Philip Blake’s story has been well-covered.
The Baylor offensive lineman grew up in Canada, playing one year of high school football — his senior year.
Immediately he knew it was the sport for him.
But getting to play it at a Division I college was quite a process.
“It’s a long story,” Blake smiled.
He started by playing two years at Champlain Regional College in Quebec, Canada, and got recruited by Baylor Head Coach Art Briles and his staff.
The NCAA clearing house didn’t accept his high school and Canadian regional college grades, so he thought going to a school without football for a semester — University of Houston-Downtown would allow him to transfer to Baylor.
But he wasn’t academically eligible to play at Baylor, so instead he spent a year-and-a-half at Tyler Junior College in Texas, graduated and then joined the Baylor Bears as a 23-year-old sophomore.
“The funny thing is I wasn’t even the oldest on the team,” said Blake, now 26.
As the lineman said, it’s a long story, but he doesn’t mind telling it.
“It’s my story, so I don’t get tired of it,” he smiled.
After all that, Blake is now a Denver Bronco, and he’s been lining up at center during the team’s rookie minicamp. He doesn’t know if that’s where he’ll line up once the veterans join the fray, but he said he’s happy to play wherever the coaches want him.
“He has played multiple positions, so he understands offensive line play throughout,” Head Coach John Fox said after the 2012 NFL Draft. “I thought he was an excellent pass protector as far as when he got his hands on you, you weren’t going very far.”
The mild-mannered Blake said he flips a switch when he gets on the field — “I guess you can say I change,” he said, — and he’s anxious to start playing alongside quarterback Peyton Manning and the rest of his teammates.
“I try to stay humble through it,” he said. “A lot of my friends or ex-teammates always tell me, ‘You played with RGIII (Robert Griffin III) and now you’re possibly going to play with Manning,’ but I don’t think about it too much. Just trying to do my job here.”
Tags: 2012 Rookie minicamp, Philip Blake
You have to have at least an hour of non posting,before you can post,you started way too early!!!!!!!
Smoke BK.
BE Back
Good game – I never watch BBall. It’s all your fault. You are contributing to the delinquency of Daddy.
I gotta go check on the kids. I think momma is out buying a lot for Mommy day. She still not home.
FTR……I’ll be here until I run out of beer,and I usually don’t do that,lmao!!!!!
BFE
DB…..OH Momma not home yet,I think she maybe getting a mothers day present early,lol.
AB…we both knew the Nuggs can’t finish!!!
You don’t think they have a chance against the Thunder,I know it will be a challenge,but I have faith in my Lakers bro…I have seen them win like 12 Championships!!!!!!
Gettin worried – the stores are closed after 10 right? Except maybe Walmart. She had kids with her. Don’t know why she’s not home.
BFE Thunders going to be real tough for them. It all depends on Bynum and Gasol. They have to be tough in the paint.
Kobe was way too relaxed and having fun. I want misery for that dude.
Lakers can take the Championship though = the Laker flags have started coming out.
DB Why do you hate Kobe so much? Not only as a player but as a person?
It’s that legal stuff. No character.
I think all sports ought to have a Character standard based on the fact that players are held up as role models. It used to be that way. I think teams ought to be fined every time a player is in the wrong place at the wrong time and embarrasses his team and league.
???
None of my previous posts have shown up… WTF??
Hey melo – what are you questioning?
DB they are people to and cant be perfect. So that would be really stupid IMO. Thats basically saying you have to be perfect which they cant be.
Also just an fyi the women that Kobe “raped” said that she lied about it and just wanted money. Just saying. But he did still cheat on his wife.
Kobe is a arrogent SOB!!
The blog master messes with peoples heads – just for fun every now and again.
Daddy out – gotta go get a shower and head to bed – after I find the wife.
He’s good but he’s no MJ..
Melo that Kobe is. But so are most athletes.
Melo in ways Kobe is better than MJ in other ways he isnt.
Kobe can carry a team by himself something MJ never had to do.
AB – not perfect, but it is easy to set the standard that players never intersect with the police and if they do it should cost them – cash and or their job – like I said it used to be that way and not that long ago.
Kobe won 3 of his rings with one of the greatest centers even in SHAQ…. Jordan NEVER had anyone with that kind of talent. All Jordan ever had was Pippen but Pippen was not that great of a player. Take MJ away from Pippen and Pippen would be ringless…
Lakers have always lost when Kobe tries to carry the team.
Lol DB! Thats still asking them to be something more than Human. They are people who make mistakes. To get fined or lose their jobs for being in the wrong place is really extreme. What you think it should be with them is such high standards that they would have to be more than human. Yes it USED to be that way (kinda) there were still people getting in trouble just not as many. But times change.
What happened to BFE – he promised to carry the blog till he ran out of beer tonight?
MJ has 6 rings with average talent….
Kobe has 2 rings with average talent..
DB They actually have a record over .500 with Kobe shooting 40+ points.
Melo Pippen was great and so was Rodman. Lol. Kobe had Shaq yea. One other big player. No others. MJ always had at least two others with Pippen and Rodman. Lol.
LMAO Melo. MJ 6 rings with a lot of talent. Kobe has 5 not 2 LMAO with avg talent.
Pippen and rodman were not that great… They were average at best
Yes – and times have changed because the culture has become more comfortable with the general population having more interaction with the police.
I push the thought of being a self-governing people – Deep subject – but we need to get there again. We are collapsing into anarchy and nobody is going to be happy then.
I know Kobe has 5 rings… BUT 3 of those were with SHAQ. Hence Kobe has 2 with average talent
I’m surprised that the win percentage is that high with Kobe shooting 40+. Give me a way out – stats against playoff teams when Kobe shoots 40+!!! ? LOL
Lol Melo sorry I cant take you seriously when you say Pippen and Rodman wernt that great LMAO. They both were two of the best players during their time LoL. Kobe has 5 rings with avg talent. Shaq doesnt make everyone else great LOL. Kobe had one good player to win 3 rings. Then won 2 with little talent. MJ won with at least two other players with him. Lol.
No they really were not that great. They only seemed to be good because of MJ. Take him away and they would of been nothing…. But hey I realize your a laker fan so your gonna defend Kobe til the end. But as you said above Kobe had one good player to win 3 of his rings which is exactly my point. MJ did not have another player with him as talented as SHAQ
Don’t forget Robert Horry AB… without him Kobe/Shack aren’t the same… Horry is the greatest underrated player ever…
I am the blogmaster…where is your wife at?????
Guess what the Lakers best the Nuggets tonight,that’s all that matters right now!!!!!!!!!
Momma has been found!!! – She was in a traffic jam in a bad cell reception spot. Cal Trans loves to close down freeways at night.
LMAO Melo!!! Pippen and Rodman not great? Get out of here with that BS. They are top 10-20 players to EVER play the game. Lol.
Kobe won with Shaq and two with no one.
MJ won 6 with Pippen and 5 of them with Rodman. LMAO
DB…I am still here bro,with plenty of beer,I can’t blog every minute of everyday,but I am here now!
Carry on BFE – I gotta get a shower!
DB,You don’t like it when I post your name when you ain’t here,but you do me the same way,I was on the phone talking to my brother…if you musy know,where is your wife?
Okay now thats funny…. Top 10-20 EVER…. NO WAY IN HELL….
AB,you might as well give up bro,they won’t recognize talent,because the Nuggets have never had any!!
Man Melo needs to learn something about basketball before 2000. Lol.
Lol Bulls record was 43-10 when MJ didnt play and Pippen and Rodman did during that time. Lol.
Yea MJ made them look so great. LMAO
All I can say is you Nugget fans are hurting right now,and are blaming your shortcomings on Kobe…pathetic!!!
Melo is just butthurt cause the Lakers beat the Nuggs! Lol
LAKERS RULE TONIGHT BYGOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BFE
MM15,we have never EVER come to blows bro,but my Lakers won tonight bro…deal with it!!!!!!!!!!!!