A DANCE FOR A FRIEND.Byline: VINCENT VINCENT Vital Information Necessary Centralized (movie, The Black Hole) BONSIGNORE Sometime next week, former Montclair Prep of Van Nuys football standout Kevin Bentley Kevin Kinte Bentley (born December 29, 1979 in North Hills, California) is an American football linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. He was originally selected with the third pick of the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft out of Northwestern University by the Cleveland Browns. will stand by himself in the back of the end zone at the Cleveland Browns
For Bentley, a rookie linebacker with the Browns, the dance will have him glance back once more to a dreadful time while at the same time he looks forward to what he hopes will be NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga fame and riches. Bentley will be alone when he does his dance, at least physically, anyway. In spirit he'll be joined by his best friend, Rashidi Wheeler, who collapsed and died last August after a series of rigorous wind sprints during a Northwestern University Northwestern University, mainly at Evanston, Ill.; coeducational; chartered 1851, opened 1855 by Methodists. In 1873 it absorbed Evanston College for Ladies. football conditioning drill. Bentley and Wheeler, Wildcats teammates who used to do the dance together before Northwestern games, began the tradition as freshmen. It's one Bentley plans to keep intact now with the Browns. ``I know he'll be there with me,'' Bentley said. ``He had a shot to make it in the NFL, and in a way he's going to get his chance. I'm playing for myself and Rashidi.'' This is a bittersweet bittersweet, name for two unrelated plants, belonging to different families, both fall-fruiting woody vines sometimes cultivated for their decorative scarlet berries. time for Bentley, a fourth-round draft pick of the Browns. His dream of playing in the NFL is within his grasp - the Browns are excited about Bentley's potential after a series of positive offseason minicamps - but he's haunted by the images of Wheeler's tragic death and the sorrowful sor·row·ful adj. Affected with, marked by, causing, or expressing sorrow. See Synonyms at sad. sor  row·ful·ly adv. aftermath that rocked the
Northwestern program.
Bentley and Wheeler, a safety from Ontario, had been close since they showed up together at Northwestern four years ago, a pair of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, kids trying to make a name for themselves in college football. It was Bentley who delivered the painful news to Wheeler's parents of their son's death, and it was Bentley who assumed the role of team spokesman over the remainder of the season. ``It's something I still think about every day,'' Bentley said. ``That kind of thing never leaves you, it was a painful experience and it's something I'll remember the rest of my life. But the best thing I can do now is play in his memory, and that's what I plan to do.'' None of this surprises those closest to Bentley, a speedy, intelligent linebacker who makes up for his lack of size - he's listed at 6-foot-0, 243 pounds - with a knack for quickly breaking down plays and flowing to the ball. ``It's typical Kevin Bentley,'' said Montclair Prep football coach George Giannini. ``Those were the characteristics he showed while he was here. He isn't afraid to speak up and he doesn't shy away from Verb 1. shy away from - avoid having to deal with some unpleasant task; "I shy away from this task" avoid - stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something; "Her former friends now avoid her" being a leader.'' With the Browns, Bentley is almost starting over again. No longer the experienced team leader he was at Northwestern the last few years, his primary objective over the next few weeks is to catch the eye of Cleveland coach Butch Davis, a noted defensive guru who hopes to build the Browns in the image of his talented University of Miami This article is about the university in Coral Gables, Florida. For the university in Oxford, Ohio, see Miami University. The University of Miami (also known as Miami of Florida,[2] UM,[3] or just The U teams: a smothering smothering death by asphyxiation. Occurs where poultry are carelessly herded into a corner where they cannot escape and where they are piled four or five birds deep; they will die of asphyxia very quickly. See also crowding. , dominating defense complemented by an efficient offense. In that regard, Bentley is excited about being a part of the young Browns, although he realizes the jump from college to the NFL will not be without some significant adjustments. ``The thing that jumped out at me during minicamp was how fast everything moved,'' Bentley said. ``Everyone here is faster, bigger and stronger than in college. It's the best of the best.'' How Bentley fares will depend on how quickly he picks up the Browns' playbook and how fast he adjusts to the speed of the professional game. But Giannini isn't concerned. He thinks Bentley has a chance to stick around a long time in the NFL. ``Obviously, the one drawback is his size,'' Giannini said. ``But Kevin compensates for that with his speed and intelligence. With us, he was pretty much an assistant coach on the field and I don't think he'll have any trouble picking things up in the NFL. He's an extremely bright kid.'' Bentley left Northwestern with a degree in communications, so no matter what happens in the NFL, he's got something to fall back on. But this being his lifelong dream, he plans to make the most of it. ``I'm ready to go, I've been ready to go,'' Bentley said. ``I just want to get out there and put the pads on and do the best I can.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Former Montclair Prep High star Kevin Bentley, wearing No. 2, is now a Cleveland Brown. Ted S. Warren/Associated Press |
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