JetCane Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 January 31, 2007 By Gene Chamberlain Staff writer Darrell McClover is part of a Super Bowl team in large part because he happened to have a stopover at Midway Airport. The linebacker's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, had lined up a workout for McClover with the Detroit Lions in October, but McClover didn't get a direct flight from Florida. "I was connecting through Midway," McClover recalled. "Drew called me and said, 'Stay in Chicago. Don't go anywhere. They're sending a limo and it will be there in 15 minutes. I think they want to sign you.' " The Bears did indeed sign McClover. And come Sunday, instead of being unemployed or being idle as a Lion, he'll be trying to help the Bears beat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI as a key part of the team's kickoff coverage and return units. Good thing he had his cell phone with him at Midway. "I guess the Bears were just looking around for somebody," McClover said. "They were looking for a special-teams player and they saw my name. "Maybe it happened for a reason. The reason would be for me to be here and to help Chicago win the Super Bowl." Even had fate not intervened, McClover likely would have been in the Miami area this time of year. The former University of Miami player's home is in Fort Lauderdale. His parents, Darrell Sr. and Cathy, live 15 minutes from Dolphin Stadium, and his "little" brother -- 6-foot-5 Joshua McClover -- is a defensive end at Florida Atlantic. McClover is among a handful of Bears players who were claimed off waivers and thus have shots at a Super Bowl ring almost by pure chance. Safeties Tyler Everett and Nick Turnbull and 6-foot-8 tight end Richard Angulo are also on the fringes of the roster. In McClover's case, his contribution has far exceeded expectations for a waiver pickup. The New York Jets cut him Sept. 2 and he went seven weeks without employment, but he's among the Bears' top special-teams tacklers. "Seven weeks without being a part of the league is enough to drive you nuts," he said. "You worry that you won't get back in." Bears linebacker Leon Joe had been a big part of special teams, but a hamstring injury has nagged him throughout the season. Pro personnel director Bobby DePaul had a good grade on McClover and set up his workout for the Bears. "He was a great pickup," special-teams coach Dave Toub said. "We played him that first game as soon as we got him. He was a little rusty, to be honest. Then we went back with Leon. Then he got hurt again, so that enabled Darrell to get back in there, and he has really come on and helped solidify things on kickoffs." The Bears credited McClover with seven special-teams tackles in a 34-31 overtime win over Tampa Bay, the most by a Bear in a single game this season. In his seven regular-season games, he led or tied for the team lead in special-teams tackles three times. He also helped win a game when he noticed a change in the Jets' kickoff team personnel at the start of the second half. The change made the Bears wary of an onside kick, and when the Jets went with that strategy, Chris Harris recovered the ball for the Bears, who went on to a 10-0 win. "I think our personnel department did a good job of finding those guys you need in a pinch," Toub said. "We have about four or five guys like that. That's what makes us good is our core. "We have several players you might think are obscure and they contribute on special teams or whatever. But the one common thing through it is they're all good football players. They show up on tape making tackles. A guy like, let's say Cameron Worrell, it won't surprise me if some day he ends up playing a lot on defense for somebody. There's talent there." McClover has had a "special-teams attitude" since playing them during his first three years at Miami. "The coaches there called us 11 angry men, or 'The 11 Angries,' " he said. "It's all attitude. It's just going and getting after the ball, and nobody else exists -- just get the guy with the ball." McClover, originally drafted by the Jets in the seventh round in 2004, was caught in a numbers game in New York. "When you're in the NFL nothing's secure," he said. "You don't know where you're going to be the next day." You might even wind up in the Super Bowl with another team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 With his size and speed I find it hard to believe that he was unemployed for 7 weeks. But he didn't do all that much in college (no offense Cane). Still you would think you could put a guy like that to good use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetCane Posted January 31, 2007 Author Share Posted January 31, 2007 With his size and speed I find it hard to believe that he was unemployed for 7 weeks. But he didn't do all that much in college (no offense Cane). Still you would think you could put a guy like that to good use. He did just enough in college to be a 7th round pick- no more or less. Even taking away my Cane bias, i thought he showed enough in preseason to survive the cutdown. I'm happy he caught on with another team- and a SB team no less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSJ Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I thought cutting McClover was a mistake at the time and I still do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLH222 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Jetcane...us Canes know what this guy was while in coral gables. He was a justified late rounder, but a guy that showed a lot of promise at the U. I always thought of him as our defensive equivelent to a guy like Jason Geathers. Not a natural at any particular position, but a great athlete and an asset to the program nonetheless. Come to think of it, I remember another guy who fits that model (albeit in a offesnive manner) and who happened to work out in the pros pretty well....Deven Hester. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I never watched a game with DH in uniform where he didnt do something to alter the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLH222 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 P.S. Moral of the story= Wish he was still a Jet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Jet Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Always liked him while he was with us. Glad he's getting a chance at a ring with da bears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetCane Posted February 1, 2007 Author Share Posted February 1, 2007 Jetcane...us Canes know what this guy was while in coral gables. He was a justified late rounder, but a guy that showed a lot of promise at the U. I always thought of him as our defensive equivelent to a guy like Jason Geathers. Not a natural at any particular position, but a great athlete and an asset to the program nonetheless. Come to think of it, I remember another guy who fits that model (albeit in a offesnive manner) and who happened to work out in the pros pretty well....Deven Hester. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I never watched a game with DH in uniform where he didnt do something to alter the outcome. Hester was not only an amazing return guy, he was a terrific gunner, too. He was always downfield making tackles. I think the Jets gave up on McC too soon, as he has a great attitude and work ethic. GLH, if you havent seen this yet, it's some good news: UM FOOTBALL Marve's decision bolsters Canes Randy Shannon's first recruiting class got a huge boost when Tampa Plant quarterback Robert Marve committed to UM after first choosing Alabama. BY SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN sdegnan@MiamiHerald.com The University of Miami got its guy Wednesday, and this one appears to be here to stay. Robert Marve, the record-setting Tampa Plant High School quarterback who led the Panthers to the Class 4A state title, orally committed to the Hurricanes during a news conference at his school's fieldhouse. Though the commitment is nonbinding, Marve will make it official when he signs his letter of intent Wednesday to become UM's quarterback of the future -- a signing that will boost considerably the value of coach Randy Shannon's first recruiting class. ''Coach Shannon is such a great guy, a guy I'll battle for and fight for and just play all-out,'' said Marve, last week named the 2006 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Football and this week named a Parade All-American. ``That was the spot for me.'' With Marve were his father Eugene, who played in the NFL for 11 seasons; his mother Julie; his sister Rebecca; his coach Robert Weiner; teammates; and several friends. ___ Some of us may be old enough to remember Eugene Marve as LB with the Bills in the 80s. He played next to Fred Smerlas and Jim Haslett. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLH222 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Ya I heard the news this morning....with him and Graig Cooper we may have turned this thing around sooner then we though.....we dont rebuild, we re-load! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4HCrew Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I am glad he caught on with someone too..I also thought it was weird he got cut by the Jets but I guess they had to make room for Schlbustgel ha ha ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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