Is Leon Washington ready for a larger role?.........

Well, I'm originally from NYC. I had gone to The Connecticut School of Broadcasting in Hasbrouck Heights N.J. I came down to visit Jax in March '00. When I listened to the local sports radio scene on my visit, I decided I wanted to move down to Jax to straighten out this sports radio scene.

As it turned out, it took less than a year before I was on 930 The Fox in Jax. When I had first gotten to 930, the buzz was about this guy named Ciatrick Fason, who played at Fletcher high school. He was the #1 running back in the state of Florida and an All-American in his junior year. Everyone made a big deal out of him because he had committed to the Florida Gators as a sophomore (mind you all, Jax is Gator Country).

Anyway, I had gotten a chance to be a part of a high school football radio show that was on our station. The first game I had gone to that first season in Jax, was the Jackson High School/Fletcher game. Obviously, everyone there was there to see Fason. While I was watching the game, Fason was not doing anything special, in fact, I did not even know what number he was because I had not gotten a program; however, during the course of the game, I saw #3 (Leon) on Jackson's team making some of the most ridiculous plays. One play, he was the punter and there was a bad snap, the whole team came after him and I swear, he made everyone miss and left everyone. That night when I had gotten to the studio, I came on the air and said, "I don't care what anyone says, tonight, I had seen the best player in the state of Florida!"

To make a long story short, every chance I had gotten, I would argue with every Gator fan relentlessly until the following season when Leon and Ciatrick ended up playing one another in their last regular season game. After Ciatrick had gotten 141 yards in 2 quarters, Leon came back in the second half and ran for 203 yards on the night. Leon and I have been really cool ever since his junior year, which, incidentally, was his first year of high school football. I know his grandmother and still remain friends with his high school coach, Kevin Sullivan. I was at his letter of intent signing day and went to go see him during the summer of his true freshman season in Tallahassee.

As it turned out, Ciatrick now plays for the Vikings (After coming out after his junior season) and Leon is with our Jets. The day that he was drafted, I swear, I almost cried; I don't think that I could have been any happier if it were my own son! The days that I had watched him practice, the games I had watched him play both in high school, college and now the pro's. By the way, he did turn out to be the best player in the state; he had won Florida's Mr. Football award over Fason in his senior year, the same award Daunte Culpepper and Adrian McPhereson had won.

As for the radio show, I teamed up with this guy and we ended up having the highest rated sports radio show in North Florida for 3 years (Afternoon drive)! As the radio industry goes and politics would have it, I left the station last January, but have since re-surfaced in St. Augustine just 30 miles south of Jax. I have a Saturday show right now from 10am-12pm. If you all would like, you can listen online at www.1420sports.com The signal sucks, but the quality of the show is not like any other. Most importantly, I have a rolodex that's second to none. Take a listen if you would like and see how it is!

 

Yes, I had just called his grandmother last Sunday. As for Leon, he is very busy these days, but he is available every now and then.

 

I have been a life long Jets fan, I mean the Richard Todd days; I'm only 34, That's why it was such an emotional thing when he was picked up by the Jets. I remember when I had spoken to him that day (The day he was drafted) and he was asking me about the different places to live in NY. I told him that he may want to limit his search to Long Island or N.J. Leon is a country boy, I'm a true New Yorker (The Bronx). I think I may know what would be best in that regard. Ironically, he wanted to know would NY like him; I told him that regardless of what round he went in, New Yorkers always respect a great player who leaves it out on the field, I told him the story of Wayne Chrebet. As he can see right now, New York is warming up to him.

As far as the player that he reminds me of, from the very beginning, I had always said that he was a faster version of Emmitt Smith. I know that may seem lofty right now, but even Emmitt had to prove that he was Emmitt before he became known as Emmitt Smith!