Spielman enters Hall after wife’s death
December 8, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—Chris Spielman’s wife, Stefanie, was never impressed by all thehonors her husband received for being a star linebacker at Ohio State and in theNFL.
The only one that ever got her excited was when she found out in the springthat her husband had been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
“There was such a genuine smile on her face and pure joy that she’d gottenout of this, because she understood what my passion for college football is.It’s amazing,” Spielman said Tuesday.
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Stefanie Spielman died Nov. 19 at age 42 after a long battle with breastcancer, a few weeks before Chris was to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“I have no doubt she’s smiling down on us today, and I take great solaceand joy in that,” Spielman said during a news conference at the Waldorf AstoriaHotel in Manhattan.
Spielman was one of a group of 16 players and two coaches to be inducted atthe National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame’s awardsbanquet Tuesday night.
Among the others were Heisman Trophy winners Gino Torretta of Miami and TimBrown of Notre Dame and coaches Dick MacPherson and John Robinson.
Spielman was an All-American linebacker for the Buckeyes, finishing hiscareer in 1987 as the school’s career leader in tackles, a record he stillholds.
He played 11 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Detroit Lions, and made thePro Bowl six times. He took a year off in 1998 to spend more time with hisfamily as Stefanie dealt with cancer. She was 30 years old and pregnant when shewas diagnosed.
He’s been working as a college football game analyst for ESPN since 2001.
The day after Stefanie Spielman died, Chris and his four children, ages7-15, watched a video she had made for them in anticipation of her death. Chrissaid her message was: “‘I don’t want any of you ever to use my death as anexcuse for anything, but motivation for everything.’ That helped me and thathelped our kids.
“Considering the circumstances, I’m doing pretty well.”
Chris Spielman said he met Stefanie in 1982. He was 17 and she was 15. “Shewas my only girlfriend,” he said.
Spielman said his wife kept him humble and grounded. “That was one of theblessings of our marriage,” he said.
Spielman returned to work for ESPN just a few days after Stefanie’s“celebration of life funeral.”
“My kids were asking to get back to our new normal and that’s what wedid,” he said.
Spielman is the 22nd Ohio State player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The others in the latest class were: halfback Pervis Atkins of New MexicoState (1959-60); defensive back Chuck Cecil of Arizona (1984-87); fullback EdDyas of Auburn (1958-60); quarterback Major Harris of West Virginia (1987-89);tight end Gordon Hudson of BYU (1980-83); center William Lewis of Harvard(1892-93); linebacker Woodrow Lowe of Alabama (1972-75); wide receiver KenMargerum of Stanford (1977-80); defensive lineman Steve McMichael of Texas(1976-79); linebacker Larry Station of Iowa (1982-85); defensive end PatSwilling of Georgia Tech (1982-85); running back Curt Warner of Penn State(1979-82); and defensive end Grant Wistrom of Nebraska (1994-97).
Dyas, who finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1960, said hefigured after all these years he had no shot at making the Hall of Fame. He wasshocked when he received a package in the mail from the NFF that included afootball and notice of his induction.
“This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said.
The NFF was also scheduled to announce the winner of the William V. CampbellTrophy, given to the top senior scholar-athlete in college football, at thebanquet.
Among the 16 finalists from all divisions of college football were Floridaquarterback Tim Tebow and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.
The winner receives $25,000 postgraduate scholarship money.
The other finalists were: Illinois offensive lineman Jon Asamoah; BYUlinebacker Matt Bauman; Minnesota receiver Eric Decker; Fresno State safetyMoses Harris; Western Michigan quarterback Tim Hiller; Brown tackle PaulJasinowski; Morningside College receiver Beau Kildow; Northern Iowa linebackerJosh Mahoney; Tusculum tight end Jarrell NeSmith; Baylor linebacker Joe Pawelek;Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing; Hardin-Simmons receiver ZaVious Robbins;Augustana College tackle Blaine Westemeyer; and West Virginia linebacker ReedWilliams.
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