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DEL.ICIO.USWard routes all lead back home
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Detroit — For the longest time, Hines Ward spent Tuesday at Ford Field doing the impossible. Somehow, he kept smiling even more easily and brilliantly than he normally does. Then again, while sitting high on a podium before his portion of the 2,500 media gathered along the sideline, he was having all of these flashbacks to his youth in Clayton County.
About those flashbacks: There was Ward, operating in living color as a make-believe Jerry Rice catching a bunch of passes during a make-believe Super Bowl. This was before he starred as a quarterback at Forest Park High School. This was before he prospered as everything at the University of Georgia. This was before he produced four trips to the Pro Bowl as a wide receiver with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was when he was a 12-year-old in search of emulating greatness.
Which brings us to the present, where Ward is a 29-year-old evolving into what he always wanted to become: Great. Let’s just say that the real Jerry Rice is retired, and Hines Ward is a Sunday away from operating as Hines Ward during a real Super Bowl. So, not a moment is passing these days when the glow from Ward’s always bright face isn’t threatening to blind the stars and the sun. He is smiling for himself, along with for others.
“Right now, I’m living my dream, just to get an opportunity this weekend to make history,” Ward said, glancing toward the horizon, presumably in search of the Georgia state line. “Coming from Forest Park, Ga., not only am I playing this game for my teammates, for Jerome [Bettis, the Steelers’ running back returning to his native city], for the coach [the Steelers’ Bill Cowher] and for the organization, but I’m representing Forest Park. I’m representing the schoolteachers. I’m representing all of my friends from high school.”
The voice sort of quavered, but Ward didn’t cry. Well, not this time. When a smile isn’t sliding along his face, a tear might be on the way. The world discovered that Ward can run pretty fast, but he also revealed he has trouble sprinting from his feelings when he cried forever before cameras last season when he thought the Steelers’ loss in the AFC championship game might be the last game ever for Bettis. “They’re so close that they should be brothers,” Steelers offensive guard Kendall Simmons said.
Then there was four years ago, when Ward was so worked up before a home playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens that he nearly lost his breakfast on the turf at Heinz Field.
Still, the first time that Ward discovered that he often has no control over his emotions was when he was so nervous for a game that he nearly “passed out.” No, not when he played for the Steelers, nor for the Bulldogs of Georgia or the Panthers of Forest Park. Try the Dolphins of Forest Park. Ward chuckled before saying, “That was back during my first game in the Pee Wee League.”
So much has happened to Ward since then, and most of it has been good. Even much of the bad has worked in favor of this son of an African-American father and Korean mother. His parents divorced soon after his mother arrived in the United States as part of a GI marriage. Since his mother didn’t speak English and lacked a job at the time, Ward was forced to live with his father and stepmother.
Not good, according to Ward. Just last week, he told Korean television that he eventually sneaked back as a second-grader to live with his mother, and that was good. He said he acquired her work ethic after he watched her take three jobs to support the two of them along his way to becoming the most prolific player in all-purpose yards at Georgia not named Herschel Walker.
Ward became a Bulldog favorite, and even now, when he leaves his home in Smyrna, he hears more than a few barks.
So why was Ward laughing? “No disrespect, but Atlanta is Michael Vick’s town,” Ward said. “Everybody cheers for him, but that’s where my roots came from. I still have a lot of ties with the Georgia Bulldog community. That’s home for me, but the city of Pittsburgh has been great for me, and I’m glad to try to do whatever I can on Sunday to bring the Super Bowl back to the city of Pittsburgh.” He still didn’t cry, but just wait.
Permalink | Comments (26) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Terence Moore
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By ugapip
January 31, 2006 09:26 PM | Link to this
Hines Ward is one of my all-time favorite Bulldogs. He aspired to be the best but always put his team first. Whether he was playing QB, RB, or WR he always excelled. So this Bulldog is supporting the Steelers in a mighty way. Go Dawgs! Go Steelers!
By BirdDawg1980
January 31, 2006 10:26 PM | Link to this
Hines does us proud. As does Verron P-44 Haynes! You guys show ‘em how we do it in Athens! Make us proud. We’ll be rootin’ for you all the way! Go Hines! Go Haynes! Go Steelers! And sure as heck, GO DAWGS!
By Matthew
January 31, 2006 10:51 PM | Link to this
Hines Ward is a great receiver. I wish the Falcons would have him instead of the scrubs they do have. At least they got rid of Worthless Price. I will be cheering and crying tears of joy for him when he raises the Lombardi trophy.
I fondly remember his days as a Bulldog. He really excited the crowd. I will be cheering and crying tears of joy for him when he raises the Lombardi trophy.
I am going to UGA after I finish community college. Too bad I won’t be able to play football for UGA. I was a standout Krystals All-American football player in middle school but I hurt my knees so now I can’t play college football.
By Larry
January 31, 2006 11:03 PM | Link to this
Matthew my friend, hate to break it to, but, ahem,: “They ain’t no way in hell you agonna get accepted to UGA.” I don’t care if your GPA is 4.2 at Gainesville. And you can’t keep living in the past homie! UGA won’t care about how great of a ball player you were in 2nd grade! Don’t get your hopes up about UGA; be sure to send some applications out to Kennesaw, West Georgia, ABAC, Clayton, etc… so you will have a fall back plan. As for all this advice, you’re welcome. Cheers my friend, and semper fi!
By G'BORO DAWG
February 1, 2006 06:47 AM | Link to this
TM great article. Super Bowl XL just happens to have my two favorite Bulldawgs of all time in it. The above mentioned Hines Ward and Mack Strong. These two indviduals have done an outstanding job of representing the University of Georgia. Its hard to believe that Mack (1992) and Hines(1998) have been gone for so long, but isn’t that the beauty of college football. I will be watching this Super Bowl and will be tugged at b/c I want each of these guys to leave the field with the Lombardi, but we know that want happen. What we do know is that they will leave the field great peoples as we say in G’BORO
By GW
February 1, 2006 08:07 AM | Link to this
Hines Ward is easily one of the top 5 all-time great Georgia Bulldogs. He is also the epitome of the anti-T.O.
By gdawginkalamazoo
February 1, 2006 08:28 AM | Link to this
TM, nice article. Go Hines Ward!
By brewerfaninATL
February 1, 2006 08:51 AM | Link to this
Kudos to Hines Ward, he is everything that is RIGHT about the NFL! He’s one of the very few to let his numbers and play on the field do the talking.
By Jimmy Etheridge
February 1, 2006 09:25 AM | Link to this
Hines Ward is not only a great football player, but a great man. A great son. A man who has not forgotten from whence he came.
By Logan
February 1, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this
Bring it back 2 “THE PARK”…..Baby! WE all behind ya down here! Class of “94”…… I’ll be waiting on ya 2 celebrate, like we usually do!!!
By Matthew
February 1, 2006 10:57 AM | Link to this
Larry,
Why are you so hostile? What did I ever say to you that would warrant you to just come out of the blue and blast me like that?
I will go to UGA and there is nothing you can do about it. I’ll show you when I walk the stage and get my liberal arts degree. Also, may athletic feats of greatness happened in the 7th and 8th grades thank you very much!
You are just jealous beause you never were a star athlete in any sport in middle school while I excelled in baseball, football, soccer, figure skating, basketball, hockey, tennis, and track & field.
Unfortunately because I hurt my knees, so now I can not any longer compete in these sports I loved with a passion and put my blood, sweat, and tears into.
The fact that it pains me so much to have all my dreams taken away due to injury pains me enough withouth ignorant rednecks like you trying to belittle my sports acolades while you have none to speak of.
You need to realize that I just have a superior knoledge of sports and was a superior athlete until I hurt my kness than you and deal with it. Maybe if you spent half the time you did being mean to me on actually listening to what I have to say you might learn something.
You are welcome for that advice also.
By ebineezer
February 1, 2006 11:06 AM | Link to this
Mr. Moore this is one of your best articles.
By brewerfaninATL
February 1, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this
Um, Matthew, this is about Hines Ward, not another “I’m a legend in my own mind” stand on the soapbox and pound on chest speach! Stop hogging up all this space and start talking about sports for once. BTW, as a Big Ten fan, I do have the utmost respect for Mr. Ward, he is a classy guy and a great player!
By Darrell Moore
February 1, 2006 12:18 PM | Link to this
I’m a little biased being your brother, but this article captured the true spirit of working hard to achieve what you dream. Hines Ward is a true professional!
By jamillah fuller
February 1, 2006 12:27 PM | Link to this
hey i just want to say hats off to Hines Ward i played high school football against him at Griffin high School i even have the tape of the game.
By Chris
February 1, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this
Isn’t Ward a free agent this year? Imagine how the passing game could prosper with Ward on one side and Jenkins/White on the other.
Though I think our young receivers will eventually be outstanding, it would be great have such a talented veteran to show the ropes to the young guys. I’m sure Finneran helps them a lot, but he’s a different type of receiver.
Through big money at Ward, Mr. Blank. You certainly threw away enough on Price. Bring the man back home.
By Greg from Marietta
February 1, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this
Terence Moore, you never cease to amaze me. This had to be one of the Best Articles that you have ever written. My compliments to you for capturing the man behind the football player. I admired Hines Ward before for his achievements on the gridiron but now I admire him even more as a man. Thank you for showing me a side of him that I had not seen before.
By Dee
February 1, 2006 12:49 PM | Link to this
Hines is a good person, we went to FP together and he does the same stuff in Pittsburgh that he’s done at Tara Stadium against Morrow, Upson- Lee, Mt. Zion and other schools in this area.The only difference was that he was our QB!
We were one game away from making the playoffs his senior year. We still went 6-4 with Hines on his way to signing with UGA. Good luck to you man. See ya when you get back.
By L.J.
February 1, 2006 01:02 PM | Link to this
Chris,
Hines signed a new deal with Pittsburgh right before the season began. Remember he was holding out of training camp?
By adam
February 1, 2006 01:55 PM | Link to this
Hey matthew, Your accomplishment when you were 12 are very impressive. What a great athlete you must be to have peaked at 13. Idiot.
By beentheredonethat
February 1, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this
Matt, Not to burst your bubble buddy but if you get a degree at UGA you won’t be walking or hobbling (with your bad knee) across the “stage” unless escorted by security. I got to stand up with 7500 of my closest friends in Sanford stadium to “get my degree”. Actually they mailed it. In a cute little red and black tube.
By Matthew
February 1, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this
Adam,
It wasn’t that I peaked at 13 it is just that I hurt my knees and became physically unable to compete any longer at the superior level I had grown accustomed to.
I do thank you for the compliment though and I am glad there is one person on here who can appreciate greatness when they come across it. Yes my athletic accomplishments were very impressive. Just think if I hadn’t hurt my knees what I could have done. I could be right there with the great Hines Ward in the Super Bowl.
By brewerfaninATL
February 1, 2006 03:36 PM | Link to this
Matthew, put a cork in it already…I mean nobody cares about your Nintendo baseball accomplishments from 1986! Just go away!
By Alan
February 1, 2006 05:18 PM | Link to this
Great Article TM. Hines Ward is a real stand up guy. I actually met him a few years ago.
brewerfaninATL you are hilarious!! Keep up the great work!!
By Ray Steeler Fan
February 1, 2006 05:23 PM | Link to this
Terrance,
Good article. Hines deserves the recognition for his positive attitude on and off the field. He is an inspiration.
By Mike
February 1, 2006 06:51 PM | Link to this
TM, that was a great article. I have enjoyed Hines Ward’s style of play and p;ersonal demeanor since he attended UGA. However, I am an Alabama fan and I am big fan of Shaun Alexander. So I will be rooting for the Seahawks in SB XL.
Matty boy, in case you didn’t notice, which I am sure you didn’t, Adam was being sarcastic and he ended his post by calling you an IDIOT. This is a prime example as to why you should go to a JUCO and give up you illusions of ever attending a Div I school. I agree with everyone that has commented on your first post, Who cares about what you did when you were younger? Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Players damage their knees all the time only to rehabilitate their way back to the same status they were at prior to the injury. I have read many of your posts on prior occassions and have been amazed at your stupidity. Just because someone doesn’t see things in the same light as you, you bust on them and use your ultra infamous word “redneck”. You don’t even know the meaning of redneck do you? And the Jeff Foxworthy version isn’t it buddy. Open your mind and argue or comment intelligently rather than portraying Charlie Brown’s teacher, “wah wah, wah wah wah, wah”. Maybe you need some sort of higher education because high school didn’t teach you a thing.