Word: pellegrini
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...Pellegrini, who now thinks economics might be more appropriate preparation for the NFL, has earned a job as an offensive lineman for the New York Jets. He enters the ranks of a rare species--Harvard grads in the pros--joining offensive lineman Danny Jiggets of the Chicago Bears and punter Pat McInaly of the Cincinnati Bengals...
What makes Pellegrini so extraordinary, however, is not that the Hingham native is the first backup for one of the best offensive lines in football. The most interesting part of his story is that he has not played a down of football since his junior year at Harvard...
...might ask. Was he injured? On probation? No. The saga of Joe Pellegrini's layoff begins at the end of his junior year, when Pellegrini--who also competed in track and field at Harvard--started throwing the discus at a world-class standard. He was invited to work out under the tutelage of a German coach for the next year. Pellegrini began to entertain thoughts of making a trip to Moscow for the 1980 Olympics. He decided to accept the offer to train in Europe...
...Pellegrini first went to Coach Joe Restic, on whose team he had been a two-year starter, and explained his decision. He left thinking he had an understanding with the coach that he would be allowed back on the team when he returned...
...next two years helped form what it is now almost a motto with the lineman: politics should stay out of sports. Not only did President Carter end Pellegrini's Olympic dreams because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, but Restic refused to invite his former starter back to training camp for the 1981 season because of a policy that prevents players who take a year off from returning to the football team...