Sproles, MJD, Welker, Branch, Ray Rice, DeSean, now Woodhead. It’s all about the shorties. Ok, and of course, I have to mention Brandon Banks, a Redskin and a new addition to the “short and mighty club”.
It’s funny because, as a kid (a short kid), you realize your limitations early in life. You can never reach anything. You’re picked last in dodgeball (well, us and the fatties). You always have to stand in the front row in school pictures. And no one ever really says to you, wow, you’ll make a really great athlete someday. And if you’re a guy, then no one really encourages you to play certain sports like football (basketball and volleyball were too obvious). But we learn through the ages that it isn’t all about size. In every sport, there have been a number of munchkins who have excelled. I’m really proud to see that there are football players who are making a name for themselves in the NFL—that they can be called good players without saying “for a short guy” at the end.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Some of those guys I mentioned are 5’10” (DeSean might be pushing 5’11”, but probably not). And that’s not short! Ok, ok, settle down. It is short for an NFL pro-athlete. This guy has corners covering him who are four inches taller than him. It’s ridiculous that he can still hold touchdown records and be one of the best wide receivers in the game. But in my defense, a lot of those other guys are way shorter.
Woodhead claims he is 5’8”, but he is more like 5’7”. Welker, only an inch or two taller than him and Branch is about the same as Welker. That’s three of the toughest offensive players on one of the best (if not THE best) team in the NFL right now. Sproles is barely 5’6”, Banks, 5’7”. MJD has earned the moniker, “oompa loompa” because of his 5’7” bowling ball build with thighs of steel. Ray Rice is only 5’8”.
I don’t know what the point of this blog is, other than to say that I’m proud of my people. Thanks for representing. And next time you see a short kid, remember, if you encourage them to be a jockey (yes, I was encouraged to be a jockey at one point…mostly for my love of horses, but I am sure my size played into a part of that), you might never know what they could do on a football field.
Chicks Like Sports Too 