Angela Tucker knew Romale was a special child from the first moment she saw him. He was her first of six children and therefore needed an exceptional name. More importantly, she said it had to be one that the world would never forget.

‘I told him I gave him that name because that name is going to ring out all over the nation,’ Angela Tucker said. ‘I didn’t know then how it was going to, but it will.’

Romale Tucker didn’t have that same outlook as a young child. But that would soon change.

Growing up, Tucker never thought he’d even go to college, never mind be a football recruit for Syracuse. Tucker is expected to compete at linebacker when he arrives at SU in the fall.

Tucker’s most important choice of his life, which college to attend, would eventually be made based on another person’s opinion – his mother’s. Despite his verbal commitment and love for Virginia, he ultimately would turn his focus back to Syracuse because of Angela’s urging.

‘I liked Syracuse, and as far as the rest of the schools, I didn’t really like them,’ Angela Tucker said. ‘I mean, he liked University of Virginia. But I felt that he would do the best at Syracuse.’

‘I want my mom to feel comfortable wherever I go,’ Romale Tucker said. ‘My mom is someone who is very special to me. I would take her word over mine any day.’

With thoughts of Virginia swirling in his head, Tucker had an explosive final season at Ballou (D.C.) High School as he improved his tackle total from 46 to 92 from his junior year to senior year. Although it was an individual change, Tucker is quick to cite his teammates as the reason for the drastic jump.

‘I became experienced with a lot of the guys on the team who worked hard,’ Tucker said. ‘By them working hard everyday, it motivated me to work harder.’

Tucker used his mother’s advice of staying with the right crowd to direct him with football. He took advantage of the playing with Marvin Austin, North Carolina recruit and the No. 1-ranked defensive tackle in the Class of 2007, according to Scout.com.

However, Angela’s prophecy was not fulfilled. Romale’s name didn’t ring out across his high school, let alone the entire nation like she wanted. Even his team was not the top attraction at Ballou. Football fell second to the basketball team and the Ballou Marching Band, which was the subject of a documentary by filmmaker Michael Patrei.

Yet on Nov. 23, 2006, football would reign supreme.

Ballou participated in the annual division championship game called the Turkey Bowl, played on Thanksgiving Day. The division’s two best teams are pitted against each other to battle for the title. It is the place for premiere players, with former participants being the Indianapolis Colts’ Cato June and Jacksonville Jaguars’ Byron Leftwich.

Dunbar (D.C.) High School, though, entered the game as the clear-cut favorite. The Crimson Tide was riding a nine-game win streak, which included an early September come-from-behind victory over Ballou. Again, the expectations for Tucker and his team were low.

The ensuing back and forth scoring affair continued into the afternoon, as the defense failed to slow down the Dunbar offense. The Knights took a 34-33 lead with a 4-yard touchdown run by running back Dwan Thornton in the fourth quarter. As time began running down, the Ballou defense needed to stop a Dunbar offensive that had shredded them for 167 yards on the ground and 225 yards through the air.

The high expectations for Dunbar were finally thwarted after the defense forced an interception and ran out the clock on offense. Tucker finished the game with 10 tackles and one sack. He finally began to feel that expectations can be met and exceeded.

‘The school that I attended was never known for football,’ Tucker said. ‘But this year we went to the playoffs and won the Turkey Bowl. It’s the first ever since the school had been built (in 1958). It just makes me feel like I’m a part of history and I contributed to something special.’

After Tucker committed to Syracuse, he enrolled at Milford Academy (N.Y.) for both athletic and academic reasons. Tucker had again found influential friends. He passes his time with fellow Syracuse recruits Jermaine Pierce and Andrey Baskin. At 6 a.m. every day Tucker can be found starting his morning workout session in the weight room. Being in the same school with other Division I players has allowed Tucker to better focus on his goal of reaching the NFL.

‘(Pierce and Baskin) are doing good here and being leaders toward me,’ Tucker said. ‘I’m actually following in their footsteps because they are doing good in school. They are getting it done in the classroom and are great football players.’

Although Tucker’s name has still yet to hit the national airwaves, he is preparing for that day. Despite how far Tucker has come and the confidence he speaks with about Syracuse, he is always uses the word ‘if’ rather than ‘when’ as he references his goal of making the NFL.

‘Football has taught me a lot of discipline,’ Tucker said. ‘I just used to be one of those airheads who really didn’t see myself making it. But now I’m going to college, and football has changed me as a person because it made me see that I do have a future.’

Published on April 24, 2007 at 12:00 pm