Cuban Rudy: Javier Estopinan

Some time ago I told Victor that "Rudy" was one of my favorite movies. In typical Trojan fashion he shot back, "There's nothing special or unique about Notre Dame's Rudy! Every College Team has it's Rudy!" As usual, Victor was right. Yesterday was senior day at The Swamp. All the graduating seniors and their families received emotional special recognition before the game. But Urban Meyer saved a glorious moment during the game for Javier Estopinan, who is from Miami and a son of Cuban parents. Estopinan, a defensive lineman for the Gators, suffered a series of devastating injuries which required three knee reconstructions over the past several years and have kept him off the field for most of his college career. He has not even been listed on the depth chart since early in 2006. He missed the last eight games of the 06 season and the National Championship game. But he hung in with the team, attending team meetings, doing everything he could for the Gators. He is also an excellent student who graduated with honors and is already working on his master's degree at UF. Shortly after the first team was pulled from the field, Urban Meyer gave Estopinan a golden moment he will remember for the rest of his life. Florida had racked up a quick 49 points and the Gators were ready to score once more from the one yard line. Suddenly number 93 struts in from the Gator sideline and everybody around me starts asking, "Who is that?" "Who's 93?" Everyone starts searching their programs furiously. A white haired professor sitting in front of me turns around and says, "That's one of my students, Javier Estopinan. He's a real nice kid. He told me Urban Meyer promised him something special today and I think this is it!" We all watch as Number 93 lines up next to our third string QB John Brantley. Long count. The ball is snapped and Brantley hands off to Number 93. Number 93 freezes for a moment, almost as if he didn't know what to do. Then he veers right, runs over a Citadel linebacker, and into the endzone. Touchdown! Standing ovation from an emotional crowd! Estopinan, as quoted in the Miami Herald: ''It was awesome,'' Estopinan said. 'There was no other feeling. If you watch the play again, I almost froze for a little bit, and then I started going again. It was real special." Javier Estopinan, Cuban Rudy.