Former Moeller Football Star to play in Super Bowl XLVI
When I was a freshman at Moeller High School back in 2005, little did I know that a fellow Man of Moeller, one who walked in the same halls that I did, would end up playing in Super Bowl XLVI. I didn't know him personally, but everyone at Moeller in those days knew who Greg Jones was. He was a star defensive lineman on the football team and a guy you could tell had a very bright future ahead of him.
I had gone to Moeller football games ever since I was a little kid and I went to as many as I could while I was a student. Each game that I saw my freshman and sophomore year, you could almost bet that Greg Jones would have a significant impact on the outcome of the game. He was almost unstoppable on the defensive
line and it seemed like the bigger the game, the more of an impact Greg
Jones had on it.
As a junior, Jones recorded 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. He stepped it up a notch his senior season with 71 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks, which earned him a scholarship to Michigan State. He was, and is to this day, one of the best high school players I have ever seen play the game of football.
As a Spartan, Jones was a three-time All-Big Ten performer, a two-time consensus All-American, and the 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Greg ended up getting drafted in the sixth round, pick number 185, by the New York Giants this past April, and he now finds himself in Indianapolis this week, preparing to play in Super Bowl XLVI.
I've seen Greg Jones play a lot of football from his days at Moeller to watching him play at Michigan State, but the one thing that I will always remember about seeing him at Moeller was not a play he made on the football field, but seeing him eat every day in the cafeteria.
Think back to your high school cafeteria and more often than not, the football players usually are the ones with a mountain of food on their trays. Two or three sandwiches, a couple of brownies or cookies, and it would resemble something like Bluto's lunch tray from Animal House (A must see movie if you haven't already).
Whenever I saw Greg Jones in the cafeteria at Moeller, he didn't always have a mountain of food on his tray. It was almost for certain though, that he would be eating one of the big homemade chocolate chip cookies that were $1, and Greg would always be dipping that cookie in a carton of milk. Those cookies were one of the best items a student could buy in the Moeller cafeteria in my opinion, and you had to buy one, because they went fast and trust me, they were worth a $1. But I cannot remember a time in the cafeteria that I did not see Greg Jones eating a chocolate chip cookie.
Being a stupid freshman, as we were usually called, I almost idolized Greg because was this big, tough guy, who was a star on one of the most historic high school football programs in the state and in the country. But seeing him dip a cookie in a carton of milk made me realize that he was just another Man of Moeller, who happened to be very good at football.
Like I said, I never knew Greg personally and I don't know why I remember him more for eating a cookie in the cafeteria more than what he did on the football field, but I can't pick against his team on Sunday.
Seeing Greg make it in the NFL and getting to watch him on the world's biggest stage on Sunday really gives me a sense of pride as a Moeller Alum. It's really cool to tell people that I went to the same high school as Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, or future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., and I've been telling people all week that I went to high school with one of the Giants players who will be playing in this week's Super Bowl.
I loved my high school years, they were the four best years of my life, and since Greg is a fellow Moeller Crusader, I like the New York Giants to win Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday. I picked the Patriots to win the whole thing before the season started and it would be cool if I actually predicted the winner of the Super Bowl prior to the season starting, but I can't pull myself to pick against a fellow Man of Moeller in the biggest game of the year. #MoellerPride.
I think Sunday's game though, will be close and it could take a last minute drive like it did four years ago. I think the winner of this game will depend on these two questions. Will the Giants defensive line get pressure on Tom Brady like they did four years ago? And how effective will TE Rob Gronkowksi be with that high ankle sprain? If the Giants NASCAR package is on the field and their defensive line gets pressure on Brady, and Gronkowski is not as effective as he was during the season, the Giants will win the Super Bowl.
As a rookie, Greg has been a key member on special teams this season, he had three special team tackles in the NFC Championship game, and special teams always play a big part in the Super Bowl. Greg could make a game saving tackle or maybe force a game changing fumble that could decide who takes home the Lombardi Trophy. You never know who the star of the Super Bowl might be, just ask David Tyree.
I love the Super Bowl and I think the game on Sunday could be one of the best in history. This is the first Super Bowl in recent memory that I really have no idea who might come out on top, but I'll take Eli Manning, Moeller Alum Greg Jones, and the Giants, over Tom Brady and the Patriots. Giants 31, Patriots 30.
I know Greg will make his family, his city, and Moeller very proud on Sunday, and I want to wish him nothing, but the best of luck in Super Bowl XLVI. Greg is writing about his Super Bowl experience for the NY Daily News, so take a look to see what he's experienced so far.
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| Greg Jones was a beast on defense while playing for Moeller and he was named to two All-Greater Catholic League teams. (Gary Housteay/Bucknuts) |
As a junior, Jones recorded 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. He stepped it up a notch his senior season with 71 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks, which earned him a scholarship to Michigan State. He was, and is to this day, one of the best high school players I have ever seen play the game of football.
As a Spartan, Jones was a three-time All-Big Ten performer, a two-time consensus All-American, and the 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Greg ended up getting drafted in the sixth round, pick number 185, by the New York Giants this past April, and he now finds himself in Indianapolis this week, preparing to play in Super Bowl XLVI.
I've seen Greg Jones play a lot of football from his days at Moeller to watching him play at Michigan State, but the one thing that I will always remember about seeing him at Moeller was not a play he made on the football field, but seeing him eat every day in the cafeteria.
Think back to your high school cafeteria and more often than not, the football players usually are the ones with a mountain of food on their trays. Two or three sandwiches, a couple of brownies or cookies, and it would resemble something like Bluto's lunch tray from Animal House (A must see movie if you haven't already).
Whenever I saw Greg Jones in the cafeteria at Moeller, he didn't always have a mountain of food on his tray. It was almost for certain though, that he would be eating one of the big homemade chocolate chip cookies that were $1, and Greg would always be dipping that cookie in a carton of milk. Those cookies were one of the best items a student could buy in the Moeller cafeteria in my opinion, and you had to buy one, because they went fast and trust me, they were worth a $1. But I cannot remember a time in the cafeteria that I did not see Greg Jones eating a chocolate chip cookie.
Being a stupid freshman, as we were usually called, I almost idolized Greg because was this big, tough guy, who was a star on one of the most historic high school football programs in the state and in the country. But seeing him dip a cookie in a carton of milk made me realize that he was just another Man of Moeller, who happened to be very good at football.
 |
| Former Moeller Crusader Greg Jones will be playing in Super Bowl XLVI for the Giants on Sunday. (Photo Courtesy Giants.com) |
Seeing Greg make it in the NFL and getting to watch him on the world's biggest stage on Sunday really gives me a sense of pride as a Moeller Alum. It's really cool to tell people that I went to the same high school as Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, or future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., and I've been telling people all week that I went to high school with one of the Giants players who will be playing in this week's Super Bowl.
I loved my high school years, they were the four best years of my life, and since Greg is a fellow Moeller Crusader, I like the New York Giants to win Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday. I picked the Patriots to win the whole thing before the season started and it would be cool if I actually predicted the winner of the Super Bowl prior to the season starting, but I can't pull myself to pick against a fellow Man of Moeller in the biggest game of the year. #MoellerPride.
I think Sunday's game though, will be close and it could take a last minute drive like it did four years ago. I think the winner of this game will depend on these two questions. Will the Giants defensive line get pressure on Tom Brady like they did four years ago? And how effective will TE Rob Gronkowksi be with that high ankle sprain? If the Giants NASCAR package is on the field and their defensive line gets pressure on Brady, and Gronkowski is not as effective as he was during the season, the Giants will win the Super Bowl.
As a rookie, Greg has been a key member on special teams this season, he had three special team tackles in the NFC Championship game, and special teams always play a big part in the Super Bowl. Greg could make a game saving tackle or maybe force a game changing fumble that could decide who takes home the Lombardi Trophy. You never know who the star of the Super Bowl might be, just ask David Tyree.
I love the Super Bowl and I think the game on Sunday could be one of the best in history. This is the first Super Bowl in recent memory that I really have no idea who might come out on top, but I'll take Eli Manning, Moeller Alum Greg Jones, and the Giants, over Tom Brady and the Patriots. Giants 31, Patriots 30.
I know Greg will make his family, his city, and Moeller very proud on Sunday, and I want to wish him nothing, but the best of luck in Super Bowl XLVI. Greg is writing about his Super Bowl experience for the NY Daily News, so take a look to see what he's experienced so far.
 |
| Eli Manning and the Giants vs. Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. (Graphic Courtesy of FantasyKnuckleheads.com) |
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