Aug. 29, 2007

NOTE: Tom Hart served as the play-by-play commentator recently for the Texas A&M University-Commerce football game vs. Pittsburg State. On Wednesday, he wrote this article for CSTV.com. Here it is in its entirety.

Danny Kambel Sports Information Director

---- All Roads Lead To Commerce Lions come from diverse backgrounds, some extraordinary

Aug. 29, 2007

By Tom Hart

Special to CSTV.com

There's a long and winding road to every college football stadium. It's true. Have you ever tried to get to Clemson's Death Valley?

As fans of the game we often take for granted the directions to the game. Yes, Virginia Tech fans know traffic can be a pain trying to get through Christiansburg on a football weekend, but I'm not referring to the MapQuest efforts of tailgaters.

Several student-athletes have taken circuitous routes to their various programs.

At Texas A&M-Commerce, they have a host of Division I transfers who have left behind BCS programs to suit up for the Lions.

Missouri has provided linebacker Chad Washington and kicker Alex Pettersen. Running back Eddie Moss arrived from the Air Force Academy.

The name most searched for by message boarders in a "whatever happened to" capacity is former Texas Longhorn Garnet Smith. A freshman starter at linebacker, Smith was right where he wanted to be in Austin.

Following an injury and a position coach change, though, Smith read the writing on the wall. It said, quite simply: Leave town. Only after Smith filled out his transfer papers, and after Greg Robinson took the head job at Syracuse, did Smith realize the original message had been scribbled in invisible ink.

Regret came at Smith like a windshield to a bug. There was no turning back. You see, once a student-athlete decides to transfer they must fill out paperwork declaring their intention, and stating that they will never return to that campus as a student.

Smith understands there are few opportunities for redemption. His quarterback is Terry Mayo. As a 17-year-old at Eastern Guilford High School in Greensboro, Mayo decided his map to athletic stardom would take him through Milwaukee. A 13th round pick by the Brewers in 1999, Mayo was selected eight picks ahead of a guy by the name of Albert Pujols.

Stardom on the diamond eluded Mayo like Midwest League sliders. He struck out 69 times in 50 games in 2002. He hit .112. He watched as teammate Prince Fielder ballooned into a big leaguer. His clock was ticking. So he returned to the football field and enrolled at Reedley Junior College. His stock soared, and he was ranked as high as the No. 2 JUCO quarterback coming out two years ago. Utah wanted him, so did Oregon and Toledo. George O'Leary convinced Mayo to bring his talents to UCF, and he would be their starting quarterback today if he hadn't gorged on summer school and stuffed too many credits into a window too small for the NCAA to accept. Now Mayo barks signals in the Lone Star Conference.

Unlike the list of others before, Kenny Ford is back where he began. Ten years ago the Waco native arrived on campus in Commerce too immature to handle the balance required by student athletes. He suggested as much to a coach, who readily agreed and helped Ford plan his exit strategy. The military made as much sense as anything.

Before long, Kenny Ford found himself serving as a corpsman, spending seven months in the Middle East attached to a fleet hospital. His new team consisted of 12 others, and together they called themselves "Unit 13." Treating the sick and wounded provided Ford opportunity and insight. An opportunity to help heal, and insight to his own heart.

Ford began treating a soldier named Chris Gonzalez, and during their time together Gonzalez shared his regrets. Lack of dedication to the game he loved kept Gonzalez from playing football at a higher level as a teenager. Surgery to amputate both of his legs at the knee would keep him from returning to the gridiron after his time of service.

During this conversation Ford shared that he, too, regretted that immaturity cost him a chance to play the game at the college level.

"I wish I could go back, and play again," Ford told Gonzalez.

The response shocked Ford into changing his life.

"Why can't you?" Gonzalez asked.

Kenny Ford is a 30-year-old linebacker. He wears No. 13 in honor of his Unit. He remembers Chris Gonzalez is from New Jersey and has a daughter named Cynthia. What he remembers most is that Gonzalez changed Ford's life, and now Ford has one more season to erase the regrets.