Mike Michalske

(http://webzoom.freewebs.com)

A hero may be a person you look up to, or someone who changes your life for the better, and you hold them close to your heart. It can be as simple as an uncle or an aunt but no matter what, everyone has a hero, and they are all important. Mine is a great football player. He was the first guard to be nominated in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and his name is Mike Michalske. Mike Michalske is my hero and always will be because he was physically fit, intelligent, and an excellent team player.

At six foot, 210 pounds, Mike was a small lineman. As a result, he had to be physically fit to work harder and out maneuver the larger lineman. He was extremely quick because he was an All-American pick in 1925, as fullback, guard, end, and tackle. He chose to be a guard in the American Football League (AFL) with the New York Yankees, now known as the Green Bay Packers, in the National Football League. He thought that former fullbacks should play at guard because they were fast and explosive. At guard he had to be strong because the guards usually took on the biggest men on the defensive line.

Along with being strong, explosive, and physically fit, Mike was also very intelligent. Mike went to Penn State for his college career. He was also intelligent on the line. Being able to read pass or run plays and still do your job, takes a lot of mental concentration. Mike was also intelligent as a coach. After his football career he coached Iowa State using his former fullbacks as guards idea.

Lastly Mike was a team player. To him, no matter what, the team always came first. He only missed nine games out of 104. He got the nickname Iron Mike because even though he played the full 60 minutes of game play he never got hurt. Most players hang on to their jerseys but not Mike. In fact, he changed his jersey nine different times to play at the different positions throughout his football career. After the Yankees disbanded, Mike went to the Packers and stayed with them for eight successful years.

That is why Mike Michalske is my hero. He will always remain in the Hall of Fame as one of the best linemen of all time. So don’t let anyone make fun of your hero, because they are all important. They will also keep you going if you need something to build up your confidence. If you don’t have a hero, look up to Mike, he is an excellent role model.