Chiefs Marcus Cooper - Page 6

staylor26 · 03-01-2014, 03:15 PM

I kind of get the feeling everybody is writing this guy off. I mean it was obvious he regressed considerably towards the end of this season, but there is no reason to think a 6'2" CB with sub 4.5 speed still learning the position won't continue to improve. He's also got two great coaches in Thomas and Harris to develop him. I also think Parker is a solid piece for the future and I can see him ending up as our nickel at some point next season when the inevitable Flowers injury occurs. Need to add another long CB with good speed in the draft and we can possibly be set for the future.

htismaqe · 03-04-2014, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rausch

All the more reason I'd like to go CB at 1.

People are nutting themselves at WR and I don't get it. This draft is deep and the deepest position out there is WR...

Because there's some elite-level WRs that could be available at #23. This draft is very deep, but there's only a few positions that are great at the top, WR being one of them.

Mr. Laz · 03-04-2014, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rausch

All the more reason I'd like to go CB at 1.

People are nutting themselves at WR and I don't get it. This draft is deep and the deepest position out there is WR...

There is something to be said for getting an elite guy.

If we had an elite receiver it would change the way defenses can play us.

If an elite TE fell i would be ok with that too

saphojunkie · 03-04-2014, 02:42 PM

I remember Kevin Harlan saying on the radio after we extended Flowers that he heard the prevailing sentiment was we extended the wrong Brandon.

I didn't want to believe it.

Mr. Laz · 03-04-2014, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

I remember Kevin Harlan saying on the radio after we extended Flowers that he heard the prevailing sentiment was we extended the wrong Brandon.

I didn't want to believe it.

much like Sweeney and Beltran, we probably didn't have much of a choice

Carr was looking to test FA,go to Texas and/or get paid

Flowers was open to staying and signing an extension, so we did.

Mr. Laz · 03-04-2014, 11:02 PM

Two-Way Athlete: Marcus Cooper Gives, Receives At Bloomfield
Chiefs Cornerback Comes Home For Ceremony

print
Jeff Jacobs
9:53 p.m. EST, March 4, 2014

Wednesday is "Marcus Cooper Day" at Bloomfield High School, and Cooper will have a message for students only six, seven years younger than he is.

"I'm going to look back at my personal experiences." Cooper said Tuesday. "I'm going to talk about persevering through whatever trials you face. There are things I had to overcome, and fighting through those moments allowed me to be where I am today."

"I'm really honored by this. I'm excited to be back home, excited to be back at the school and in the community."

Cooper, recently named the Kansas City Chiefs rookie of the year, knows that a life story is a slow evolution. He also knows that it can change in a heartbeat. For it is no exaggeration to say that Marcus Cooper has been burned. And it is scant exaggeration to say that if he hadn't been burned, he wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to be burned by Peyton Manning on any given Sunday.

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It happened during his redshirt freshman year at Rutgers. Cooper had been an All-State wide receiver at Bloomfield. He had been an all-state performer in track and a standout on the Bloomfield basketball team that led a fairy-tale rush to the Class S state title in 2008.

"It was a freak accident, I was cooking myself some dinner," Cooper said. "There was a grease fire. It got my hand good. It caught my leg a little."

The burns could have ended his career. After Cooper finally had recovered, coach Greg Schiano introduced the idea of Cooper's switching to defensive back. Cooper, who had caught 43 touchdown passes and had 3,104 receiving yards at Bloomfield, was reluctant. He had big dreams of catching the ball. Eventually, he would embrace the move. He studied twins Devin and Jason McCourty. He worked at it. He also would start at defensive back in only one season at Rutgers.

"I don't know if [Schiano] lost confidence in me as a receiver, but I had to wear this glove on my hand for a time and it made the ball a little slippery for me," Cooper said. "I believe everything happens for a reason. It seems crazy to say, but a burned hand allowed me to be where I am today."

Athleticism was never a problem. Cooper has run the 40 in 4.45 seconds. He has a 39.5-inch vertical leap. He ran on devastating relay teams at Bloomfield. At 6 feet 2, he has the size that NFL talent scouts love for a corner. The 49ers took Cooper in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. In rebuilding the Chiefs from the ashes to the playoffs, general manager John Dorsey plucked talent off waivers. Dorsey, a former UConn linebacker, has called the process the "second draft." Cooper had impressed the Chiefs in an exhibition game with the 49ers, and after San Francisco waived him the Chiefs claimed Cooper on Sept. 1.

"[The 49ers] told me they had planned to put me on the practice squad," Cooper said. "Things were happening in a flash. I went from being disappointed I wasn't on the 53[-man roster] to looking at a chance at the practice squad and all of a sudden I'm with Kansas City."

Enter the wunderkind.

In his first NFL start, Cooper held Hakeem Nicks of the Giants to three catches for 33 yards. He would eventually set a franchise rookie record with 20 passes defended. Playing in all 16 games and starting six, Cooper had three interceptions and 38 solo tackles. Against the Bills, he forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. He recovered a botched punt in the end zone for his first NFL touchdown against the Titans.

At one point early in the season, according to Pro Football Focus, Cooper had the second-best quarterback rating against among cornerbacks. Out of nowhere, he was emerging as a candidate for NFL defensive rookie of the year (eventually won by Sheldon Richardson of the Jets).

"I was trying hard not to look at the hype, positive or negative," Cooper said. "That stuff just takes you away from the game."

Nobody should forget that Cooper is an NFL embryo at his position. He was a late starter in college. He had to learn Bob Sutton's defense on the fly.

In reading some late-season accounts, I couldn't help but be impressed by how Cooper stood and answered all the questions after difficult games. Manning lit up the Kansas City secondary. Eric Decker caught four touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, there was a four-game stretch in which Cooper was targeted a whopping 41 times and allowed 24 yards per catch during that time.

"I got sloppy on some things," Cooper said. "There was a stretch there, the Denver game, the San Diego game, I let some things get away from me. Hitting the rookie wall or just not being prepared, whatever the case, it's something I had to fight through. I'm told it happens to everybody."

"I want to go into every game next season knowing what the offensive tendencies are beforehand better than I did this year. Also, good technique is what is going to carry you."

So now he arrives at his alma mater. There will be a video presentation and a jersey ceremony. There will be a question-and-answer period with Cooper. He will sign autographs.

"Marcus' voyage has been remarkable, and he has overcome some steep obstacles," Bloomfield athletic director Tammy Schondelmayer said. "He is an extremely talented athlete, but the reason he is realizing his dream of playing in the NFL has more to do with his character and work ethic than his talent."

The Bloomfield football program was struck with double-fisted tragedy in the past year. Former Warhawk Jamar Johnson, about to start his sophomore season at Central Connecticut, was killed in a car crash. The Warhawks dedicated their 2013 season to him. In November, Tarence Mitchell, the state leader with eight interceptions, was accused of fatally stabbing a 27-year-old friend. Coach Ty Outlaw held his team together, won a state playoff game against highly rated Capital Prep.

On the eve of that game, I spoke with Outlaw, and the pain on that man's face screamed even as he spoke softly. He talked about how Cooper came to a game against East Catholic on a bye week. How he came to practice and worked with the kids.

"We are a family," Outlaw said.

From Dwight Freeney and all the big names and state titles, there is no prouder football program in Connecticut. In speaking with quarterback Norvel Stewart, one of the best players in the state, I ran through those great Bloomfield names.

"[Cooper] is my guy," said Stewart, headed to play at UMass. There's a link from Bloomfield players to Bloomfield greats, and the link is at its strongest with those of closest age. Cooper, 24, is important to these kids. They identify with him.

"Obviously, I wasn't directly dealing with [the tragedies] like the guys on the team," Cooper said. "I was upset my guys, guys who look up to me, guys I want to come back and help, had to deal with those most unfortunate situations."

"I'm proud of the way they stuck together and fought through it. I was heartened by the way the guys persevered. We have a rich tradition at Bloomfield. I want them to be proud of it."

Cooper's mom, Lisa, is the cheerleading coach at Bloomfield.

"My mom basically was on the field with me in high school," Cooper said. "I have had such, such, such supportive parents. Even before football, they stressed the importance of a degree. The look on their faces when I got it is one of the most satisfying things for me."

Last winter, he got his bachelor of arts in information technology from Rutgers.

"Marcus is humble," Schondelmayer said. "He remembers where he came from and he understands there were many people along his journey that helped him get where he is today. He's coming home to Bloomfield because he wants to show his gratitude. It's a celebration of Marcus, yes, but it will also be an opportunity for the current students to hear what it will take for them to realize their dreams."

And sometimes you have to burn to reach them.

**Rausch** · 03-04-2014, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

If an elite TE fell i would be ok with that too

I'd be more sold on that.

Alex loves the TE and that's the one spot we are very average (at best.)

**Mav** · 03-05-2014, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rausch

All the more reason I'd like to go CB at 1.

People are nutting themselves at WR and I don't get it. This draft is deep and the deepest position out there is WR...

Well, yes, I can see your point. but, the cbs were never the problem, until the pass rush stopped.

hard for anyone to cover, for long if there is not threat of a rush. If that wasn't more apparent in the super bowl. They showed the blue print. it wasn't the coverage that rattled peyton. he can deal with coverage. But they beat him down, collapsed his pocket, moved him, knocked him.

The pass rush has to be re energized. So if you want to go defense, I would go pass rusher first.

**Mav** · 03-05-2014, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rausch

I'd be more sold on that.

Alex loves the TE and that's the one spot we are very average (at best.)

Yeah. Even that is being far too kind. Slowest, most inept group of tight ends in football.

Has to be upgraded.

htismaqe · 03-05-2014, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavericks Ace

Well, yes, I can see your point. but, the cbs were never the problem, until the pass rush stopped.

hard for anyone to cover, for long if there is not threat of a rush. If that wasn't more apparent in the super bowl. They showed the blue print. it wasn't the coverage that rattled peyton. he can deal with coverage. But they beat him down, collapsed his pocket, moved him, knocked him.

The pass rush has to be re energized. So if you want to go defense, I would go pass rusher first.

There has to be a good one available first.

WhiteWhale · 03-05-2014, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staylor26

I kind of get the feeling everybody is writing this guy off. I mean it was obvious he regressed considerably towards the end of this season, but there is no reason to think a 6'2" CB with sub 4.5 speed still learning the position won't continue to improve. He's also got two great coaches in Thomas and Harris to develop him. I also think Parker is a solid piece for the future and I can see him ending up as our nickel at some point next season when the inevitable Flowers injury occurs. Need to add another long CB with good speed in the draft and we can possibly be set for the future.

I like Cooper.

I was one of the first to point at him not being as good as people thought he was. Certain 'reputable posters' called me a moron when I said he was NOT our #1 CB because Flowers still is. According to him I 'embarrassed myself' by thinking Flowers was still our top CB over Cooper.

*Ahem* In spite of that I love his upside. I love that he used to play WR. If the guy learned good press technique there's no reason he can't be a high caliber CB in the NFL. People were just naive in thinking his hot start wouldn't have some major problems.

He was exposed and we'll find out if he adapts and improves or disappears like oh-so-many players who show flashes but never put it together.

When improving the D I'd be focused on finding guys who can rush the QB from the DL, since we apparently don't have any.

htismaqe · 03-05-2014, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

I was one of the first to point at him not being as good as people thought he was. Certain 'reputable posters' called me a moron when I said he was NOT our #1 CB because Flowers still is. According to him I 'embarrassed myself' by thinking Flowers was still our top CB over Cooper.

I'm worried about Flowers. I don't think he's nearly 100% and hasn't been for some time. That being said, Cooper really wasn't better than Flowers at any point last season. Flowers getting moved to the slot wasn't a demotion, it was a matchup thing. Flowers is still the #1 CB on this team until somebody proves he isn't. The playoff game should have cemented that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

*Ahem* In spite of that I love his upside. I love that he used to play WR. If the guy learned good press technique there's no reason he can't be a high caliber CB in the NFL.

Yep. He has the potential to be really, really good. Expecting him to do that for the entirety of Year 1 just wasn't realistic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

When improving the D I'd be focused on finding guys who can rush the QB from the DL, since we apparently don't have any.

I'd prefer quality over quantity. If a guy like Dennard falls to #23, I think you have to take him. Flowers isn't going to last forever. Throw numbers at the DL in free agency.

On the other hand, if one of the pass rusher prospects fall to #23, that changes the thinking.

WhiteWhale · 03-05-2014, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I'm worried about Flowers. I don't think he's nearly 100% and hasn't been for some time. That being said, Cooper really wasn't better than Flowers at any point last season. Flowers getting moved to the slot wasn't a demotion, it was a matchup thing. Flowers is still the #1 CB on this team until somebody proves he isn't. The playoff game should have cemented that.

I know. I advocated using Flowers in the slot in nickle packages years prior. He's physical and frankly covering out of the slot is HARDER than covering on with a sideline to protect you. It's a tough job and Flowers is a perfect fit for the role. I am, also, worried about his injuries accumulating. Seems he's always banged up and his body just can't handle his physical style of play.

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Yep. He has the potential to be really, really good. Expecting him to do that for the entirety of Year 1 just wasn't realistic.

An undrafted rookie with little experience at the position who I think did not even start in college. Yeah. Frankly how well he played, everything considered, is still remarkable given his lack of experience. He's intriguing moving forward. I think this year should really tell us if he's going to sink or swim.

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I'd prefer quality over quantity. If a guy like Dennard falls to #23, I think you have to take him. Flowers isn't going to last forever. Throw numbers at the DL in free agency.

On the other hand, if one of the pass rusher prospects fall to #23, that changes the thinking.

I'm talking about overall approach to the off-season, not just 'what to do with our first round pick'. When talking about the pass rush I'm not just talking about starters. I'm talking about rotational players, sub package players... KC must bolster it's pass rush.

It was cute when Sutton's defenses were just confusing offensive lines, but they figured how to pick up his blitz packages and it horribly exposed our base rush as shitty. Plus, we have GOT to get better at stopping the run from our nickle defense. Teams gouged KC over and over simply by running on passing downs.

htismaqe · 03-05-2014, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

An undrafted rookie with little experience at the position who I think did not even start in college. Yeah. Frankly how well he played, everything considered, is still remarkable given his lack of experience. He's intriguing moving forward. I think this year should really tell us if he's going to sink or swim.

Yep. I was really surprised when I first read the OP in this thread. Surely NOBODY is writing Cooper off. His performance this year was one of the brightest spots on the team, IMO, just due to the expectations of him coming in (i.e. NONE).

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

I'm talking about overall approach to the off-season, not just 'what to do with our first round pick'. When talking about the pass rush I'm not just talking about starters. I'm talking about rotational players, sub package players... KC must bolster it's pass rush.

It was cute when Sutton's defenses were just confusing offensive lines, but they figured how to pick up his blitz packages and it horribly exposed our base rush as shitty. Plus, we have GOT to get better at stopping the run from our nickle defense. Teams gouged KC over and over simply by running on passing downs.

I hear ya. I just don't think the pass rush gets better by getting more subs. Nobody likes to hear it, but Tyson Jackson is one of the better FAs available. What does that suggest?

The pass rush is only going to get better by getting impact players. Those either need to come from the draft or you have to develop somebody already on your roster. I don't know, maybe if you could bring in Red Bryant and move Poe to the 3T, that might help.

Chiefshrink · 03-05-2014, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_Douchebag

@adamteicher: No surprise but Charles is Chiefs MVP and Cooper is their Rookie of Year

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperChief

Agreed. His tape shows promise, but the subtle nuances of the position certainly escaped him against higher competition. He'll improve.

Quote:

Originally Posted by staylor26

Exactly my point if this guy weren't an UDFA pickup from the 49ers I feel people would be more excited about his potential. Who cares how he got here? The guy is/was a great prospect with great potential. Just very raw with limited time at the position.

Yep !! The real character quality that stood out for me was when he went through that 'toast stage' for awhile not once did he ever back off and show fear. He was aggressive and kept bringing it regardless of getting burnt. That's huge !! He will vastly improve this year in all phases of CB play IMO.

WhiteWhale · 03-05-2014, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Yep. I was really surprised when I first read the OP in this thread. Surely NOBODY is writing Cooper off. His performance this year was one of the brightest spots on the team, IMO, just due to the expectations of him coming in (i.e. NONE).

I hear ya. I just don't think the pass rush gets better by getting more subs. Nobody likes to hear it, but Tyson Jackson is one of the better FAs available. What does that suggest?

The pass rush is only going to get better by getting impact players. Those either need to come from the draft or you have to develop somebody already on your roster. I don't know, maybe if you could bring in Red Bryant and move Poe to the 3T, that might help.

I think KC has enough impact players on their front line (Hali, Houston, Poe) to make an elite pass rush. What they need is a better complimentary cast both starting around them and in the reserve tank. I really don't think we have to add JJ Watt to be a great pass rush. Just fill in the many gaps we have.

JMO, but that's what I saw. Poe was not the same in the 2nd half of the season and I feel comfortable saying that the 60-70 snaps per game he was getting probably had a lot to do with that.

I think depth along the entire DL is one reason the Seahawks are so damn good. Just my opinion tho.

03-01-2014, 03:15 PM
staylor26 In Search of a Life Join Date: Oct 2007 Casino cash: $1419040	Marcus Cooper I kind of get the feeling everybody is writing this guy off. I mean it was obvious he regressed considerably towards the end of this season, but there is no reason to think a 6'2" CB with sub 4.5 speed still learning the position won't continue to improve. He's also got two great coaches in Thomas and Harris to develop him. I also think Parker is a solid piece for the future and I can see him ending up as our nickel at some point next season when the inevitable Flowers injury occurs. Need to add another long CB with good speed in the draft and we can possibly be set for the future.
Posts: 49,238

03-04-2014, 02:42 PM	#78
saphojunkie MVP Join Date: Aug 2011 Casino cash: $4506550	I remember Kevin Harlan saying on the radio after we extended Flowers that he heard the prevailing sentiment was we extended the wrong Brandon. I didn't want to believe it.
Posts: 12,611

03-04-2014, 11:02 PM	#80
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	Two-Way Athlete: Marcus Cooper Gives, Receives At Bloomfield Chiefs Cornerback Comes Home For Ceremony print Jeff Jacobs 9:53 p.m. EST, March 4, 2014 Wednesday is "Marcus Cooper Day" at Bloomfield High School, and Cooper will have a message for students only six, seven years younger than he is. "I'm going to look back at my personal experiences." Cooper said Tuesday. "I'm going to talk about persevering through whatever trials you face. There are things I had to overcome, and fighting through those moments allowed me to be where I am today." "I'm really honored by this. I'm excited to be back home, excited to be back at the school and in the community." Cooper, recently named the Kansas City Chiefs rookie of the year, knows that a life story is a slow evolution. He also knows that it can change in a heartbeat. For it is no exaggeration to say that Marcus Cooper has been burned. And it is scant exaggeration to say that if he hadn't been burned, he wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to be burned by Peyton Manning on any given Sunday. Sign Up For Traffic Text Alerts It happened during his redshirt freshman year at Rutgers. Cooper had been an All-State wide receiver at Bloomfield. He had been an all-state performer in track and a standout on the Bloomfield basketball team that led a fairy-tale rush to the Class S state title in 2008. "It was a freak accident, I was cooking myself some dinner," Cooper said. "There was a grease fire. It got my hand good. It caught my leg a little." The burns could have ended his career. After Cooper finally had recovered, coach Greg Schiano introduced the idea of Cooper's switching to defensive back. Cooper, who had caught 43 touchdown passes and had 3,104 receiving yards at Bloomfield, was reluctant. He had big dreams of catching the ball. Eventually, he would embrace the move. He studied twins Devin and Jason McCourty. He worked at it. He also would start at defensive back in only one season at Rutgers. "I don't know if [Schiano] lost confidence in me as a receiver, but I had to wear this glove on my hand for a time and it made the ball a little slippery for me," Cooper said. "I believe everything happens for a reason. It seems crazy to say, but a burned hand allowed me to be where I am today." Athleticism was never a problem. Cooper has run the 40 in 4.45 seconds. He has a 39.5-inch vertical leap. He ran on devastating relay teams at Bloomfield. At 6 feet 2, he has the size that NFL talent scouts love for a corner. The 49ers took Cooper in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. In rebuilding the Chiefs from the ashes to the playoffs, general manager John Dorsey plucked talent off waivers. Dorsey, a former UConn linebacker, has called the process the "second draft." Cooper had impressed the Chiefs in an exhibition game with the 49ers, and after San Francisco waived him the Chiefs claimed Cooper on Sept. 1. "[The 49ers] told me they had planned to put me on the practice squad," Cooper said. "Things were happening in a flash. I went from being disappointed I wasn't on the 53[-man roster] to looking at a chance at the practice squad and all of a sudden I'm with Kansas City." Enter the wunderkind. In his first NFL start, Cooper held Hakeem Nicks of the Giants to three catches for 33 yards. He would eventually set a franchise rookie record with 20 passes defended. Playing in all 16 games and starting six, Cooper had three interceptions and 38 solo tackles. Against the Bills, he forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. He recovered a botched punt in the end zone for his first NFL touchdown against the Titans. At one point early in the season, according to Pro Football Focus, Cooper had the second-best quarterback rating against among cornerbacks. Out of nowhere, he was emerging as a candidate for NFL defensive rookie of the year (eventually won by Sheldon Richardson of the Jets). "I was trying hard not to look at the hype, positive or negative," Cooper said. "That stuff just takes you away from the game." Nobody should forget that Cooper is an NFL embryo at his position. He was a late starter in college. He had to learn Bob Sutton's defense on the fly. In reading some late-season accounts, I couldn't help but be impressed by how Cooper stood and answered all the questions after difficult games. Manning lit up the Kansas City secondary. Eric Decker caught four touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, there was a four-game stretch in which Cooper was targeted a whopping 41 times and allowed 24 yards per catch during that time. "I got sloppy on some things," Cooper said. "There was a stretch there, the Denver game, the San Diego game, I let some things get away from me. Hitting the rookie wall or just not being prepared, whatever the case, it's something I had to fight through. I'm told it happens to everybody." "I want to go into every game next season knowing what the offensive tendencies are beforehand better than I did this year. Also, good technique is what is going to carry you." So now he arrives at his alma mater. There will be a video presentation and a jersey ceremony. There will be a question-and-answer period with Cooper. He will sign autographs. "Marcus' voyage has been remarkable, and he has overcome some steep obstacles," Bloomfield athletic director Tammy Schondelmayer said. "He is an extremely talented athlete, but the reason he is realizing his dream of playing in the NFL has more to do with his character and work ethic than his talent." The Bloomfield football program was struck with double-fisted tragedy in the past year. Former Warhawk Jamar Johnson, about to start his sophomore season at Central Connecticut, was killed in a car crash. The Warhawks dedicated their 2013 season to him. In November, Tarence Mitchell, the state leader with eight interceptions, was accused of fatally stabbing a 27-year-old friend. Coach Ty Outlaw held his team together, won a state playoff game against highly rated Capital Prep. On the eve of that game, I spoke with Outlaw, and the pain on that man's face screamed even as he spoke softly. He talked about how Cooper came to a game against East Catholic on a bye week. How he came to practice and worked with the kids. "We are a family," Outlaw said. From Dwight Freeney and all the big names and state titles, there is no prouder football program in Connecticut. In speaking with quarterback Norvel Stewart, one of the best players in the state, I ran through those great Bloomfield names. "[Cooper] is my guy," said Stewart, headed to play at UMass. There's a link from Bloomfield players to Bloomfield greats, and the link is at its strongest with those of closest age. Cooper, 24, is important to these kids. They identify with him. "Obviously, I wasn't directly dealing with [the tragedies] like the guys on the team," Cooper said. "I was upset my guys, guys who look up to me, guys I want to come back and help, had to deal with those most unfortunate situations." "I'm proud of the way they stuck together and fought through it. I was heartened by the way the guys persevered. We have a rich tradition at Bloomfield. I want them to be proud of it." Cooper's mom, Lisa, is the cheerleading coach at Bloomfield. "My mom basically was on the field with me in high school," Cooper said. "I have had such, such, such supportive parents. Even before football, they stressed the importance of a degree. The look on their faces when I got it is one of the most satisfying things for me." Last winter, he got his bachelor of arts in information technology from Rutgers. "Marcus is humble," Schondelmayer said. "He remembers where he came from and he understands there were many people along his journey that helped him get where he is today. He's coming home to Bloomfield because he wants to show his gratitude. It's a celebration of Marcus, yes, but it will also be an opportunity for the current students to hear what it will take for them to realize their dreams." And sometimes you have to burn to reach them. __________________
Posts: 95,626