My favorite kind of players on a football team, or any of the four major sports, are ones who are of high character. The ones who conduct themselves in a professional manner. The ones who are personable with the media. The ones who are role models to the community.
Dontay Corleone is that kind of player. I can’t help but just feel gutted for him, after it was announced by the University of Cincinnati that the former Freshman All-American will be out indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs.
Forget about what this means for the on-field product of the Bearcats this season. This is a human being going through a serious health situation. Because he is who he is, risen to one of the most notable local athletes in Cincinnati, we focus in on his situation, write stories about it, etc. The truth is, though, anybody, unfortunately, could go through what “The Godfather” is going through. That’s why I’m looking past what this means as far as the on field product for the Bearcats and focusing on Dontay Corleone the human.
Corleone is an easy player to root for. He’s from Cincinnati. He’s worked hard to get to the level of play and accolades he’s reached so far in his college career. And he has a personality that you want to be around. On top of all those attributes to him, he’s a leader. As the Bearcats Football program navigates a difficult transition to the Big 12, Corleone has been a leader. He stayed after Luke Fickell left. He’s helped the young players newcomers get adapted to the program. That’s a player who’s easy to root for.
On the field, if Corleone misses time this season, his absence will definitely be felt. His abilities as a run-stopper and to clog the middle are indispensable to this team, in addition to his leadership.
Again, though, the on-field product takes a back seat here. This is about a player, who is very easy to root for, and a human being going through a serious health condition. I feel gutted for him, and every Bearcats fan should feel that way for him as well.
