UCLA’s football squad has a new weapon in the backfield, and his name is Steven Manfro, and he’s the baddest dude on the face of this earth.
All of the nation that bleeds blue and gold is fawning over MANFRO’s shiftiness, speed, quickness, vision and overall bad-assery. There are even some facts floating around about the guy.
But this kid’s story just keeps getting better. How come? Because, according to a feature on Scout.com, Steven Manfro is the son of a 9/11 hero, because, well, Steven Manfro:
"It was Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001.His father, Marc, wasn’t there when Steven arrived home from school — he had already left for work. Marc had been Steven’s coach starting from his Pee Wee football, days but coaching wasn’t his professional occupation — Marc was an NYPD officer.[…][E]ventually he was assigned to the grim recovery effort at Ground Zero — “The Pile,” as cops, firefighters and other rescue workers called it. The still-smoldering, toxic Pile."
The article goes on to say how Marc Manfro (seriously, what the f*** is up with “Manfro” making everything it’s attached to sound awesome?) nearly died of contamination of his lungs. Apparently, the doctors never gave the dude a chance and was given a death sentence for his fine work.
But Marc Manfro recovered and battled and scratched and clawed, some very interesting personality traits that you can use to define Steven Manfro since, as the article notes, he was just a two-star recruit that was not very well regarded by scouts at other schools.
Steven Manfro’s story just keeps getting better. If the dude can stay healthy and consistent, it’s possible that we’re looking at what could end up being one of the most revered UCLA football careers in this school’s history.
GO BRUINS!!!