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Reaching for a lifelong dream

Former River Ridge FB/LB Mike Tubolino wants a chance to show the pros what he can do.

By MIKE TOMPKINS
Published June 9, 2005

In its purest form, without television contracts, advertising dollars, or contractual greed, football is a game that requires players to bust heads in the trenches, outsmart and out-hustle opponents for 60 minutes.

It is a game in which the biggest, fastest or strongest don't always succeed, but the biggest, fastest and strongest do get every opportunity to do so.

These qualities can be both refreshing and alarming, especially to former River Ridge standout Mike Tubolino, who recently completed two scouting combines at Georgia Tech University with the hopes of continuing football, this time professionally.

"This has been a dream of mine since I was 5 and my brother got me to play football," said Tubolino, a three-time Times' all-county and SAC selection in football and three-time conference champion in weightlifting. "I had to do this, for myself and my brothers, to eliminate the "What if.' There was a scout there from the Chiefs that said this gets sent out to all the teams from the NFL and the AFL. I'm just hoping for a chance to put the pads on and get out there and prove that I can play."

The former Royal Knights fullback/linebacker, who rushed for 1,636 yards and 20 scores in his final two high-school seasons, will have to wait a bit longer to find out if his dream is fulfilled. After attending an indoor workout April30 and an outdoor workout May22, Tubolino fell .31 points shy of the required 8.5 needed for an invitation to the Elite 100 combine on June11 at Indianapolis' RCA Dome.

"I think if I would have been there before I would have done better," Tubolino said. "I found out that you earned more points the more you weigh. I weighed in 5 pounds heavier (224o-219) the second time just because I knew to drink a whole bunch of water first. I was able to improve my 40 by going to the Johnny Walters speed camp at the YMCA, but obviously not enough."

The camp, located in Trinity, is the same one that gained local attention a couple of years ago when former Land O'Lakes stars Drew Weatherford (Florida State) and Logan Payne (Minnesota) attended.

Tubolino, who measured in at 5 feet 8, topped out at a 4.66-second 40-yard dash, 35.5-inch vertical leap, 4.37-second 20-yard shuttle and bench-pressed 225 pounds 27 times (an obvious strong point for the 2001 SAC lifter of the year).

The 2001 Royal Knight graduate played one year at Livingstone (N.C.) College before transferring to Edward Waters, where he started three years at fullback. Out of eligibility and 30 credit hours short of a degree in criminal justice, he took the year off to train.

"I had a partial tear in my MCL during spring ball, and they took away part of my scholarship," said Tubolino, who also served as the long snapper for punts and field goals. "I couldn't afford them, so I transferred to Edward Waters and didn't miss a beat. I was perfectly healthy. I played that fall."

As for now, the only game Tubolino is playing is the waiting game.

"I need to play somewhere right now. Semi-pro, AFL2 - something. You can measure and test all you want, but you can't test heart. That is immeasurable. I just wish someone would give me a chance to prove everyone wrong, everyone who's passed on me, because the heart is a powerful thing."

[Last modified June 9, 2005, 01:17:24]