatorLand early in the AM for my very first FfCC event. There wasn't too big of a turnout (about 60 people in my division); however, I just wanted to finish around three minutes and not fall on my ass IFO people. The guy I went up against was a 6'4" Adonis, that looked like an NFL TE. He said that it was his first event, as well. I also ended up in the stairwell opposite the layout that I have been training on; instead of carrying the 50 lb hose pack on my left shoulder, and having my right hand on the stairwell....I had to flip hands. My start was a little slower, due to that fact. After I made it up the four flights up stairs, I then had to bend over the top of the tower and hoist a 40 lb. roll of hose with a rope. The guy I was up against was finished by the time I made my second pull-that was the last I saw of him. I kept a solid pace, got the hose roll up, and headed down the stairs. Next was the Kaiser Sled, in which you straddle a steel railroad tie and strike it several times with a sledge hammer. My arms were full of lactate after the hoisting just prior; nevertheless, I finished and jogged 200 feet to the next part. I had to pick up a charged fire hose, and advance it 100 feet, and spray water. I've got pretty strong legs, so this was no problem. The final event is the victim rescue-a 175 lb. dummy drag, in which you have to drag the dummy from behind, walking backwards the whole time. The guy I was up against had just finished at this time, but I maintained my own race. I picked up the dummy, and backpedaled as hard as I could. I crossed teh finish line in 2:36, 25 seconds better than my goal. I also had the second-fastest time among first-timers at the event. The fastest? The guy I went up against. Unfortunatley, I finished 41st out fo 60 guys. I wish these weren't so far away, because I could really get into this stuff. Big shout-outs to my girls, Shannon Elise and Katherine Grace, for getting up at 5am and hanging with me for the day.

Corporate 5K Downtown Orlando

I did this 5K run in turnout pants and coat, in the upper 80s/lower 90s temps. I kept 9:10-9:20 miles throughout, and finsihed in 29:20, about 20-30 seconds faster than last year. Next 5K, I'll probably do it with an airpack on.