Nov. 18, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. -
The basis for the next major, feel-good movie-of-the-year goes something like this:
A boy is born in Trinidad.
He plays squash and soccer as a child.
He moves to New York, where he excels in all sports, especially football.
He gets recruited to play for Northwestern, and as a senior, he leads the nation in consecutive games with a reception.
"He" is Wildcat wide receiver Kunle Patrick, played by Patrick's choice of Denzel Washington (ignore the obvious age difference), with Keshia Knight Pulliam (Rudy from "The Cosby Show") as the girlfriend.
The title of this movie would be "He's Got the Whole World ..." Think "Cool Runnings" but with a squash-player-turned-football-player instead of runners-turned-bobsledders.
Here are the details:
ACT I
Patrick lived in Trinidad until he was eight years old. His father, who played soccer at Penn State, got him interested in the same sport, as well as squash. Patrick was so good at the latter that he was, at one point, a member of the Junior National team. Life was simple and fun in the Caribbean, in particular for children. Patrick was able to play outside into the evening hours and not have to worry about things like traffic or crime, as he would later living in the United States.
Patrick would have continued with soccer had he stayed in Trinidad, but he moved to Brooklyn, N.Y. about 14 years ago to live with his mom. He followed his junior high school basketball coach to Poly Prep Country Day, a private school where the coach got a new job. The football coach there took immediate notice of Patrick's talents, and recruited him to play football. Patrick found success in the new sport-as he does in every sport-playing wide receiver, cornerback and kicker.
Patrick still played basketball in high school, and he was a member of the track team in the spring. He received offers to play college basketball but decided to extend his career on the gridiron, eventually choosing Northwestern for its academics and his ability to get along with members of the team.
"My high school coach told me Northwestern would be a great school to play for," says Patrick. "So on one of my recruiting trips, I stopped by. I ended up liking this place a lot."
ACT II
Patrick gives a lot of credit to playing squash for his great hand-eye coordination. The sport resembles racquetball in that two people play each other in an enclosed room. However, the ball is smaller and does not bounce as much as a racquetball, thus requiring greater skill and agility to play.
As an aside, Patrick once played Northwestern University President Henry Bienen-a regular on the courts at SPAC-in squash. And yes, Patrick won.
Patrick does not juggle, do much typing or play video games that often. As a result, he hones his hand-eye coordination solely through athletics. One could make the argument that if playing squash has helped to develop such great hands, then perhaps Patrick should order his teammates to try it. On the other hand, considering his fellow Wildcats tease him about playing squash, it is unlikely one will hear about a new influx of football players joining the NU squash club team anytime soon.
As a senior, Patrick sees himself more as a role model than a vocal leader, especially to the younger receivers.
"I'll push (the younger guys) to try harder, but I usually let my actions speak for themselves," says Patrick.
Patrick himself does not look up to any particular receiver, either in college or the NFL. He is, however, a big fan of ex-Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders, and met him once in Miami.
ACT III
The NCAA Division I record for consecutive games with a reception is 47, set last year by Southern California's Kareem Kelly. With two games remaining on Northwestern's schedule, and a 44-game streak entering today's game, Patrick would have to also make a catch in a bowl game to tie the record.
The always-humble Patrick states that he did not know he had such a long receiving streak going until people kept bringing it up this year.
"(Achieving such a long streak) is nice, but I try not to think about it too much," says Patrick. "I'm happy I have been able to make a catch in so many games and not get injured."
That last statement rings true. On a team that has seen several of its wide receivers suffer injuries, Patrick says he is fortunate to have stayed relatively healthy.
He also has been lucky that some of his cousins back in Trinidad have been able to watch him play on television from time to time. That certainly provides a plot twist similar to "Cool Runnings," although Patrick is not a large national icon as the Jamaican bobsled team was to its country.
But just like that team, Patrick, too, has not gotten used to cold weather, nor does he like snow or how windy it gets in the Chicago area. Come to think of it, who would when the average high temperate year-round in one's native land is 90 degrees?
ACT IV
Patrick is studying art theory and practice at Northwestern. Regardless of whether he makes it into the NFL or not, Patrick would like to go to graduate school and study graphic design.
"I would probably like to go to school back home in New York, but playing in the NFL is always good," says Patrick, noting if he could pick a team for which to play, he would choose the Oakland Raiders.
Now that would be a sight: A 210-pound squash player from Trinidad catching balls in the NFL, all the while taking graduate-level courses. Denzel Washington would probably win another Oscar for that performance! And if he did, then Patrick's future would make a great sequel.