RB Ivory goes from nowhere to New Orleans
 

The player who is the best story in the NFL this year – bursting from nowhere to the New Orleans Saints – moves with a fury that borders on desperation. His legs whirl. His arms whip. His head bounces. There is nothing easy or graceful in the way he goes. Every step comes violent and hungry as if stopping means he will lose everything that’s happened almost as fast as it came.

Who could have seen this? He, Chris Ivory, in the NFL, let alone leading the Saints, the defending Super Bowl champions, with 683 rushing yards – almost as many as he had in four years at Washington State and Tiffin (Ohio) University? Things like this don’t normally happen. Ivory understands. What was that his high school coach back in Longview, Texas used to say?


America's love affair with Saints is over Dec 9, 2010


“If you aren’t running as hard as you can, they will get you.”

Ivory smiles as he sits at his locker at the Saints’ practice facility late last week. He is a running back in a linebacker’s body, weighing 222 pounds.

“But there’s more to it,” he says.

Then he goes quiet.

Yes there is more, which is why he has been running ever since those days in the dusty East Texas fields where they kept telling Chris the best way out was to play football and the only way to be great at that was to run. He’s been running since that day he and his best childhood friend Trent Williams(notes), now a left tackle for the Washington Redskins, made a pact that they would both someday play in the NFL and then set about to make a ridiculous dream come true.

He’s been running since Longview High, where a flashier running back who ran smooth and true named Vondrell McGee got to be tailback, drawing all the attention from recruiters who barely noticed Ivory racing through defenses as a fullback. He’s been running since Washington State, where the injuries came, where they charged him with a felony crime his friends say he never committed, where he eventually was thrown off the team, driving him to Tiffin where the injuries came again and the NFL didn’t care.

And now he is here? With the Saints?

Ivory laughs. It is a quiet laugh, his face stays hidden behind a curtain of dreadlocks.

“You know, sometimes when I’m at home and maybe I hear some music or I smell a certain smell it will get me thinking of what I went through,” he says. “It will remind me this is a blessing.”


RB Ivory goes from nowhere to New Orleans - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

Great Story on Ivory! This is why I would like to see him continue as the starting running back!

I think PT has already proven himself and Ivory has too. Let the competition for starter begin. Actually I think someone mentioned in another thread that as far a WR's and RB's and TE's go, it depends on the offensive plays that are called no so much a "starter" position.

Payroll will probably define who is more importat to the team in that position next year.

C'Mon Man! Let Ivory have a thread... With out the mention of PT.

Chris Ivory no longer flying under the radar !!!!

Beast!!!!!!

Only in the NFL - from nowhere to fame.

Love this kid!!!! Great story, cleared some things up for me. Plus he's not going to be that expensive for 1-2 more seasons, because he's just glade to have a job, and he understands he has some proving to do.

Run Ivory Run!! Nothing like the Saints to find the talent and groom those who desire to be the best to be the "Rookie of the Year!" Hope to keep him around for several more years! Wouldn't it also be great for him to win a SB ring in his rookie year?!

The commentators vs the rams said it the best, "in such a short time Ivory has become a fan favourite because of his hard running, his determination and the path he took to get here."
Ivory has a place on this team for a long time to come, I hope he can work on his durability during the offseason, maybe its just because he took such a leap from very limited college playing time to taking full snaps in the NFL.
Love how this guy runs, hes gunna be a great back!!!

Love this guy.