Diamond in the rough | djroxalot's Blog

"You are appreciated...

When I was young, me and my mama had beef
17 years old kicked out on tha streets
though back in tha time, I never thought I'd see her face
ain't a woman alive that can take my momma's place
suspended from school, scared ta go home
I was a fool with tha big boys breaking all tha rules
shed tears with my baby sister
over tha years we wuz poorer than tha other little kids
and even though we had different daddies
tha same drama when things went wrong we blamed mama
I reminised on tha stress I caused, it wuz hell
hugg'en on my mama from a jail cell
and who'ed think in elementary, heeeey i'd see tha penitentiary
One day
running from tha Police, that's right
Momma catch me--put a whoop'en to my backside
and even as a crack fiend mama,
ya always was a black queen mama
I finally understand for a woman
it ain't easy--trying ta raise a man
ya always wuz commited, a poor single mother on welfare,
tell me how ya did it
there's no way I can pay ya back
but tha plan is ta show ya that I understand.
you are appreciated......"

Frantz Joseph.

Remember the name.

He was a redshirt at Boston College in 2004.

The summer before his sophomore year he returned home to care for his ailing mother.

Like many would he put his family first. And he did what he could, odd jobs and such, to take care of the mother that did what she could to raise him and his siblings.

After her health improved he went to Florida Atlantic on a full scholarship. In 2008 he was 2nd in the NCAA in tackles as a MLB.

6-1 1/2 and 242 pounds.

Not the biggest.

Not the fastest.

But by being 2nd in the nation in tackles he showed he knows how to find the ball.

Was he drafted?

No. But neither were Bart Scott, James Harrison and Gary Brackett. And Michael Boley was a 5th rounder and Larry Foote, a 4th rounder.

However Sunday night the Raiders signed him to a 2 year deal worth $705,000.

Karma for all he has been through?

Who knows but Raider fans may have just signed a diamond in the rough.

Check him out at

http://www.examiner.com/x-514-Oakland-Raiders-Examiner~y2009m4d28-Oakland-Raiders-may-have-struck-gold-with-Frantz-Joseph