On Saturday, Stanford’s Toby Gerhart will be the best running back on the field at Memorial Stadium. This is quite a distinction because both Cal and Stanford have terrific running backs, but Gerhart is special. He is a powerful tailback who runs with a certain amount of finesse and when he slams into a tackler he is likely to run right over him. He is faster than people give him credit for. He falls into the stereotype of tough white kid — slow but durable, etc. — but he routinely outruns linebackers and even defensive backs. He is what they call the whole package and if Cal knows what it’s doing, it will gear its defense toward stopping Gerhart. It does and it will. It was interesting to learn at a Monday luncheon previewing the Big Game that Cal never showed much interest in recruiting Gerhart. He and his parents had visited Stanford and the Stanford folks made a big fuss over him and then the Gerharts drove to Berkeley and what happened? Nothing. The Bears’ people didn’t even know who he was.
Most Pac-10 schools came after him hard, even USC. But the Trojans, being the Trojans, said they’d give him a scholarship — but only as a fullback. There’s that stereotype again. The Trojans also said Gerhart could play football but ixnay on his baseball career. Gerhart happens to be one heck of a corner outfielder and he plays on Stanford’s team, and more on that later. Only two Pac-10 schools said he could play tailback and the outfield — UCLA and Stanford. It took him a year and a half to make a choice and when he chose, it was right before the signing deadline. He said he doesn’t hate Cal coach Jeff Tedford. “It’s all good,” Gerhart said. When I attend a Stanford football game and write my play-by-play, I pun on Gerhart’s name because there’s something onomatopoetic about Gerhart. Sometimes I write: Brave Heart up the middle for 10. Or it might be: GrrrHeart around right end, seven yards. Sometimes it’s just Grrr.
The puns have something to do with how rough and fearless he is. He’s always sore after games and has trouble getting out of bed on Sunday because of all the hits he gives and takes. He likes contact, seeks it out, wants you to know that. “You have to (like it),” he said. “I’m more of a physical runner. I create contact. You play football for pride and respect. If I knock a guy down, I feel I gained a little respect from that guy.” Given his straight-ahead running style, it is surprising that Gerhart’s face turns tomato red when he’s asked questions by the media. His answering style is the exact opposite of his running style. He hesitates. He considers his options. He dances around the holes and refuses to commit. If he did this on a football field, he’d be knocked for a loss. He gives the impression of being shy or maybe cautious or maybe humble. Take your pick. Asked the difference between a Cal player and a Stanford player, his face turned scarlet and he looked away and said nothing, as if he might be shot at dawn in the Quad for giving the wrong answer. Finally he said, “Stanford is excellence, the best combination of athletics and academics in the nation.” That’s the standard answer, but he left out the Cal part. And there’s a lot to say about Cal, no slouch university, either.
Later someone said, “Stanford is blue collar with a red tie,” and Gerhart grinned and turned red and said yes, that was it, although take my word, there’s very little blue collar at that idyllic campus west of El Camino. Gerhart was hurt at the beginning of the past baseball season but hit .356 his final 11 games and homered in the College World Series. Someone familiar with the Cardinal baseball team said he’s likely to hit 20 home runs next season. And that’s the rub. What does Gerhart pursue in a life after Stanford, football or baseball? You and I should have such hard choices. If he gets drafted high after next baseball season, he said he might take his chances with baseball. Then he turned red and said he wasn’t sure because, honestly, he also loves football, loves whichever sport is in season. Between us, baseball is usually the better choice if a guy can hit a curveball. Left fielders have longer careers than running backs, where it all can end on a single play. Salaries are higher in baseball, unless you’re a quarterback, and baseball has a better players’ union. None of that matters right now, not with custody of The Axe at stake. On Saturday, Gerhart travels up to Cal, which never wanted him but may get more of him than it can handle.
No comments:
Post a Comment