Young Tyson had a Valentine’s Day he will hold sacred forever and ever. Not even his future girlfriends can take that from him. “Aaron! Aaron! the young Kauaian shouted as he battled the throng of fans hoping to get New
Young Tyson had a Valentine’s Day he will hold sacred forever and ever.
Not even his future girlfriends can take that from him.
“Aaron! Aaron! the young Kauaian shouted as he battled the throng of fans hoping to get New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks to sign autographs.
Despite the hundreds of voices that filled the air with confusion at Vidinha Stadium, Tyson’s tiny voice carried just enough to reach Brooks, who was warming up with Arizona’s Jake Plummer 10-feet from the security fences.
“Hold up B,” Brooks said as he turned and saw Tyson’s puppy-like gaze.
The quarterback, new to The Challenge following his first full season as a starter with the Saints, waved off Plummer, turned to Tyson and pointed to the opposite end of the field.
“Go deep, little man,” Brooks said.
Tyson ran 20-yards, cut-back and waited for the pass. The next thing he knew, he was playing catch with an NFL quarterback.
Tyson wasn’t the only young boy who got to play catch with Aaron Brooks. In fact, the former University of Virginia standout spent much of his warm-up period throwing around with young fans on the grass of Lihue’s busiest football field.
Tyson also wasn’t the only kid who came away from the Quarterback Challenge thinking Brooks was the greatest man alive.
Although Brooks finished second in the event behind San Francisco 49er Jeff Garcia, he was truly the MVP. Maybe not the most valuable player, but more appropriately the most valuable personality.
“When I come out here and see these kids with smiles on their faces, I know I’ve done my job,” said Brooks as a mob of kids shoved markers and footballs in his direction. “The fans are what I’m here for. They are the reason I do what I do.”
Even with gridiron legends John Elway, Boomer Esiason, Doug Flutie and 2002 Super Bowl champion Tom Brady on hand, no child felt as close to an NFL quarterback as they did to Aaron Brooks.
He waved Shaka signs to the crowd, raised the roof to evoke fan participation and rarely, if ever, avoided signing autographs.
Some kids held signs touting his name. Others stood and stared, their jaws dropped, fixated at what may have been the biggest man they had ever seen.
“That’s who I want to marry,” said one eighth grader, pointing in Brooks’ direction.
“Brooks is my favorite,” said one youth VIP after he watched the quarterback throw a 73-yard bomb.
What’s Mr. Outgoing like out of the limelight?
“Aaron is a quiet guy off the field, actually,” said good friend and former Virginia safety Adrian Burnim. “But when the lights come on and he is about to perform, he gets into it. He becomes a whole different character.”
When asked what he thought of the island, Brooks said “I love Kaua’i. Everyone is so gracious here and it’s beautiful.”
Well, Aaron, from the looks on the faces of those who attended the Quarterback Challenge, it’s obvious Kaua’i loves you, too.
