Spring Break
The Daily OrangeRepaying a Debt: After re-enrolling at Syracuse, Mike Williams is looking to come back better than ever
By Tyler Dunne
Posted: 4/16/09, 1:17 AM EST Section: Sports
So Williams escaped it all. He attended classes at Springfield (Mass.) Technical Community College to earn his way back to Syracuse. He said he owed it to Syracuse. It would have been easy to transfer to a DI-AA school and leave the mess behind him, like so many NFL hopefuls do. But that's not Williams' style, Russell said.
"Syracuse made a commitment to him and he wanted to make a commitment to Syracuse," Russell said. "Mike didn't want to run away from the problem … He felt bad about letting down his teammates. He felt that he needed to make it up to them."
After all, Williams committed to the Orange as a junior in high school - premature for a prospect drawing interest from Division I football and basketball schools. As more and more D-I schools swooped through Buffalo, N.Y., Williams stood by Syracuse.
The eviction was not a smooth ride. In Massachusetts, Williams watched Syracuse's offense crumble every Saturday. He had 10 touchdowns himself in 2007. SU's passing game produced only 11 scores all 2008. Out of frustration, Williams often turned the television off by halftime and opened up the textbooks.
"All I had to do was schoolwork," Williams said. "I didn't have football and I didn't have my friends around, so it was just all schoolwork."
Being banished from his team for one season had a numbing effect.
"I learned that everything is not given to you," Williams said. "You have to work for everything. At first, I'm thinking, 'I'm Mike Williams. I'm on top of the world.' That's how I felt. But now, me being suspended helped me. It helped me realize that I'm like everybody else. I can be suspended. I can leave, too."
Throughout the banishment, Williams constantly talked to Davis. Williams scolded his good friend for not running crisp routes. ("I'd say, 'Ah man, that's bad! That's why you didn't get the ball!'") And Williams gave Davis regular briefings on how his classes were going. When he learned that Syracuse was taking him back, Williams called Davis immediately.
"Syracuse made a commitment to him and he wanted to make a commitment to Syracuse," Russell said. "Mike didn't want to run away from the problem … He felt bad about letting down his teammates. He felt that he needed to make it up to them."
After all, Williams committed to the Orange as a junior in high school - premature for a prospect drawing interest from Division I football and basketball schools. As more and more D-I schools swooped through Buffalo, N.Y., Williams stood by Syracuse.
The eviction was not a smooth ride. In Massachusetts, Williams watched Syracuse's offense crumble every Saturday. He had 10 touchdowns himself in 2007. SU's passing game produced only 11 scores all 2008. Out of frustration, Williams often turned the television off by halftime and opened up the textbooks.
"All I had to do was schoolwork," Williams said. "I didn't have football and I didn't have my friends around, so it was just all schoolwork."
Being banished from his team for one season had a numbing effect.
"I learned that everything is not given to you," Williams said. "You have to work for everything. At first, I'm thinking, 'I'm Mike Williams. I'm on top of the world.' That's how I felt. But now, me being suspended helped me. It helped me realize that I'm like everybody else. I can be suspended. I can leave, too."
Throughout the banishment, Williams constantly talked to Davis. Williams scolded his good friend for not running crisp routes. ("I'd say, 'Ah man, that's bad! That's why you didn't get the ball!'") And Williams gave Davis regular briefings on how his classes were going. When he learned that Syracuse was taking him back, Williams called Davis immediately.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Anxious For Good Football
posted 4/16/09 @ 4:47 PM EST
Great story. Human interest stuff like this is what helps the fans get really interested in the players and the team and want them to succeed. Thanks for writing it. (Continued…)
Post a Comment