Frantz Joseph update
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#255158
(In Topic #38823)
Wise Owl
Member since 2003
http://www.ufl-football.com/news/player-spotlight-frantz-joseph
EAST HARTFORD – Hartford Colonials linebacker Frantz Joseph knew his older brother Wilner had been struggling with his health. Wilner had been in and out of the hospital.
It didn’t dull the sting of the call that Frantz, 24, got on the morning of his first professional football game informing him that his brother had died at the age of 38.
The Colonials were set to face the Sacramento Mountain Lions in just a few hours at Rentsechler Field in the first UFL contest of the season. When the Colonials coaching staff found out, they were set to send Joseph on the first plane out to Florida to be with his family.
But Joseph wanted to stay and play. His older brother was gone, but he had his new Colonial brothers there to support him.
“I didn’t think for one second that I wouldn’t play,” said Joseph, a 6-foot-2, 240- pound linebacker from Florida Atlantic University. “Going back to training camp and just going every day with those guys, sweating and working hard every day, there was no way I could have let those guys take the field by themselves.”
That statement speaks to the bond that has been formed between Joseph, the defensive captain, and his Hartford teammates.
Playing with a heavy heart, Joseph anchored a Colonials defense that allowed Sacramento a league-record low 35 yards rushing and harassed former three-time NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Dante Culpepper throughout the game in a 27-10 Hartford victory. Sacramento managed just 201 yards – compared to 448 to Hartford.
“It was really tough,” Joseph admitted afterward. “But my team really impressed me today the way they just came together, showed me love and let me know that I have a family here in Connecticut. That really just pushed me through everything I had to worry about.”
Following the first win in franchise history, the Colonials awarded a game ball to team owner Bill Mayer. Another game ball went to Joseph.
Colonials Head Coach and General Manager Chris Palmer noticed the closeness growing among his team.
“This has been a very difficult training camp,” Palmer said. “We had a young man that kissed his father goodbye. His father worked at the airport and four hours later, he had a heart attack and died at the age of 52. Asaph [Schwapp] was asked to be a pallbearer at his aunt’s funeral.”
Joseph flew to South Florida early Sunday morning to grieve with his family. He is expected to return for Friday’s road game against Omaha.
“We gave a game ball to our owner, who’s been waiting a year for it,” Palmer said. “Tank Daniels said, ‘Coach, we’re giving [Frantz] a ball also,’ and I said, ‘You’re right.’ So we gave him a game ball. You could see the love between the group. I think when you live together and share a room with another guy, it’s a little bit like being in the army. You develop relationships and you can’t hide. Bad guys can’t be in this environment. Good guys have to be in this environment. I’m very pleased with how our guys and how they take care of one another and how they feel for one another.”
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2003
Frantz Joseph update
http://www.ufl-football.com/news/player-spotlight-frantz-joseph
EAST HARTFORD – Hartford Colonials linebacker Frantz Joseph knew his older brother Wilner had been struggling with his health. Wilner had been in and out of the hospital.
It didn’t dull the sting of the call that Frantz, 24, got on the morning of his first professional football game informing him that his brother had died at the age of 38.
The Colonials were set to face the Sacramento Mountain Lions in just a few hours at Rentsechler Field in the first UFL contest of the season. When the Colonials coaching staff found out, they were set to send Joseph on the first plane out to Florida to be with his family.
But Joseph wanted to stay and play. His older brother was gone, but he had his new Colonial brothers there to support him.
“I didn’t think for one second that I wouldn’t play,” said Joseph, a 6-foot-2, 240- pound linebacker from Florida Atlantic University. “Going back to training camp and just going every day with those guys, sweating and working hard every day, there was no way I could have let those guys take the field by themselves.”
That statement speaks to the bond that has been formed between Joseph, the defensive captain, and his Hartford teammates.
Playing with a heavy heart, Joseph anchored a Colonials defense that allowed Sacramento a league-record low 35 yards rushing and harassed former three-time NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Dante Culpepper throughout the game in a 27-10 Hartford victory. Sacramento managed just 201 yards – compared to 448 to Hartford.
“It was really tough,” Joseph admitted afterward. “But my team really impressed me today the way they just came together, showed me love and let me know that I have a family here in Connecticut. That really just pushed me through everything I had to worry about.”
Following the first win in franchise history, the Colonials awarded a game ball to team owner Bill Mayer. Another game ball went to Joseph.
Colonials Head Coach and General Manager Chris Palmer noticed the closeness growing among his team.
“This has been a very difficult training camp,” Palmer said. “We had a young man that kissed his father goodbye. His father worked at the airport and four hours later, he had a heart attack and died at the age of 52. Asaph [Schwapp] was asked to be a pallbearer at his aunt’s funeral.”
Joseph flew to South Florida early Sunday morning to grieve with his family. He is expected to return for Friday’s road game against Omaha.
“We gave a game ball to our owner, who’s been waiting a year for it,” Palmer said. “Tank Daniels said, ‘Coach, we’re giving [Frantz] a ball also,’ and I said, ‘You’re right.’ So we gave him a game ball. You could see the love between the group. I think when you live together and share a room with another guy, it’s a little bit like being in the army. You develop relationships and you can’t hide. Bad guys can’t be in this environment. Good guys have to be in this environment. I’m very pleased with how our guys and how they take care of one another and how they feel for one another.”
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2003
Re: Frantz Joseph update
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2003
Re: Frantz Joseph update
Frantz Joseph update
Posted
Bytor
Member since 2004
Re: Frantz Joseph update
Glad to hear he had a great game for the Colonials. Never what can happen if he has a great year.
Posted
Bytor
Member since 2004
Re: Frantz Joseph update
Glad to hear he had a great game for the Colonials. Never what can happen if he has a great year.
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2007
Re: Frantz Joseph update
On the plus side, looks like the Colonials will be playing the Tuskers in Orlando on 11/11. I might have to try and make that one to see Frantz play.
FAU - We got Bowls!
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2007
Re: Frantz Joseph update
On the plus side, looks like the Colonials will be playing the Tuskers in Orlando on 11/11. I might have to try and make that one to see Frantz play.
FAU - We got Bowls!
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2008
Re: Frantz Joseph update
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2008
Re: Frantz Joseph update
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