Chris Spielman will be both thrilled and saddened today.
On one hand, the only individual honor he said he ever wanted will come to pass when the former Ohio State linebacker is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at an awards banquet in New York.
On the other hand, there's a big hole. Spielman makes the trip without his wife, Stefanie, who died of cancer on Nov. 19.
"I'm looking forward to it, but there's going to be something missing," Spielman said. "Stefanie was such a big part of my success. That's not going to ruin the trip, but I'm not going to lie and say there's not going to be something missing.
"But I understand that she would be upset if I was in a down mood all the time, so I just kind of embrace it for what it is -- like a lot of days, it's a roller-coaster ride."
Spielman said he is dealing with the aftermath of Stefanie's death by telling his four children to come to terms with, "the new normal."
"It takes some time to get used to," he said. "We've been dealing with a bunch of firsts -- first day back at school (without Stefanie), back at church, first Christmas."
Stefanie was lauded for her passion -- to her family, and to the cause of breast-cancer research -- but in his playing days, Chris was known for exhibiting that trait, as well.
At OSU from 1984 to 1987, he was a two-time All-American, winner of the 1987 Lombardi Award, and is the school's third-leading tackler (546) and first in solo tackles (283).
He becomes the 28th former OSU player or coach to reach the hall. His class will be enshrined next summer at the hall in South Bend, Ind. |
