Ohio State Linebacker
CHRIS SPIELMAN “T Want To Be The ‘Best Football | J Player Ever.
Want To Be In the Of Fame.
Don’t Do Something To Meet That Goal.
ALL-AMERICAN OHIO STATE LINEBACKER When Chris Spielman was in the 8th grade at Massillon, Ohio, he began weight training with Nautilus equipment.
He did the same as a 9th grader. Then, one day as a 10th grader he went to Steve’s garage, now known as the “Torture Chamber.” It’s an “Eye of the Tiger” sort of place. It's Steve Studer’s garage. Coach Studer worked for a number of years with the Massillon team. He trained the Tigers in their beautiful 4,800 square room. reserved for special guys. Chris has been one of those special guys now for seven years. steve remembers, “Chris was very mature for a 10th grader. We Chris at fifteen. He attacked everything just like we did.
He’s a workaholic. I’ve had to slow him down. Chris is always doing more than scheduled. He'd lift, run sprints, come back and lift. Then he’d go home and eat and go run 5 miles on his own.”
“Chris’ goal to be the best is always there. His dad, Sonny Spielman, was a football coach. Chris has always been around it. He won the Wheaties ‘Search for Champions.” Everybody from Massillon sent in Wheaties Box crazy getting Wheaties. Chris won by thousands of ballots and consequently had his picture on the Wheaties Package.
Rick, who is Chris’ older brother, played linebacker at Southern Illinois at 230 pounds. They’d come over and train together. never had any fights. They’re real close. Chris has come home every summer to train. I’d like to say Chris is the hardest worker that | have ever met,” concluded Coach The Neck Harness is the most important Auxiliary for Chris.
Studer. Ohio State’s Strength Coach, Steve Bliss, agrees, “Chris very dedicated. extremely intense and really into total conditioning. Chris just loves to work out. He loves to prepare to win. Chris is a real example of that.”
“Chris Spielman is the most intense player I have ever seen,” says Earle Bruce, Ohio State football coach. has the rare quality of being able to make a great play in a critical situation.” John Madden once said, “Great players make great plays in great games.” That’s when Chris is at his best. Last year he was the Top Defensive Player in the Cotton Bowl against Texas ll tackles and intercepted two passes, one of which was run back 24 yards for a touchdown. In the 1986 Michigan game, Chris tied Tom Cousineau’s school record with an incredible 29 tackles.
Chris Spielman was a consensus first team All-AmerContinued on Next Page CHRIS SPIELMAN: ALL-AMERICAN: HEISMAN-LOMBARDI CANDIDATE Yes, Losing is Worse than Dying: You Have To Live with Losing.
But You Never Cry After A Loss: The Tears Come After The Wins.
Chris Benches 450 and Does Power Cleans to Develop Explosive Power. ican last year. He was a Trophy and voting.
Gordon Lockbaum was the only underclassman Bruce his first 10 game win season Chris led the team with 204 tackles last season, which was more than twice that of any teammate.
1986 and one of those Chris ran back for a 56 yard touchdown. Ohio State has had an amazing array of All-American linebackers beginning with players like Randy Gradishar to players like Marcus Marek and Tom Cousineau. After the dust has settled for the 1987 season, Chris Spielman category in Ohio State history. career total tackles. season and second for most total tackles for a season In tackles.
IChris Inclines 380 Pounds! plus the fact that he’s been elected one of the Buckeye team captains.
Trophy, Chris is just concentrating on helping his team toa Big Ten Championship, a Rose Bow! victory and a National Championship. Chris feels that playing at an extraordinary high school helped him prepare by playing the best competition in the country.
“I feel fortunate,” said Chris. “At Massillon we played in front of 20,000 people. This exposure helped prepare me for a big time program at Ohio State. Also, having a man like Steve Studer to train me was a great bonus.” Massillon High School (sometimes called Washington High of Massillon) was where Chris received his beginning national accolades.
High School Linebacker In the Nation” and Armour-Dial named Chris “Male High School Athlete of Street and the Year.”
High School Players in the Nation.” Chris has always had a my brother, and I compete against each other real well,” relates Chris. “It’s a good type of competition. We push each other to do more.
It's a great feeling to have your brother with you.” Sonny Spielman, Chris’ dad and now athletic director at Massillon, lifts. family is all important. bench,” old. to work out.
My mom even lifts. school to lift.
Heck, she benches 95 pounds!”
Chris was an excellent student while in high school He maintained a 3.8 GPA while at Massillon.
State, Chris’ major is exercise physiology and has a 2.8 GPA. “It's important emphasized. your classes,”
“I never skip classes. I'd fee] guilty if 1 did.
Iwant to make the most of my education. to Ohio State.
I feel it’s a privilege to be a student and privilege to be a football player here at Ohio State. strength coach, Steve Bliss, is a great person and is truly dedicated to Ohio State football.”
Chamber.
Anything I do is geared to winning. around, wrestling with my friends, I gotta do everything to put ‘em on their back. I gotta be able to look in the After Ohio State, Chris naturally wants to play pro mirror and say You Did It.” football and he should be a number one draft pick. “I'd like to make some money from pro football and open up Knowing that some people might find this position a few gyms, said Chris of his future. “Then I want to extreme and twist it out of context, I ask Chris to elucidate coach and be the best at that profession. Come fall, | on how a person should react if they do lose. He correctly gotta be with football.”
Chris philosophied about life and football. defeating. You look inward and analyze what you might reach for the next level. When you accomplish one goal; have done differently. You check on how your attitudes go for the next one. Never be satisfied or content. Always towards others may have been different. You formulate want more and you always compete.” a plan and create new goals with a new determination. You resolve to reach higher and lengthen your stride to Chris takes a strong leadership position on drugs and alcohol. reach new levels.”
“Stay away from it,” urges Chris. “I preach to everyone on the team to be totally committed and to stay Comments like these make Chris special. Steve Studer away from drugs and alcohol. I can’t tolerate someone couldn’t agree more. “I’ve grown very close to Chris the drinking heavy and puking.” Last year, after several great last seven years and look upon him as though he were a younger brother. He sets his goals and goes after them with unbelievable intensity. Chris has been a great inspiration to the kids here at Massillon.” meeting. “I will personally take care of anyone on drugs.
As | finished my interview with Chris, I somewhat I refuse to play next to someone who gets high.”
Chris also has some thoughts on steroids. “I think boldly stated,” You and your teammates better buckle they're wrong. I know a lot of young kids take them. A your chinstraps when you play your season opener against lot of them think that now | don’t have to work hard West Virginia. because the drug will do it for me. I’ve been interested your name in their locker AND Ohio State has had a in researching and reading about steroids. Coach Johnny recent bad habit of lacking intensity in the early season.”
Chris simply said, “I appreciate you saying that. I got Parker of the New York Giants may be right when he goose bumps right now. I'll be ready. I'm going out and says steroids will weaken your joints.” I asked Chris if there was anything that made him run 2 miles.” Steve Studer called me two days later and mad. “LOSING”! he responded immediately. “Losing is asked,” Coach Shepard, what did you tell Chris anyway?
He’s working out like a man possessed. All he'd say was losing. something about West Virginia’s lockers.”
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From BFS Magazine — November/December 1987. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
