About me: High degree of perseverance
June 25, 2008
Sixteen years after entering San Diego State and 12 years after entering the NFL, where he now plays for St. Louis, La'Roi Glover has earned his college degree.
La'Roi Glover is one of the great test cases. Because he was going to have problems making it. He was going to be too small to play defensive tackle in the NFL. And, if that didn't happen, then what? He was without a college degree, falling several credits short when he left San Diego State.
As it turns out, the “then what?” question has been answered. He's a role model. By sheer will, La'Roi Glover has become one of this town's most inspiring athletic success stories.
Meet La'Roi Glover, six-time Pro Bowler. Meet La'Roi Glover, college graduate, San Diego State class of 2008.
After leaving Point Loma High in 1992, Glover went on to SDSU, where he played football for four years but didn't finish classwork. Glover wanted to play in the NFL, but he was all of 6-1½, 265 pounds. There are tight ends bigger than that. In the spring of 1996, the Raiders, not really taking much of a chance, drafted Glover in the fifth round.
No real security there, and after his rookie season, Glover was sent for seasoning in the World League, where he played for Barcelona and won a championship.
“I had a blast, a lot of fun over there,” he says. “It wasn't the NFL, but I had to show the scouts that I was a pretty good football player.”
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And so he did, but not long after he returned to the States, the Raiders cut him. The next day, New Orleans, then run by Mike Ditka, signed him. Ditka, a Hall of Fame football player, saw a football player.
“I went to Coach Ditka's office,” Glover says. “He wasn't worried about smaller guys. He said: 'I don't care how big you are or how fast you are. Can you play football? Can you get to the ball and make plays?' ”
That Glover could do. It's in his blood. He's a third-generation San Diego football player. His grandfather John played for the Marines during the 1950s and his father, Lawrence, for Lincoln High during the 1960s.
Ditka got what he wanted. More than he no doubt imagined.
What followed were six straight Pro Bowl seasons as Glover performed for the Saints and then Dallas before finally settling in St. Louis, his current place of employment. His 84 sacks over 12 seasons rank fourth among active NFL defensive tackles.
Not bad for a guy who has maxed out at 285 pounds, which is more like a marathon runner in the world of huge defensive tackles.
“Coach Ditka made me feel comfortable,” says Glover, who will be 34 on the Fourth of July. “I'm still small.
“I was a decent college player. Looking back, if I'd known what I know now, I would have been a much better player in college. I was a little lazy. I didn't have the work ethic I have now.”
That work ethic he found carried over to the classroom. Finally finding time to go back to State, he lived out a dream after 12 years of waking up without a diploma. He graduated in May with a degree in public administration.
More than impressed is Sara Hickmann, Glover's freshman academic adviser at SDSU who, as current NFL director of player services, has kept tabs on Glover's academic pursuits.
“It's pretty thrilling just to be involved,” Hickmann says. “It's so hard for players to find time (to return to school), when nothing gets in their way. It's challenging.
“La'Roi doesn't necessarily need his degree to have financial success. But he felt it was important.”
Glover is one of those people who can put his mind to something and get it done. As Hickmann says, he didn't have to do this, but he had the will. Now, he more than likely will be on display as a lead example at the NFL's annual Rookie Symposium, which begins Sunday in Carlsbad.
And not all rookies, as we have seen, are good at taking advice.
“La'Roi is going to participate, and we hope to do a video of his experiences, because he is a great example for other players,” Hickmann says. “He's very much a role model, one of the points I want to make. He's shown so much resiliency. A lot of players come out of college 30 credits shy and feel like it's an insurmountable hill to climb.
“They give up. La'Roi didn't allow himself to give up. The last two years, especially, he really dedicated himself. This is a win-win.”
Glover, who admits he's shy but still hopes to get into broadcasting, wanted it and went out and got it.
“I needed something like eight or nine courses to graduate,” says Glover, who is thinking about going for his master's. “I didn't feel complete without a degree. It adds validity. I want to get into color commentating and I don't want to be just another guy running off at the mouth.
“My brother got his degree. My uncles got degrees. I was next in line. I went to school for four years. Why let a semester of classes hold me back?
“So here we are.”
Here he is. La'Roi Glover. Pro Bowler. Graduate.
Nick Canepa: (619) 293-1397; nick.canepa@uniontrib.com
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