Former Boiler Keller keeps promise

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080613/SPORTS020101/806130312

Dustin Keller, former Lafayette Jeff star and Purdue tight end, has made good on his promise that the first major purchase he would make after being drafted by the New York Jets in this spring's NFL Draft would be for his mother, Maureen.

On Mother's Day, Maureen and Dustin, and his four brothers, walked out of church. Dustin pointed out a rather spiffy-looking, brand new silver BMW.

"I said, 'Mom, you'd look really nice in that,' " Dustin recalled by telephone earlier this week from training camp at Hofstra University on Long Island, N.Y. "She said, 'Yeah.' So I pulled out the keys and handed them to her. She just looked at me, with no idea what was going on. I told her, 'It's yours.'

"And she started bawling and crying. And that lasted for like two hours."

Keller's agent, former Purdue basketball star Eugene Parker, helped make arrangements for the car to be delivered from former Boilermaker All-American and All-Pro safety Rod Woodson's dealership in Pittsburgh.

"Dustin had called and wanted to get some insurance information for a new vehicle, and I thought it was for him, that he finally got the new car that he wanted," Maureen said.

"I've never had a fancy car, so I don't know how to operate it. But I'm learning. It's voice operated. The other day it came on and was telling me to do something, and I didn't know how to shut it off."

Maureen is a single parent who raised her five sons by herself, working several jobs in the process.

Seeing her reaction to the car, as the commercial says, was priceless.

"She calls me every day and tells me how much she loves it, so it's a great feeling," Dustin said.

Most of Keller's time since being drafted No. 30 overall on April 26 by the Jets, has been spent at the team's training camp, learning the offense and working out.

There was a three-day mini-camp for rookies the first weekend after the draft, and an OTA camp (organized team activities) for the entire team.

"It went well," Keller said of the rookie mini camp. "They threw a lot of information at us real quick, something none of us were really used to. There were a lot of plays and we were moving around real quick out there.

"Without a doubt, I'm very happy with what's happened so far. But I know I still have room for improvement, and I still have a lot to learn. They want me to get the entire thing down, to have the offense down pat. That's really nothing but repetition, so I'm working on that and getting better every day."

Keller will remain at the Jets' training facilities until around July 4, before taking about 10 days off and then reporting to pre-season training camp in mid-July.

Jets seven-year veteran tight end Chris Baker is holding out for a new contract, plus he's not happy that the team signed free agent tight end Bubba Franks from Green Bay and also drafted Keller.

"I really can't say much about it," Keller said. "I really don't know what's going on with his situation. But he was here for mini-camp and he was real cool towards me. There were a couple things that came up on film, and he gave me a couple of pointers."

Keller also said he wasn't sure exactly where his contract talks with the team stand.

"I'm sitting back and letting Eugene do his thing as far as contract negotiations go," he said. "Whatever happens, happens. I have complete faith in Eugene."

Other than the workouts, a typical day for Keller now will consist of a wake up call at 8 a.m., breakfast at 8:30, a meeting at 9 a.m. with the team's player development personnel to discuss financial situations like buying a car or a house.

There also are yoga, karate, weight lifting sessions and meeting with position coaches.

Then the players report back to their dorm at 7 p.m. for dinner, with a 10:30 curfew.

The good news for Keller is that there is a ping pong table in the dorm. While at Purdue, he earned a reputation of being such a good ping pong player that most of his Boilermaker teammates refused to play him.

So, is Keller whipping up on everybody at the Jets camp?

"Oh yeah, without a doubt," he said.

[NYJETS3233]

thats a good story:)

[drago]

One thing i don't get....if he hasn't signed a contract, how does he have money for a new car? If it is all just borrowed money, that's fine, but is that actually the case or do they get paid while they are in camp despite no contract?

[BroadwayJ667]

One thing i don't get....if he hasn't signed a contract, how does he have money for a new car? If it is all just borrowed money, that's fine, but is that actually the case or do they get paid while they are in camp despite no contract?

that's exactly what it is, a loan. the dealership knows he plays football, so they know they should get the money as well as the bank that loaned him the money.

lots of first rounders do things like this before they sign a contract.

at least we know one thing. he'll sign soon trouble free because he's gonna need the money. hehe

[JonEJet]

The attorney bought it for him

Sort of like "thank you for making me your attorney"

Always happens