This Sun., Nov. 27th, 2011

MIKE UTLEY(www.MikeUtley.org)

Date of Birth
December 20, 1965 - Seattle, WA

Grade School
St. Paul - Seattle, WA

High School
John F. Kennedy High School - Seattle, WA
Football Coach: Tom Merill
“Mike Utley was the greatest football player in the history of John F. Kennedy High School in Seattle, Washington”.
Lettered in football and basketball-served as captain on both teams.

College
1984 - Scholarship to Washington State University in Pullman, WA
In 1989 he led the Cougars to their most successful season since 1929 with a 9-3 record and their fourth ever post-season bowl bid, an Aloha Bowl invitation. The WSU Cougars won the Aloha Bowl with a win over the Houston Cougars (score 24-22)

Bowl Games Coca Cola Bowl-Tokyo, Japan 1987
Aloha Bowl-1988 (Mike was MVP)
Hula Bowl-1989
East West Shrine Game-1989

All American
He became only the second player in WSU history to earn consensus first team All-American honors.
He received this recognition from:
American Football Coaches Association
Football News
Football Writers of America
Kodak
Scripps- Howard
United Press International
Voted WSU Most valuable player
Mike was one of 10 nominees for the Seattle Post
Intelligencer’s Sports Star of the Year Award.

Drafted 1989 by the Detroit Lions-3rd pick in the third round. In Mike’s rookie year, he became the starting right guard for the Lions.

Injured
November 17, 1991-fractured 6th and 7th cervical vertebrae. Hospitalized and had surgery at Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. Started rehabilitation December 13, 1991 at Craig Hospital in Englewood, CO.

Mike Utley Foundation
With the help of his agent, Bruce Allen, Mike founded the Mike Utley Foundation. Established to find a cure for spinal cord injuries the Foundation supports select research, rehabilitation and education for SCI.

Sam Perkins
(www.onebidwonders.com)

Sam Perkins has had his finger on the pulse of the America East for the better part of a decade, starting his America East journey as a high school student and finishing it as a member of the media. During that time he has been in attendance for over 500 America East contests. He traces his passion for the America East back to a gray Sunday in March of 2002, when he watched Stijn Dhondt’s miracle buzzer-beater propel Boston University on to the America East championship game and NCAA Tournament, and Trevor Gaines leave his heart and soul on the court in Vermont’s upset loss. Widely regarded as the “America East insider” (or in other circles as “that guy who should really get a life”), Sam spent the previous 3 years as Hoopville.com’s America East beat writer and has established working relationships and friendships with a host of current and former America East players, coaches, administrators, and officials. Sam has had pieces published by the Associated Press, as well as several other publications and newspapers; he was also co-authoring a book with the late Gaines, a close personal friend, entitled “Stronger at the Broken Places,” and is now finishing it posthumously in his honor. Sam resides in the greater Boston Area with his fianceé and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Journalism at Northeastern University.

Ben Zobrist
(www.thezobrists.com)

http://tampabay.rays.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=450314