“It’s an honor. It’s a blessing knowing that all the hard work I put in throughout the years up to here is paying off.” remarked new Ravens running back Buck Allen as he stood proudly at the podium during rookie minicamp.
The road wasn’t easy for the 6-0, 220 pound back selected by Ozzie Newsome and company with 125th overall pick in the draft. He battled adversity every step along the way.
On Thursday, the University of Southern California standout returned back to school not just to graduate and receive his college degree in Sociology, but also to be the senior speaker along with women’s water polo All-American Monica Vavic.
“We did it,” said Buck to the crowd. “But if you’d have told me four years ago that I’d be up here speaking, I’d have said you were crazy.”
In a touching article written by Dan Weber, a USC beat reporter, Weber explains just how far the Miccosukee, Florida native has come to achieve his dream.
“As far from LA as it’s possible to be,” Buck said to Weber about his hometown, “One store and one traffic light — and it’s just a blinking light.”
Family has always played a key part in Allen’s life, but it wasn’t always pretty. Nevertheless, Buck refers to them all as “angels” as they were with him every step along the way.
His biggest family angels were his grandparents who took him in and raised him along with his mother, who as Buck explained in Weber’s article, had enough love for him to give him up.
Outside of his family, Allen’s biggest heroes were a husband and wife by the names of Alice and Mickey Cullen.
Allen explained to Weber that Alice and Mickey guided him as he played football. It was Cullen who gave him rides to practice each and every week since his grandmother didn’t have a car. Their strong relationship was built on the way to and from the football field.
While Mickey made the trek from Florida to USC to see Buck graduate, he did so without Alice who passed away in 2013.
“My special angel,” Buck called Alice, “My guide and protector. I know she’s been watching me . . . thank you, Miss Alice.”
Allen has paid tribute to her before every football game during his time at USC and it’s likely the Ravens rookie will do so when he suits up on Sundays.
Buck’s story is just one of many that have been shared about the trials and tribulations athletes have battled to achieve success. While it remains to be see how Allen’s career pans out in the NFL, he already is a champion in battling adversity.
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