Joe DeLamielleure: Former Football All-American
Joe DeLamielleure: Former Football All-American
DeLamielleure to be inducted to the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Sept. 27.
Sept. 25, 2003
They're called the best years of your life.
They're often your best friends of your life.
And when you're fortunate enough to go on to receive some of the highest accolades in your profession, and reflect on the people and experiences that helped you become who you are, you're grateful.
"I always watched MSU and always will," said Michigan State Hall of Fame inductee Joe DeLamielleure. "If you love something as much as I love Michigan State, you have to tell everyone about it. Michigan State put me in a position to succeed in the NFL, but more importantly, it gave me unique friendships. When I look back at my experience there, I remember those friendships with my roommates my freshman year and the camaraderie we all had."
One of those close friends went on to work as a high-ranking official at the Secret Service; another, adopted as a child, opened a home for children without parents and is now a professor. And Joe D. played football and played it well.
DeLamielleure didn't always want to attend the school of the Green and White. Though Joe D. thought he wanted to play at that other Michigan school, his father suggested he check out Michigan State.
"When my father told me to come here I fell in love with it," said DeLamielleure. "It's the greatest place to go to school. It has many advantages over the other schools. There is so much opportunity, especially with all of the alumni all over the world."
DeLamielleure's learning at Michigan State came in the classroom and on the field.
"Every day of my life, I've tried to model something Coach Duffy Daugherty used to say, and it's paid a lot of dividends," said DeLamielleure. "He used to say, 'To be a great football player and a great person you have to have three bones in your body: A wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.' It's advice I've passed along as a coach and a father."
That advice from another Michigan State great led to a number of accolades during his time as a Spartan (1970-72), as DeLamielleure was named a Football All-America selection in 1972 and played in the 1972 East-West All-Star game, the 1973 Senior Bowl and 1973 College All-Star game. He also was named to the All-Big Ten First Team in 1971 and 1972, and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 1970.
"This is a real honor for me, because I played with many outstanding players at Michigan State," said DeLamielleure.
Not bad for a guy who played at a time when freshmen were automatically redshirted and rarely played their sophomore year. "My most memorable game had to be my first game I ever played in. I started out in Washington, I was one of the few to start as a sophomore."
"His work ethic was second to none," said former MSU offensive line coach (1968-72) Joe Carruthers. "Joe never slacked off in practice. He was the first guy out on the practice field and the last guy to leave it. I'm not so sure Joe didn't invent the pancake block because the pro scouts said they had never seen anything like that before on film. It appeared that he was super glued to his opponent. Joe wouldn't quit blocking until he had his man on the ground."
There were 10 Spartans selected in the 1973 NFL draft, and Buffalo took the kid from Center Line, Mich., in the first round as the 26th overall pick. On his first day of NFL training camp, DeLamielleure came home and his wife asked him how the day was. "I told her, 'I played against tougher guys at Michigan State.'"
From there, Joe D. went on to represent the Spartans well in the NFL, never missing a game or practice throughout his 13 years in the league. He played in the Pro Bowl six times, was the NFL Lineman of the Year in 1975-76 and was named to the 1970 All-Decade team.
"It's no surprise to see Joe DeLamielleure elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame," said Carruthers. "I'm surprised it took so long for him to get there. I watched Joe play this game for a long time, from his days in the Detroit Catholic League through his days at Michigan State and in the National Football League. He's simply the best offensive lineman ever to come out of Michigan State. The Spartans have produced some great ones, but none like Joe. And he was simply awesome as a pro."
And on the day of the enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, Joe D. found himself surrounded by family and friends - the same friends he made at MSU - singing the MSU fight song.
"It was pretty cool," said DeLamielleure.
Those same friends and family will surround Joe D. during this weekend's festivities, as he joins other Spartan immortals in the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame.
** Joe DeLamielleure is among five members of the Class of 2003 who will be inducted into the MSU Athletic Hall of Fame September 27, 2003. Joining DeLamielleure in this year's class is Lauren Brown (cross country/track, 1928-31), Mary Fossum (golf coach, 1973-97), Cheryl Gilliam (track, 1978-81) and Tom Yewcic (football/baseball, 1951-54).
** Today marks the fourth installment of a five-part series unveiling the members of the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2003. Former track standout Lauren Brown will be highlighted tomorrow.
** The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, which is located in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center on the campus of Michigan State University, was dedicated on Oct. 1, 1999. It is open to the general public on home football Saturdays, normally two hours after the game. The $250,000 Hall of Fame displays key moments in Spartan athletic history as well as plaques of the 77 current inductees. The charter class of 300 former Spartan athletes, coaches and administrators was inducted in 1992.