Amazing Football Story

1. Sons carry dad's spirit
[01 Edition]
Boston Herald - Boston, Mass.
Author: Karen Guregian
Date: Oct 13, 1996
Start Page: B.41
Section: SPORTS
Text Word Count: 702
Document Text
Every week, before each Everett High football game, the two brothers go to the cemetery and visit their father's grave.
"We only go for like two minutes," said Anthony Nazzaro, "but for me, it's a place to go to talk to my father and just say
whatever's on my mind."
While Anthony talks, Nicky landscapes. The younger Nazzaro takes a few blades of grass with him, which he tapes to
his uniform pants for every game.
The Nazzaro brothers don't hide the fact their father was their hero. He still is - and always will be.
Two weeks ago, in fact, their father figured prominently in a game when something rather extraordinary happened to the
boys during their battle with Revere. It took place not long after Revere kicked off to start the tilt.
On the second play from scrimmage, Nicky, the Crimson Tide's quarterback, took the snap from center, rolled out left,
pitched the ball to his brother and watched Anthony ramble 77 yards for the touchdown.
This reads like an ordinary play, but if you were in the Everett Memorial Stadium crowd that day, it was so much more. It
was more than a simple six points, more than a successful race into the end zone.
Shortly before the game started, Everett football coach John DiBiaso had taken Anthony into his office. There was
something important he needed to ask of the senior.
Anthony had been Everett's starting quarterback. He had played the position ever since he could walk, but there was a
problem. Everett's prime running back, Omar Easy, was going to miss the game due to the sprained left ankle he
suffered the week before.
DiBiaso wanted Anthony to switch. He needed him to move to running back, while making Nicky, a sophomore, the
quarterback.
"It was a difficult thing," explained DiBiaso, "but Anthony said he'd do whatever was best for the team."
The story doesn't end there. DiBiaso then reached into his drawer, took out a new Crimson Tide red game jersey, and
handed it to Nazzaro to wear. Actually, it was an old jersey, one bearing the number Nazzaro's late father wore when he
played halfback for Everett High in the early 1970s.
When 41-year-old Frank Nazzaro died of cancer two years ago, his number 47 had been retired. Nazzaro had coached
his sons in Pop Warner, and was looking forward to coaching them in high school. He was an assistant under DiBiaso.
The onset of throat cancer, however, turned the Nazzaro dream into a nightmare.
Since Nazzaro's death, Everett players had marked No. 47 on their shoulder pads, and put the initials "FN" on their
helmets in tribute.
So when Anthony took the field wearing 47 instead of his customary No. 12, you can almost picture the emotion. Now
picture it again as he touches the ball for the first time on a pitch from his brother, and races the length of the field. It
was storybook.
"It was a nice surprise," said proud mother Linda Nazzaro, who had 6-year-old daughter Francesco in tow. "I try not to
give in (to the tears), but when he scored, it kind of got to me."
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2. Nazzaro would score two more touchdowns that day, and two more the following week against Arlington. Yesterday, in a
41-7 rout of Somerville, he carried five times for 60 yards and a touchdown, all coming in the first half.
Nicky Nazzaro, meanwhile, continued his deft handling of the offense. He completed 4-of-6 passes for 52 yards and a
touchdown for the unbeaten (5-0) Crimson Tide.
Because of the switch, Anthony has also taken up the middle linebacker slot, a position he didn't play when he was the
offensive signal-caller. His 10 tackles yesterday hiked his total to 38 in three games.
"I like to think football has helped them get through a difficult time," said DiBiaso. "It's a link between them and their
father."
The boys agree. While dealing with their father's illness and subsequent passing remains difficult, they do take some
solace when they're on the field.
"We know it's what he'd want us to do," said Nicky, "so we just try and do the best we can in a game."
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
"We only go for like two minutes," said Anthony Nazzaro, "but for me, it's a place to go to talk to my father and just say
whatever's on my mind."
While Anthony talks, Nicky landscapes. The younger Nazzaro takes a few blades of grass with him, which he tapes to
his uniform pants for every game.
On the second play from scrimmage, Nicky, the Crimson Tide's quarterback, took the snap from center, rolled out left,
pitched the ball to his brother and watched Anthony ramble 77 yards for the touchdown.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
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