Sports: Anthony Thomas, 2000, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: December 24, 2000 Alexandria Daily Town Talk Cenla Sportsman of the Year: Anthony Thomas By Eric Branch Staff reporter Before Anthony Thomas says the first word in response to your first question, you think, with this thought supported by mountains of evidence, "This might not go very well." University of Michigan running back Anthony Thomas, you see, is college football's answer to that excruciating birds-and-bees-chat from dad. Think about it, a legion of sports writers with twice your experience, working at bigger places with bigger vocabularies have hit a stone wall talking to Thomas. Naturally, a flood of stories about the Wolverines' 6-foot-2, 223-pound two-wheeler from Winnfield have surfaced this year while the senior broke the school's all-time record for rushing touchdowns (53) and 100-yard games (21). Thomas also led UM to a share of the Big Ten title (its third in his four seasons) and neared the all-time Wolverine rushing record, a mark he can break with 106 yards against Auburn in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1. His record-breaking senior season - which includes 1,551 yards and 16 touchdowns - has made Thomas the Town Talk's Central Louisiana Sportsman of the Year. It is merely the latest honor for Thomas, one of Michigan's four captains and one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award given to the nation's top running back. He was also a first-team All-Big Ten pick and a third-team All-American selection by the Sporting News and Associated Press. But forget Thomas' status, no one can get past his silence. Sports Illustrated's Austin Murphy, a talented guy you figure could pull a quote from a mannequin, spent half his story bemoaning his one-sided chat, "Thomas's numbers tell quite a story," Murphy wrote, "a good thing, because the man known as the A-Train does not." Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reporter Scott Priestle quoted four sources in his November feature story, none of them being the feature subject. "Thomas," Priestle wrote, perhaps by means of explanation, "does not speak volumes about anything." Fascinated by this portrait of the ultimate strong-and-silent type, you called Ann Arbor News sports writer Jim Cnockaert, who has covered Michigan football for the past 11 years, but still hasn't found the key to unlock Thomas' voice box. Murphy and Priestle, he assured you, weren't lying: Anthony Thomas won't carry a conversation like he carries a football. But those were the only discouraging words he could offer. "Anthony Thomas," he began after hearing the purpose of your call, "is as humble as any player I've ever seen considering his position on the team. He has been the Michigan running game for the past two years, and you might expect to have seen a little chest thumping by this point. It's just never happened." You will later hear even more fawning praise of Thomas - a husband, father, doting son and a colossal bear hug when it comes to children - but Cnockaert's response is perhaps the most telling. Even sports writers admire Anthony Thomas, vanilla quotes and all. But, if you want some serious love, talk to Helen Gilbert, who raised Anthony, her youngest, and four other children by working as a janitor at Winnfield Middle School. The usual athlete-overcomes-tough-childhood-thanks-to-devoted-mom story dictates that Thomas, who is expected to be selected in the first three rounds of April's NFL Draft, will thank his mom by buying her a house and Mercedes after he signs his first pro contract. But Thomas, without riches after bypassing the NFL following his junior season, just couldn't wait to give something back. So he surrendered some of his freedom. This summer, he flew home, picked up his mother and brought her back to Ann Arbor to share his senior season. "I talked to my brother and sisters about it," said Thomas, who also lived with his mom in Ann Arbor the summer before his junior year. "She was surprised. She knew I was coming, but she just didn't know when." Thomas married Hayley Herrero in March and the couple has a 3-year-old daughter, Alexia. Their family will also permanently include his mom. Unlike his first three seasons, when he called his mom before and after each game, Gilbert has been able to watch her "baby" play this season. "It's so exciting," said Gilbert. "I can't explain it all in words. But just to be there and have people talk about (Anthony) and praise him; people will stop me in the street to tell me how wonderful they think he is." Roosevelt Thomas, Anthony's father, still lives in Winnfield, but never had a role in raising his son. Thomas clearly won't follow that example. Consider, for instance, that he graduated from Winnfield with a state-record 106 touchdowns, was ranked ninth nationally in all-time points scored and was ranked 11th nationally in all-time rushing yards (7,594). But former Winnfield coach Jim McKiever, who coached Thomas his first three years, said his most vivid memory of one of the country's top prep players isn't a touchdown. "He would stand out there after every game and sign every autograph," said McKiever, the principal at Northside Junior High in Jennings. "Anthony just loved little kids. He took being a role model very seriously." Nothing has changed since. Every Monday (an off day from football) since he was a freshman, Thomas has been a mentor to elementary school kids in the city, helping them with their homework or talking about problems. Thomas is a frequent visitor to Mott's Children Hospital, a part of the University of Michigan Hospital, which includes many terminally ill children. Thomas has also taken an active role in the Special Day Cancer Camp and takes groups of 20-plus children to Detroit Tigers baseball games. "What I've learned from him is, here's Anthony, probably the biggest name on our football team, but he's always doing things off the field," said Michigan senior tackle Jeff Backus. "... He sets an example. When you see Anthony Thomas going out and helping kids, you can't think that you're too good or you're above doing that." That lack of ego is evident on the field, where Thomas relishes pass blocking, a chore as appetizing as mid-summer two-a-days for most star tailbacks. In addition, the A-Train, who has averaged a bone-wearying 25 carries a game the past two years, is next-to-impossible to derail. In his career, Thomas has endured injuries to his hamstring, shoulder and ribs, he's suffered a broken hand, foot and finger and had his appendix removed. He's missed one game. As a junior against Indiana, he tied a school-record with 42 carries and had 197 yards and 3 three touchdowns while playing with a broken finger. It's no wonder, considering his selfless blend of talent and tenacity, that his teammates made him a runaway winner of the Bo Schembechler Award as team MVP. On a team with other bona-fide stars in quarterback Drew Henson and wide receiver David Terrell, Thomas received 100 out of 109 votes. "Anthony would be happy to pass block all day long," said UM offensive guard Steve Hutchinson. "Everyone respects the way he plays and gives himself up for the team." But even more remarkably, Thomas is just as dependable off the field. Says Ed Boullion, the director of From the Heart, an organization that arranges for UM athletes to visit Mott's Children's Hospital, "If I called Anthony right now, and his schedule allowed, there isn't anything he wouldn't do if I asked. He will stop in his tracks to be kind to a kid and his family." No, it's not difficult to find people who will trip over themselves praising Anthony Thomas. The chore is getting Thomas to do the same. He will graduate in the winter with a degree in sports management and communication, with the emphasis, a reporter might assume, on sports management. He's a polite interviewee. He's straightforward. He even laughs. But he's not much on elaboration. "If you want to know something about Anthony," Backus said, "you've got to straight-out ask him." The same rule applied to his wife, Hayley, whom he met at the Ann Arbor Art Fair during his freshman year. The two talked deep into the night. It wasn't until the next day that Thomas mentioned, oh by the way, I also play football. "That's something I don't think people need to know right off the bat," Thomas said. "I think if I come up and say I'm an athlete, people will see me as a different person. But if I'm just myself at first, people get to know who I really am." It is yet another admirable quality, of course, Thomas' reluctance to use his status to his advantage. The only danger, it seems, is that due to Thomas's quiet ways, he could leave Ann Arbor less than fully embraced. Sure, he will be loved by Joe Fan for his yardage, touchdowns and all the rest of his Saturday afternoon glory. But what about the rest? To paraphrase Thomas' words, do they know who he really is? He generally doesn't allow his wife or mother, two unrivaled sources for personal insight and tidbits, to be interviewed. And even Backus, his teammate for four years, didn't know about his work with children until this season. So, as a result, the Anthony Thomas stories are similar: He's really good and really quiet. But he's also, it's nice to discover, really appreciated. The Michigan football team held its annual awards banquet, the Michigan Football Bust, on Nov. 27 at Laurel Manor, a swank banquet hall in Livonia, a suburb of Detroit. The audience of roughly 3,000 included the team, coaching staff, alumni and boosters. Throughout the evening, UM's 18 seniors were introduced. One by one, they received thunderous applause as they strode forward to give a farewell speech at the podium. When Thomas was introduced, the applause swelled until, eventually, it was a long, spine-tingling standing ovation. Fittingly, considering the source of the crowd's affection, the emotional thank you and goodbye was unspoken. "I don't know about Train," said UM freshman running back Ryan Beard. "But I got teared up." Cnockaert, the UM beat writer who saw future NFL stars Desmond Howard, Tryone Wheatley, and Brian Griese give senior speeches over the past decade, was stunned. "I've never seen that before," he said. "But that tells you all you need to know. For whatever reason, and I don't know that I can explain it, Anthony struck a chord with Michigan fans." Maybe it's because he skipped the NFL after his junior season and got his degree. And maybe it's because he will graduate as one of the most decorated players in Michigan football history. Or maybe those people stood up and cheered because they knew exactly what they were clapping for. He sure didn't tell them, but somewhere along the way, they found out who Anthony Thomas really was. "You never know how people feel about you," Thomas said. "But I spent a lot of time here. I felt like they were saying thanks for the four years I was here." (Reporter Eric Branch's e-mail address is ebranch@thetowntalk.com.)** Thomas' year stands out in standout year for Cenla by John Marcase Anthony Thomas was always good. Not just anyone can rush for 2,000 yards as a high school sophomore. Yet, Thomas did. Covering high schools way back then, the year was 1994, I was more impressed with Winnfield's offensive line that season, one in which the Tigers went 10- 0, beating four teams from District 3-4A along the way. Not only did Anthony rush for 2,000 yards, senior fullback R. C. Williams gained 1,000 yards himself. Winnfield's offensive line that season may have been the best Central Louisiana has seen. David Gaar and Brian Garrett, both of whom went on to sign Division 1-A scholarships, Jeff Audirsch, William Moore, and Decarlos Anderson opened holes big enough for Bob's Big Boy to scoot through. But Anthony Thomas has since proven he's one of the best central Louisiana has seen, as well. Thomas left Winnfield with the Louisiana record for touchdowns in a career (106) to go with his 7,500 yards rushing. Byron Robertson of St. Thomas Aquinas, who is being honored today as Mr. Football by the LSWA, finally broke Thomas' scoring mark this season. When Anthony plays his final game in the maize and blue in the Jan. 1 Citrus Bowl, he'll leave Michigan as one of the best to ever play for the Wolverines. Already he holds school records for career rushing touchdowns, surprise!; and most 100 yard rushing games. He stands a good chance of adding all-time career rusher to that list, needing just 106 yards. Yet, Thomas is being honored as the Town Talk's Central Louisiana Sportsman of the Year for more than just his on-field performance. While the "other" great Cenla high school running back of that era, Cecil Collins, is spending his second Christmas in a Florida jail with the promise of more time behind bars awaiting in Baton Rouge, Thomas; off-field accomplishments speak volumes about who he is as a person. Husband, father, son, student-athlete, role model. Add to that list a record- breaking running back, All-Big 10, All-American, Doak Walker Award finalist, and likely top-three round NFL draft pick, and Anthony's resume is as boisterous as he is quiet. Yet, as great as Thomas' 2000 was, he wasn't a shoo-in for Sportsman of the Year. That says something for this year that has almost passed. Most will remember 2000 as the start of the new millennium. For central Louisiana sports fans, 2000 should be remembered fondly. Sure, there were some downers, such as the loss of the Alexandria Warthogs, but for the most part, it will take a lot for 2001 to come close to matching 2000. (The remainder of the article lists others considered for the award)