9710240140
DETROIT FREE PRESS
971024
Friday, October 24, 1997
METRO FINAL
1C
Photo
Sedrick Irvin
MITCH ALBOM
Copyright (c) 1997, Detroit Free Press
IRVIN'S LOOKING GOOD, IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE
OK, he admits it. He does a little strutting. In front of the mirror. Every
night. No biggie.
Every night?
"Around 9 o'clock," he says.
OK, he admits it. He throws on different outfits. Maybe shorts ("cause my legs
are pretty"), maybe a tank top ("cause by body is sculpted just right"). And
then, like a GQ model, he walks past his image. Does a quick turn. Looks at
himself as if surprised. Ah-ah. Caught ya lookin'!
A GQ model?
"Oh my god, with this body? Yes!" he says. "Sometimes I look at those
magazines and say, 'I'm in the wrong business!' "
OK, he admits it. He likes the way he looks. He likes the hair, the smile, the
muscles, the whole package. So he struts. In his dorm room. By the mirror.
Hey, who loves ya if not yourself?
"What happens if someone walks in on you while you're modeling?" Sedrick Irvin
is asked.
"I say I'm checking to see if my clothes fit."
Smooth.
So before you dismiss Irvin as a stuck-on-himself athlete, you have to at
least give a nod to his brashness. Not everyone would admit, right off the
bat, that they conduct a personal fashion show in the dorms. But then, Irvin
is here, playing football for Michigan State, because of that kind of
bluntness. He is here, in the cold Midwest landscape, this Miami kid who
admits he never even heard of MSU when its recruiter showed up, because he
knew what he wanted as a senior in high school. A place to play. Actually, a
place where he could start as a freshman. He had the tools. He had the talent.
In his mind, all he needed was an opening.
So far, he has been proven correct.
"My friends said, 'You're crazy. Why you want to go to some school that's not
even in the Top 25, when you could go to Florida State?' " Irvin recalls. "But
now . . ."
He laughs. "Now, they're telling me how smart I was. How do you like that?"
A second chance
No one knows where Sedrick Irvinis going to go. Not physically. Not verbally.
He's like a new puppy, darting in a dozen directions with a tongue-wagging
enthusiasm that's endearing enough to make you forget what he did to your
carpet.
Here's Irvin darting through a hole in the line and scampering for big
yardage.
And here's Irvin saying: "I've been working on my dancing for when I go pro."
Here's Irvin scoring 16 touchdowns as a freshman.
And her's Irvin saying, "If I were a pro wrestler, my name would be Maningo."
Here's Irvin showing Barry Sanders moves and Emmitt Smith bullishness, setting
a freshman record with 1,067 yards rushing last season.
And here's Irvin saying: "I see myself on the cover of Sports Illustrated,
with Magic, Isiah, Kareem and Jordan. We'd all be there together. Group shot."
Oh? And what would the headline say?
"I was hoping it would say 'Mission Accomplished' because those guys set out
to win a championship and did, and we set out to win one, too. But after we
lost last week I might have to change the headline."
To what?
He thinks for a second. "Redemption," he says.
And that is what Saturday may all be about, when you strip away the talk, the
dancing, the joking, the strutting in front of the mirror. Redemption. It was
one thing to find a place to play. Now Irvin wants to win. He didn't know how
big this Michigan-Michigan State thing was when he got here, but it only took
him one game to see the looks on his teammates' faces.
"I'll be more serious this week, no doubt. Not talking on the phone as much.
Focused in practice. Then when we're in the hotel (tonight) it'll really hit.
And on Saturday, when we make that walk from the Kellogg Center to the
stadium, it'll be a serious walk. I'll be serious, instead of what I usually
do."
What do you usually do?
"Try and trip somebody."
Uh-huh.
A free spirit
I don't envy Nick Saban's coaching Irvin. He seems to be one of those kids
that requires a delicate balance. You don't want him saying something foolish,
something that will rile up the other team. But you don't want to crush the
spirit that makes him who he is. Remember that Irvin grew up on the Miami
Hurricanes, whose behavior at times made the Dirty Dozen look like an Osmond
reunion.
Compared to that Irvin is conservative, straight-laced, jacket and tie.
Besides, he plays like crazy. And he does things that fool you. Like the way
he writes little inspirational words on his wristband before a game. In high
school, when his grandparents were sick, their names were written in marker
and he looked to them for inspiration.
This week, he says, the word will be "believe."
"I know around here, you can go 0-10 and if you beat Michigan, people are
happy. I know we can do it. They're a great team, but Saturday, the country
will be saying, 'Michigan State, what can you do?' "
The Spartans can do a lot. Especially when this kid is running the ball. And
when it's over, who knows, there could be a whale of a fashion show in front
of Sedrick's mirror.
"I guess you'll have to win for that to happen, huh?" he is asked.
"Oh, no," he said. "I do that regardless. I did my little mirror walk last
week, too. I just walked a little slower."
He pauses.
"I mean, I was still looking kind of nice . . ."
This kid is going places. You can just tell.
Mitch Albom will sign "Tuesdays With Morrie" 8-9 tonight, Borders, Utica, and
8-9 p.m. Tuesday, Barnes & Noble, Grosse Pointe. To leave a message for Albom,
call 1-313-223-4581.
THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THE PRINTED ARTICLE.
COLUMN; SEDRICK IRVIN; COLLEGE; FOOTBALL; MSU