The college football is around the season and the expectations are the Big 10 conference will once again product good football. It is a long grueling season where injury often ends a teams chances of a national championship. We often forget about the personalities on the field and focus on the game itself. However, a legendary player from Michigan State to never be forgotten is Tony Manderich. Tony was fierce on the field and has been even fiercer about how he leads his life today. He has been away from the game for some time, but never forgotten.

At an early age it was clear he was not just a big kid, but in fact had gifted athletic ability and size. You usually don’t get both, but Tony did and you can’t teach either. It was coupled by the fact he had a brother who participated in the sport and was willing to take the time to nurture his younger brother in “sport”. It was beyond sports for these brothers and family was still a priority for the Mandarich family. A love for the game was there, but one could argue a deeper love for the commitment to family was cemented.

As life unfolded, Tony clearly matured from the kid playing football to a proven entity in the college game at the D1 Michigan State football program. From there, he was a first round draft pick in the NFL. We all know just getting into the league puts you in an elite place all by itself. However, this article is not about football or his accomplishments on the field. It is not to exploit anything, but rather to speak about accountability and ownership in one’s life. More importantly, being true to oneself and to others. Tony personifies both.
Tony realized football would be a fleeting moment in his life and there had to be a next chapter. Perhaps, it was also time to be real…..honest…..own his words….actions….and ultimately his positive destiny. He did all of that.

When the NFL was over he did what a good son does and returned back to his family in Canada. He pursued business opportunities and truly built his intellectual capital to higher places. He learned the art of navigating through people based on real life experiences and made some very good decisions. His destiny was just opening and his creative juices were now flowing from the field to a different type of landscape. What Tony could see and capture on film in his lens became a profession. This 6ft something redirected his creative efforts into high production photography and video content. It is real and evokes emotion which often captures the moment. For me, it shows he owned his destiny and paved the road for himself.

It takes as bigger man (or women) to own the road they walk on and not be afraid to express humility. What he did on the O-Line is not even close to what he does in life today. He is an All-American hero for those of us out there who need to embrace change…….hard work…..and understanding the positive destiny that can be directly in front of us