Multi-sport athletes at the collegiate and professional levels have always been rare when each game requires so much devotion of time and effort in order to become the best. The critics reason that individuals can't possibly reach maximum potential in a particular sport if they're trying to juggle two games at a time.
But then again, there are unique individuals who defy all the standards set in place and keep us in awe of their skills in more than a single sport.
Jim Thorpe was an Olympian with pro careers in both baseball and football. Bo Jackson was the first athlete to make an all-star team in both baseball and football. And Jim Brown is considered to be not only one of the greatest football players of all time but also one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time.
Greg Paulus's achievements are nowhere near the level of these legends. But his quick transition from point guard at Duke to the current starting quarterback at Syracuse demonstrates superb athletic ability. It might be early, but what Paulus has already achieved is quite remarkable.
Over a span of just six months, Paulus has gone from riding the bench at Duke his senior year to leading an offense at Syracuse, this despite being away from the game of football for four years.
Paulus was a phenomenal high school athlete in both basketball and football in New York. In addition to coach Mike Krzyzewski's basketball scholarship offer from Duke, Paulus received football scholarship offers from top schools including the University of Miami and Notre Dame.
When it came time to make a decision, Paulus chose hoops. Maybe his smaller build (6 foor 1 inch and 180 lbs) led him to believe that a pro career in basketball was much more realistic. After all, former Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward of Florida State chose basketball after graduation and enjoyed a fairly successful NBA career.
Paulus made his presence known right away as his 5.2 assists per game as a freshman were tops in the Atlantic Coast Conference. His sophomore and junior seasons were also impressive, as he continued to develop as a playmaker and averaged double figures in scoring.
But as successful as Paulus was in his first three seasons, his senior year was marred by utter disappointment. He started five games and averaged just 16 minutes per contest. Duke elected to go with younger talent and that resulted in the end of Paulus's future as an NBA prospect. The former star's steep decline made him an easy target for criticism.
Paulus could have been satisfied with his college degree and a disappointing end to his athletic career at Duke, but instead he revived his aspirations in football, contacting schools and beating out several candidates to become the starting QB at Syracuse. To me, this shows not only tremendous athletic ability but also great courage and determination to put his reputation on the line.
Despite a hot start in his first game against Minnesota last Saturday, Paulus showed plenty of growing pains in his return to football. He led the Orangemen to a 20-14 lead at halftime and finished with 167 yards passing and a touchdown. But his crucial interception on third down in overtime led to a defeat for Syracuse.
However, it isn't Paulus' statistics that make his comeback worth watching. It's witnessing the leadership that comes naturally to him and manifests itself in Paulus's demeanor on the field. During last Saturday's telecast, ESPN aired many shots of him trying to rally his teammates on the sideline and showing emotion on each drive.
Paulus may have little to no future in the NFL. But nonetheless, he has accepted an almost unthinkable athletic challenge and performed very well so far.
And with each win for Syracuse, he builds his confidence back up while defying critics along the way—a powerful story.
What do you think about Greg Paulus? E-mail mfox2@wisc.edu.
