The Dallas Cowboys recently signed a new linebacker from the Jaguars named Akin Ayodele. I went to MacArthur High School with him. We used to carpool for a class called PALS that we took together. It involved spending time with local elementary school students. I remember three main things about him: 1) He was usually the one we were waiting on before PALS each day. 2) He was tall and muscular, so he sat in the front seat of my car when I drove. 3) He was extremely fast.

One time we were playing touch football together, maybe for FCA. I was “covering” him while he played wide receiver. I’m not the fast, nimble kind of guy who usually plays cornerback, but I was giving it a try. He caught a pass. When I tried to tag him, he stayed just out of reach for a couple of seconds, as if toying with me. Then he switched to a different gear and was gone. Gone. It was an odd feeling – not being burned so badly, because that wasn’t so unusual, but seeing someone so in tune with his abilities and so able to turn them on at will. No matter what I brought to the game, he could bring more. Welcome back to Dallas, Akin.

It makes me wonder who else from our class wound up famous or will someday. He’s the only one I can think of. Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood and theater/film actor Kevin Daniels (Ladder 49) went to Mac, but they were a couple of years ahead of me. I’m definitely not famous, and I’m quite happy that way. =)