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SPORTS
Billy Bruce: Whaley cut from Bengals, still has drive to succeed
Tyler "Tank" Whaley takes off his helmet as he gets a short break in the action July 30 during the Cincinnati Bengals' two-hour morning session of preseason training camp in Georgetown, Ky. Whaley was cut from the team but don't count this kid out.
Purchase this photoDreams, like rules, are often broken. For Tyler "Tank" Whaley, one dream has come to an end.
But the memories he made, built by sheer determination, will last forever. And new dreams are always on the horizon.
The former Ironton High School and The Ohio State University standout was cut last week by the Cincinnati Bengals, just months after realizing his dream of wearing an orange-and-black striped helmet. His dream of playing on Sundays in Paul Brown Stadium was torched like the Bengals secondary during any given game for the past two decades.
According to Whaley's step-father, Dave Vogelsong, the 2007 Most Inspirational Player for the Buckeyes is currently working out with OSU in Columbus while considering his options.
As Tyler once said, "Once you become a Buckeye, you are always a Buckeye. It's like a family." Given that, those options should prove to be very substantial.
As one person noted on a Web site chat room (www.southeasternohiopreps.com), "Feel sorry for the team in Cincy, not Tyler. His future is bright and he will succeed. The same cannot be said for the sorry franchise that released him."
Whaley walked onto the Buckeyes football team in 2003 and never let obstacles get in his way. He toiled in anonymity for three years, working part-time in Ohio Stadium during the summers to help his parents pay his tuition. At team meals, he served food to the starters and cleaned up their messes.
Standing just under 6 feet tall, the then-backup center was not your prototypical OSU lineman. He was a long shot -- a 50-1 afterthought.
But the one thing that nobody could see when looking at Tyler Whaley was his heart. He believed in himself when no one else did. He accepted his setbacks as challenges to improve. He never listened when someone said, "you can't."
And his desire to succeed was eventually noticed.
Prior to his junior season at Ohio State, Whaley was rewarded for his dedication and devotion to the Buckeyes with a scholarship; a gift that alleviated the financial burdens of his parents. Then, prior to his senior year, Coach Jim Tressel decided to use Whaley's speed, power and low center of gravity in the backfield at fullback.
The days of anonymity ended.
Whaley soon became a staple on a team that made its way back to a second-consecutive national championship game. During Senior Day introductions in November of last year, 105,000 fans rocked Ohio Stadium to the chant of "Tank" when Whaley was introduced prior to his final home game.
On draft day weekend, Whaley was contacted by a Bengals representative within minutes of the final selection. His dream as a child was to play for the Buckeyes and then the Bengals. In one phone call, it appeared that both of his dreams would become reality that very day.
Pro football, however, is a business; and after Whaley survived the cuts of several mini-camps, receiving praise for his work ethic from his coaches, a business decision was made. The Bengals, carrying four fullbacks, were out of roster space. The dream had to die.
"I'm just disappointed that I didn't have a lot of time to prove myself," Whaley said. "I wanted to have a preseason game or two to show my worth, but it didn't happen. Still, it was a blessing to get that opportunity."
I can't think of a team that needs a Tyler Whaley more than the Bengals. His pure love of the game of football, and willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed and help his team win, would be a refreshing contrast for a team that has seen its players listed in more police reports than ESPN headlines.
But don't count this kid out. Anybody who breaks three face masks in the first week of hitting (the Bengals let him keep the first one) should have a chance of catching on with another team. Or he may just live the other dream he's had for the past few years; to marry his sweetheart, Brittany Benjamin, and drift away into "normal" life -- back into anonymity.
One thing is for sure: Tyler Whaley's life, which will be chronicled in a soon-to-be-released book by Columbus Dispatch sports writer Ken Gordon, will never be normal. He's way past that now.
Book signings are scheduled locally on Friday, Aug. 22 from 3-5 p.m. at Bob Linn's Sporting Goods in Ironton and Friday, Sept. 19 from 3-6 p.m at Walden Books in the Ashland Town Center. Two additional signings are scheduled at Barnes and Noble locations in Pinkerington (Sept. 5) and on the OSU campus (Sept. 26).
"I hope this book and what I've been able to accomplish shows people what a lot of hard work and determination can do," Whaley said.
Billy Bruce is a freelance writer who lives and writes in Lawrence County, Ohio. He can be reached at hollandkat3@aol.com.
