Meet Stephen McGee, a young man worth rooting for

Stephen McGee was hounded by lousy luck during his years at A&M, but he's got a shot at the NFL.

Last week, I covered the East-West Shrine Game (all college all-star game for seniors heading into the NFL draft, for those of you who don't know) for a publication that would probably like to keep their affiliation with a bozo like me quiet. Anyway, I got to meet quite a few interesting people, including former Redskins QB Doug Williams, the MVP of Super Bowl XXII. I met almost all the players on the West team and was impressed with quite a few of them.

One guy that stood out, however, was Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee.

I'm not just saying that because he, like your humble scribe, is an Aggie. I'm saying it because the young man is a class act who does things the right way, believes in himself and his no quit in him.

Five years ago, McGee showed up in College Station as one of the most sought-after high school recruits in America. McGee had been a record-setting quarterback at Burnet High School (just outside of Austin) and had thrown the ball all over the place. Before he even took a snap, he was profiled in a story in Sports Illustrated. It made sense to think that McGee, once Reggie McNeal was done quarterbacking, would thrive in the spread offense Dennis Franchione (henceforth, "The idiot who shall not be named") had installed in 2004.

The idiot who shall not be named promptly (and very stupidly) scrapped the system in 2005, installing an option-heavy offense. McGee, who came to A&M looking to put the ball in the air, got the pleasure of getting hammered as he ran or pitched the ball for three seasons. When he did throw, it wasn't pretty. His coaching was non-existent and his skills eroded.

This past year, it looked like he was catching a break at the right time. Mike Sherman, Brett Favre's former coach in Green Bay, was named A&M's new head coach and he was bringing in a pro-style system. At last, McGee was going to get to throw the ball.

He promptly hurt his shoulder and, once healthy, had lost his job to Jerrod Johnson (a decision which, by the way, I supported). So the once-lauded recruit ended his career as a backup and a lighting rod for angry Aggies.

So when I met him this week, I figured McGee might be a bit bitter. He wasn't in the least. He said that, while the ball didn't bounce his way at A&M, he loved it there and wouldn't change a thing. He also had very kind words for Sherman, who's already taking serious heat.

Even though he was considered by most scouts to be at the East-West Shrine Game as a publicity stunt (the game was in Houston) to draw Aggies, he said all week that he was just looking for a chance to show what he could do. And he did; he was the best quarterback during practice all week and was the best in the game Saturday. His last college pass was a sparkling 35-yard touchdown to Jarett Dillard of Rice (who, by the way, is another excellent young man).

During the week, McGee actually flew up to Nashville on Tuesday night after practice to pick up the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Bobby Bowden award, received it Wednesday morning, got back on a plane and made it back to Houston before practice at 2 p.m. He was the first guy on the field. He never turned down an interview, even from me (four times). He signed every autograph put in front of him, smiled for every camera and just made every little kid who came up to him feel special.

THOSE are the kinds of things I like in an athlete, just as much as a good 40 time or a 95-mile-an-hour fastball.

Stephen McGee went from pro football afterthought to likely draftee this week. He can continue to cement that status with a good pro day and a nice showing at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

I, for one, hope he does make it to the big time and succeeds. It's about time this class act had the ball bounce his way. I hope you'll root for him too.