Seeing, finding success through Stephen Neal's experiences

 

BY RYAN T. BLYSTONE
rblystone@bakersfield.com

Feb 2, 2026

When you hear about Stephen Neal, there’s many ways to approach his sports credentials.

He is a two-time NCAA Division I heavyweight champion and four-time All-America selection at Cal State Bakersfield. His international accomplishments in the sport are equally impressive. And then there’s the rare 10-year NFL career he carved out without playing college football. He was a guard from 2001-11, all with the New England Patriots. He was with the team for four Super Bowls, awarded three rings for victories in 2002, 2004 and 2005.

Last October, he was part of CSUB Athletics’ inaugural Hall of Fame class — but wasn’t there in person, keeping family first and attending a key volleyball match in support of his daughters, Colby and Jillian, at Arizona State.

Neal, who was in town Sunday to watch the 2025-26 CSUB wrestling team compete in a unique home dual match — outdoor wrestling on a mat on the CSUB soccer field — and join fellow CSUB wrestling alumni to be recognized during intermission, stands out.

Not just because he still looks imposing as his 6-foot-4, 305-pound NFL body did back then.

Familiar surroundings such as the CSUB campus are comfortable places for Neal. But ask him about this coming Sunday’s Super Bowl 60 between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara and he’s planning to watch the game on television and not at Levi’s Stadium in Northern California.

“Absolutely not,” the 49-year-old said. “I’m not a fan of big crowds. I can’t relax in a place that’s super crowded like an NFL game.”

No fear. He’s just happier to follow things from afar and still appreciate everything about the game.

It’s a matchup he thinks has great potential to be a great championship game. It’s also a certainty that he’s leaning toward a Patriots victory, mainly because one of his former teammates, Mike Vrabel, is the current New England head coach.

“When I had my first tryout for football in 2001, Mike gave me my first pair of cleats. He was the first football player I met. I’m a big fan of Mike,” Neal said. “I think the buy-in he’s established with his players is amazing.”

Vrabel, as a teammate, was someone Neal said was all about being a team player.

“He was always one of the smartest players around,” Neal said. “To do special teams, be a linebacker on defense and he caught six touchdown passes and was always in our goal-line package. Whatever it took for his team to win, he was all about doing it. We all knew he’d be a coach. I have nothing but respect for him.”

Neal also enjoyed Vrabel’s antics that endeared him to the team.

“I remember he’d get on a scout team at safety and he’d (tick) off (Tom) Brady. The players are supposed to do what’s on the card and he’d do what he wanted. Brady would get so mad at him,” Neal said.

It was one example of the New England Patriots that isn’t talked about enough. The Patriots were always about business and doing what they could to maintain their success. The leader of this directive was Bill Belichick, head coach of the Patriots during Neal’s entire NFL career.

“I’d say he’s the greatest head coach of all time,” Neal said of Belichick, who was in the news last week when it was learned that he had missed out on being a first-ballot member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame by one vote. He was on 39 of the 50 ballots needed to be picked.

The news caused a viral reaction in the sports world. Add Neal to a long list of current and former athletes, coaches, who felt Belichick’s exclusion from the newest Hall of Fame class, scheduled to be announced on Thursday, was a snub.

“The Pro Football Hall of Fame doesn’t really matter,” Neal said. “You don’t set up your career just to make it to the Hall of Fame. If you do that, it’s going to be pretty hard. He’s someone who wanted to win — every single day. He won every single day as far as practices, preparation and scouting.

“It was a pleasure to be in the presence of greatness,” Neal said of Belichick, marveling at his ability to always be thinking several steps ahead of his peers and his staffs in terms of being a winner.

“He held every coach accountable and every coach would then hold every player accountable.

Many believe the New England Patriots were all business, all the time.

“It is what it was,” Neal said. “But to say there was no fun in New England? Nah. We worked hard during the week, but we had a lot of fun winning on Sunday.

“It was worth all the sacrifice to get those experiences, and knowing that you had a chance, no matter who you were playing against, to win.”

Belichick and the Patriots signed Neal for the practice squad initially in 2001.

He was cut, spent some time with the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad, and was re-signed to the Patriots’ active roster in the same season. The Patriots reached the Super Bowl that season. He went from watching Super Bowls on the couch to being there with a front-row view.

Neal didn’t play a down for the Patriots that first season but was on the sideline when New England beat the St. Louis Rams in 2002.

He blew out both shoulders in his first start of the 2002-03 season and had surgeries on them.

The next year, when the Patriots returned to the 2004 Super Bowl against Carolina, he was recovering from another shoulder surgery.

In the 2005 Super Bowl, a 24-21 win over the Eagles, Neal did start and experience the game as a player. The fourth and final Super Bowl for Neal was the 2008 meeting, a 17-14 loss to the New York Giants.

When Neal finished his NFL career, he had played in 86 games, 81 as a starting right guard.

“They don’t come any better than Steve Neal,” Belichick said in a Patriots team statement when Neal retired in 2011.

“In terms of improvement and development as a player, Steve may have accomplished more than any player I’ve ever been around. His toughness, intelligence and competitiveness were rare levels and all contributed to him going from being a champion in an individual sport to being an integral part of championship teams.

“I congratulate Steve for an incredible career and thank him for everything he did for me personally, our team and organization.”

Neal’s appreciation for Belichick was equaled in wrestling by Darryl Pope, a top assistant coach with CSUB wrestling and a two-time All-America selection in the mid-1980s, when Neal arrived in 1996.

Neal was fourth his freshman year in the NCAA Tournament and second as a sophomore.

Pope was constantly motivating Neal to be at his best. All the work, all the preparation and listening to Pope took Neal to incredible heights.

Neal holds career records for wins, he was 156-10, and pins (71) from 1996-99. He won the 1999 Danny Hodge Trophy as the collegiate wrestler of the year.

“One hundred%, Darryl Pope,” Neal said. He explained how Pope’s motivation, even after success in his early seasons at CSUB, laid the foundation for the national titles he won his junior and senior years.

“I was so programmed, I beat a lot of guys I shouldn’t have. He was able to put things in my head that prepared me for success.”

https://www.bakersfield.com/sports/seeing-finding-success-through-stephen-neals-experiences/article_3e40e25b-3ef9-4281-a074-05e5c05be04d.html

Two-Sport World Champion: Stephen Neal’s Hall of Fame Journey

 

Most athletes never become the best in the world at their sport, but Stephen Neal accomplished the feat in both Wrestling and Football.

October 17, 2025

Few athletes in the history of Cal State Bakersfield – or anywhere, for that matter – have achieved what Stephen Neal did. A two-time NCAA Division I Wrestling Champion, four-time All-American, and winner of the 1999 Dan Hodge Trophy, Neal dominated collegiate wrestling before going on to win the World Wrestling Championships.

Stephen Neal has his hand raised by the referee at the NCAA Championships.

Yet, what makes his story even more extraordinary is what came next: a decade-long NFL career and three Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots, all without ever having played college football.

On Oct. 25, Neal will take his rightful place among the inaugural inductees into the CSUB Athletics Hall of Fame, a recognition of a career – and a life – defined by belief, resilience, and relentless work.

“My time as an athlete at Cal State Bakersfield meant a lot to me. I was able to get an education and be embraced by the community of Bakersfield. I have a lot of really good memories from that time. It wasn’t easy. We had a lot of hard classes. I learned that if I put my mind to something, I can accomplish anything and that helped later on in my life. Everything I attacked, I thought I could achieve because of my time at CSUB.”

- Stephen Neal

Stephen Neal's headshot from his time at Cal State Bakersfield.

Neal’s record at CSUB remains legendary. His 156 career victories and 71 pins are still school records. In 1999, after capturing his second consecutive national championship, Neal earned wrestling’s highest individual honor – the Dan Hodge Trophy, the sport’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. He capped that same year with a gold medal at the Pan American Games and a world title at the World Wrestling Championships. In less than a year, Neal had conquered every level of wrestling. 

Stephen Neal faces down a foe on the mat, ready to go in his wrestling stance.

But true to his nature, he wasn’t finished. Despite not playing football since high school, Neal decided to pursue an NFL dream that most would have dismissed as impossible. In 2001, he signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent. By 2002, he was on the 53-man roster. Over the next 10 seasons, Neal would become a mainstay on the Patriots’ offensive line, protecting Tom Brady and helping the team capture three Super Bowl titles (2001, 2004, 2005).

Stephen Neal (#61, center) protects Tom Brady (#12, left) during a game with the New England Patriots.

“I learned that if you want something, you have to fight for it. It was always a fight at Cal State Bakersfield. We didn’t have the biggest budget or the shiny toys, but we fought. It doesn’t matter if people believe in you; if you believe in yourself and you’re willing to fight for it, you can get it.”

- Stephen Neal

That fighter’s mentality was evident from his first days in Bakersfield. CSUB alumnus and wrestling coach Darryl Pope recalled that when Neal was at his best, he was easygoing and lighthearted.

“If Stephen wasn’t joking, if he wasn’t laughing, he wasn’t talking, and he wasn’t relaxed, he wasn’t ready. That’s what made him tick,” Pope said. “He never made the Pro Bowl, but my response to that is this: Stephen Neal, having played no college football, walks on and makes the New England Patriots, arguably the greatest franchise in NFL history…When Coach Belichick says ‘Steve, I want you to play right here at Right Guard and protect Tom Brady for the next 10 years,’ I don’t care what anybody says—that’s All-Pro.”

Stephen Neal (left center) poses with CSUB coaches Darryl Pope (left) and T.J. Kerr (right) while wearing New England Patriots hats.

Neal’s influence extended beyond statistics and accolades. His teammate and friend Coby Wright remembers him as both a fierce competitor and a humble man of faith. “Off the mat, Steve wasn’t anything like he was on the mat…He was great at his sport, but I feel like the legacy he leaves is his character and the relationships he has with his wife, his family, his kids. That’s what’s most important to him. His main objective in life is to show people about Christ and how he feels that affected him.”

For Wright, Neal’s combination of fearlessness and humility set him apart. “Steve had no fear, and he didn’t have that fear of being tired that a lot of wrestlers have. His heart was in it, and you can’t do that well without believing in your coach’s philosophy.”

Stephen Neal (left) competes against future WWE star Brock Lesnar (right) in the finals of the 1999 NCAA Championships. Neal would win his second-straight national title.

Neal’s faith in his coaches – T.J. Kerr, Darryl Pope, and Rich Bailey – and in the CSUB program became a defining part of his journey: “These guys shaped me and molded me into who I became. Without my teammates, I’m still that wrestler that took fourth at State.” 

Even after his retirement from professional football, Neal’s connection to wrestling and to Bakersfield remains strong. He continues to credit the sport for shaping him, not only physically but as a person as well. “The sport of wrestling gave me cuts, cauliflower ear. It shaped me. But the biggest thing is our camaraderie and how we went to battle every single day. We fought so hard, but at the end of the day, we are best friends still.” 

https://x.com/CSUBAthletics/status/1940949935261614370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1940949935261614370%7Ctwgr%5E89101d2d2fccaffb6dbba2fc3fd54f5f6218d0d0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgorunners.com%2Fnews%2F2025%2F10%2F17%2Fgeneral-two-sport-world-champion-stephen-neals-hall-of-fame-journey.aspx

When Neal learned of his Hall of Fame selection, he saw it not just as personal validation, but as recognition for everyone who helped him along the way: “Being inducted into the [CSUB Athletics] Hall of Fame is a very special thing for me. I worked really hard, and to get the recognition that people see how hard I worked – and the people that helped me get there, getting them honored as well – is very special.” 

From the wrestling mats of Bakersfield to the Super Bowl sidelines of New England, Stephen Neal’s story is a testament to perseverance, humility, and the belief that no dream is too far-fetched when you’re willing to fight for it. His journey embodies the spirit of the Roadrunners – gritty, hard-working, and forever faithful to the lessons learned on that Blue and Gold mat.

Those interested in celebrating the career and legacy of Neal on Oct. 25 can purchase tickets for the Induction Ceremony at the link below.

Purchase Tickets

https://events.csub.edu/e/2025-cal-state-bakersfield-athletics-hall-of-fame/

10 NFL Players Who Actually Never Played College Football

 

Kenny Nosay

February 29, 2024

When it comes to the NFL, only the best of the best, truly can compete in this league.  Most of the NFL’s talent comes from your typical Division One college, while other rare talent arrives from Division Two, Division Three, or NAIA colleges.  However, every so often there comes along a rare player who does not follow the typical path into the NFL.  It is the rare few who impact the sport without playing a single snap of college football. 

Here are 10 players who made it in the NFL but skipped the college route:

Ray Seals

Seals is a former defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, from 1989 until 1993.  Seals managed to find his way onto an NFL roster with never playing college football.  Before joining the Bucs, in 1988, Seals played for the Syracuse Express, in the Empire Football League.  Seals brought his talent to Tampa the following year.  In 1994 Seals joined the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he got to play in Super Bowl 30.  Seals finished his NFL career in 1997 with the Carolina Panthers.  Overall, Seals made the best of his time in the NFL and proved anything is possible.

Stephen Neal

Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on February 6, 2005. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Neal is a former offensive guard who played 10 seasons for the New England Patriots.  He was on the rosters that won Super Bowls 36, 38, and 39, respectively.  Before all of that, Neal was actually on the wrestling team at California State University Bakersfield, a college that does not even have football.  Neal had an outstanding wrestling career in college, winning two gold medals at the NCAA Division One championships and gold medals at the World Wrestling Championships and Pan American Games.  Neal originally signed with the Patriots in July 2001 until he was released in August 2001.  He then had a brief stop with the Philadelphia Eagles before rejoining the Patriots in December 2001 where the rest is history.  He helped protect the GOAT of all quarterbacks, Tom Brady during his time in the NFL.

Antonio Gates

Gates is a soon-to-be Hall of Fame tight end who spent his entire football career playing for the San Diego/ Los Angeles Chargers.  Before embarking on his, Hall of Fame caliber, football career, Gates was on the hardwood, playing college basketball, at Kent State University.  During his junior year at Kent State, Gates helped the Golden Flashes appear in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, where the team made a run to the Elite Eight before getting knocked out by the three-seeded Pitt Panthers.  After college, Gates was told was too short for the NBA and then decided to give the NFL a try.  He tried out for the Chargers, where he became part of history.  Gates became an eight-time Pro Bowler with the Bolts and was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame.  Talk about one heck of a career.

Brandon Aubrey

Aubrey is the placekicker for the Dallas Cowboys.  But before Aubrey took his talent to the football field, he was a soccer player, who played college soccer at Notre Dame.  Aubrey then signed with Toronto FC of Major League Soccer in 2017.  He then was on the MLS Next Pro League, for two seasons with Toronto FC II and Bethlehem Steel FC.  After his soccer career ended, his wife encouraged him to give field goal kicking in football a try, after watching a game where the kicker missed making a field goal.  After years of coaching, Aubrey was drafted in the USFL Draft by the Birmingham Stallions, where he played for two seasons until he joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2023.  During the 2023 season, Aubrey made 36 of 38 field goals and 49 of 52 extra points.  Not bad, for a guy who started out as a soccer player.

Sav Rocca

Rocca is a former Australian rules footballer, who spent 15 years in the Australian Football League, before taking his talents to the NFL, as a punter.  Rocca played for the Collingwood Football Club and the North Melbourne Football Club Kangaroos and was a seven-time leading goal kicker with Collingwood, and a three-time leading goal kicker in North Melbourne.  Rocca joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2007 and earned the honor of, the Oldest Rookie of the Year, at the time.   Rocca later joined Washington, from 2011 until 2013 and finished his brief NFL career with 517 punts.  Rocca rejoined the AFL in 2015 with the Carlton Football Club, as a mentor for new athletes, and became a coach with the team from 2016 until 2020.  What a career for this Australian footballer!

Michael Lewis

Lewis is a former wide receiver and kick returner for the New Orleans Saints, from 2000 until 2006.  Lewis never played college football. In fact, he only played one year of high school football, as he had to help support his family, during this time period.  Lewis’ football career began while working as a truck driver, when a friend of his introduced him to flag football.  From there, Lewis then pursued playing semi-professional football and played with some arena league teams, until the Philadelphia Eagles gave him a call. 

Unfortunately, Lewis’ time with the Eagles was short as he was cut before the regular season began, but the Saints signed Lewis at the end of the 2000 season.  In 2002, Lewis had his best season in the Big Easy, as a kick returner with 1,807 yards, scored two touchdowns, as a punt returner with 625 yards and scored a touchdown, and earned himself a trip to the Pro Bowl.   Lewis later played with the San Francisco 49ers in 2007 and became a team ambassador to the Saints in 2009 (which he still holds today).  The Saints presented Lewis with a Super Bowl 44 ring for his contributions to the team.  An amazing story!

Efe Obada

Obada is currently a defensive end for the Washington Commanders, and he also never played a snap of college football, in his life.  Obada was born in Nigeria and raised in the Netherlands and England, where at one point Obada and his sister found themselves experiencing homelessness.  Obada was able to turn that around and support his family, by working as a security guard.  Obada’s football career began when he played for the London Warriors of the BAFA National League in 2014. 

After his year with the Warriors, defensive football coach Aden Durde helped Obada land a workout with the Dallas Cowboys.  Obada eventually joined the Cowboys’ practice squad.  He bounced around the league in 2016 until finding a home with the Carolina Panthers from 2017 until 2020.  Obada later joined the Buffalo Bills in 2021 and then signed with the Washington Commanders in 2022.  Obada’s story is one of triumph over adversity, which should be made into a movie!

Rico Gathers

Unlike a lot of people on this list, Gathers was drafted into the NFL Draft.  Gathers started his athletic career playing college basketball for the Baylor Bears.  He averaged 11.6 points per game, 11.6 rebounds per game, 1.2 steals, and one block per game as a junior power forward on the team.  Gathers informed then-Baylor football coach Art Briles of his interest in joining the football team, but changed his mind and declared for the NFL Draft after the Bears lost in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament to the Yale Bulldogs.  Gathers got drafted in 217th overall, in the sixth round of the NFL Draft- to the Dallas Cowboys.  Gathers played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2016 until 2018 and had a brief stop with the Cleveland Browns in 2019.  Unfortunately, injuries and off-the-field trouble kept Gathers’ action limited in the NFL.

Vince Papale

Papale was the subject of the Disney biopic “Invincible” starring Mark Wahlberg and has an amazing back story.  Papale attended college at Saint Joseph University in Philadelphia and was on a track scholarship.  The Hawks haven’t had a football team since 1939.  Papale won a United States Track and Field Federation college pole vault, as a junior, at Madison Square Garden, with a vault of 14 feet and six inches.  Papale changed direction and his professional football journey began with stops in minor league football teams, like the Aston Green Knights of the Seaboard Football League, and then the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League for two seasons. 

After his stint with the Bell, Papale joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976 and became the oldest rookie, at the time, at 30 years old.  Papale played for the Eagles for three seasons before a shoulder injury derailed his career and he became a broadcaster for eight years before transitioning to a commercial mortgage banker.  Talk about one of the most incredible sports stories out there.

Eric Swann

Swann was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft, but there was a catch, like the rest of the list, Swann never college football.  Swann was supposed to play college ball at North Carolina State University but was ruled academically ineligible at the time.  Instead, Swann chose to go the semi-professional route by joining a team called the Bay State Titans in Lynn, MA.  After his time with the Bay State Titans, Swann was drafted sixth overall in the first round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Phoenix Cardinals.  Swann became a two-time Pro Bowler during his time in the desert and his brief season with the Carolina Panthers.  He racked up 46.5 sacks, three safeties, eight fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and one defensive touchdown.  Not bad for a guy that never played collegiate football.

 

Stephen Neal on Tom Brady

 

https://x.com/FloWrestling/status/1756453748111519880?s=20

The best world-class wrestlers are on another level: Stephen Neal

 

1. Post author:Tom Shanahan
2. Post published:April 11, 2023

 

PHOTO: LSU’s Angel Reese (10) and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark lifted their sport in the 2023 NCAA women’s Final Four, but the discussion later shifted to taunting.

 

Visit my website homepage, TomShanahan.Report

 

By TOM SHANAHAN

 

We should be still awash in the glow surrounding the 2023 LSU-Iowa NCAA women’s basketball title. The parallels with the 1979 Michigan State-Indiana State men’s championship deserve more discussion.

When Michigan State’s Magic Johnson faced Indiana’s State’s Larry Bird, the showdown captivated the nation. The 24.1 TV audience rating remains a record (as does Michigan State’s record TV audience of 33 million against Notre Dame in the 1966 Game of the Century).

In the aftermath, network broadcast rights soared. Final Fours were moved from 15,000-seat basketball arenas to 60,000-plus football stadiums. The men’s game has never looked back. Seth Davis, the acclaimed sportswriter and CBS studio host, wrote a 2010 book about the game’s impact: “When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball.”

So, what might LSU and Angel Reese defeating Iowa and Caitlin Clark mean to the women’s basketball’s future? The game drew a record ESPN TV audience of 9.9 million, including a peak audience of 12.6 million.

Sadly, though, the blame game overtook discussions of exciting progress in women’s game credibility. Reese was unfairly singled out for taunting Clark. The social media world jumped on Reese, even though two days earlier in the semifinals Clark used the same fake wrestling taunt against her vanquished opponent, South Carolina.

But don’t blame Reese or Clark.

Blame John Cena, who acts out fake wrestling scripts, for popularizing a taunt of waving his hand across his face to say, “You can’t see me.”

When did unsportsmanlike behavior become cool?

Fake wrestling – please don’t call it pro wrestling – has sunk its ugly tentacles into legitimate sports. Fake wrestling is the Kardashians of the sports world – popular and profitable but shallow.

The other Magic-Bird parallel, of course, was the elephant in the room.

Reese is Black and from a city background, Baltimore. Clark is White and from a farm state, Iowa. An uncomfortable Black vs. White conversation emerged because, well, this is America. Reese got trapped into a villain’s role.

But it didn’t have to be that way. Magic is Black and from the city courts in Lansing, Michigan, while Bird is white and from the countryside, French Lick, Indiana.

Yes, the comparisons are different since Magic’s effervescent personality and Bird’s dour avoidance of the media were both well-known from a season of national coverage. Magic and Bird were wary of each other in college but only because they didn’t know each other. They became great friends and rivals in the NBA.

So far, we’ve only just met Reese and Clark. We don’t know enough about their personalities. They’ll probably like each other if they meet – they’ll learn just as Magic and Bird they share plenty in common despite different backgrounds.

When Reese and Clark next meet they should mimic Cheryl Miller, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Candance Parker, Brittany Griner or others. Not John Cena. He wouldn’t survive 10 seconds against a legitimate world-class wrestler.

Or take a page from LeBron James.

Remember the 2015 NBA finals when James, then playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, warmed up before Game 3 of the NBA finals against Golden State? James saw Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown sitting courtside and bowed to him.

There is so much cruel irony to fake wrestling’s popularity overtaking the women’s Final Four storyline. Legitimate wrestlers toil in anonymity while scraping up funds to pursue their dreams of Olympic glory. Fake wrestlers make their money acting out scripts written on the backs of a sport dating to the original Greek Olympics.

Stephen Neal, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, was a two-time NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion, winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy (college wrestling’s Heisman) and the 1999 World Wrestling Championship freestyle heavyweight gold medal in Ankara, Turkey, before he took up football.

When Neal joined the Patriots, his teammates asked him if he wanted to go into pro wrestling. Sportswriters learn early legitimate wrestlers don’t think that question is funny. Neal responded he wasn’t into acting. Neal’s teammates, legitimate athletes, didn’t understand the absurdity of the question. They didn’t ask Tom Brady after filming his first commercial if he planned to go into acting.

And for fake wrestling enthusiasts reading this, don’t toss Brock Lesnar’s name into the ring for credibility. For one, Neal beat Lesnar in the 1999 NCAA final to finish an unbeaten season. Neal moved onto a 10-year NFL career. Lesnar won his NCAA title in 2000, but when he tried to cross over into the NFL, he was cut by the Minnesota Vikings. Then, he cashed in on fake wrestling. The best world-class wrestlers are on another level. Nobody compares Tom Brady with his backups.

The taunting imbroglio also ensnared the First Lady, Jill Biden. She attended the final and was so enthralled with the performances she naively suggested both LSU and Iowa visit the White House. Her focus was on viewing the 2023 Final Four as a transformative moment.

She didn’t understand runners-up don’t share the stage with champions. And no doubt Larry Bird would have scoffed at an invitation to join Magic’s White House stage as a friend or a foe. The First Lady’s office issued a clarification. It was a mistake inflamed by the blame-game backlash.

Remember that Reese and Clark are college kids. They’ll learn with time life turns around to bite you from behind. But maybe, hopefully, they’ll avoid stooping to mimic fake wrestling taunts.

Former NFL football star Stephen Neal addresses Bulldogs

 

By ODETT OCHOA | Sports Writer

Nov 15, 2022

Former New England Patriot guard and world champion freestyle wrestler, Stephen Neal (far left), poses with Calexico High School student-athletes after a guest speaker event at Varner Gym, Nov. 7, in Calexico.

Former New England Patriot guard and world champion freestyle wrestler, Stephen Neal (far right), shows his Super Bowl rings to Calexico High School student-athletes during a guest speaker event at Varner Gym, Nov. 7, in Calexico.

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CALEXICO — The Calexico Bulldogs hosted former NFL guard, two-time NCAA National Champion, and world champion in freestyle wrestling, Stephen Neal as a guest speaker.

Neal shared his experiences competing at California State University Bakersfield as well as the importance being a multi-sport athlete played in his football career. Neal discussed the new opportunities and advantages that arise from trying new sports, and emphasized the vital role that "attitude, effort, and preparation" play in achieving success.

“I hope the students understand that you can accomplish anything,” said Neal. “Having them find some skills outside of their main sport, and become a better, total athlete, would be a win.”

Neal is one of the few players who did not play college football before entering the NFL.

“It was cool to learn what it was like to compete at the highest level in both the NFL and wrestling,” said Calexico Bulldog junior Ivan Marquez.

As this season will be Marquez’s first year on the wrestling team, the junior took notes from Neal and is hopeful that preparation and hard work will equip him with the tools necessary to face opponents this season, he said.

“He taught us that even though your opponent may appear big and strong, you can defeat them if you work hard and prepare," Marquez said. "You can achieve whatever you set your mind to.”

First-year Boys' Wrestling Head Coach Juan Lopez developed a friendship with Neal, and believed it would motivate and inspire his student-athletes to consider the benefits of challenging themselves through sports.

“One of the goals was motivating kids to try the sport,” Lopez said. “Hopefully they will love it, but at least this way you make them aware of the sport and its benefits.”

Originally from Calexico, Lopez spent 14 years helping in the Poway high school wrestling program, where he met Neal.

After moving back to the Imperial Valley in August, Lopez said he is looking forward to creating safe, healthy environments where athletes can compete and thrive.

“Consistency," the coach said. "I want to be able to provide consistency and give them a place where they can wrestle, but also, create a space where they can grow, be challenged, and be proud of themselves.”

As a coach, player, and parent, Neal gave one piece of advice to students.

“We all have the tools to do something great,” Neal said. “Take one day at a time, and think of what you can do each day to improve.”

The Calexico Bulldogs will take the wrestling mat on Saturday, November 19, at the Brawley Union High School JV Boys; Wrestling Invite.