Unabashedly, without reservation, we happily acknowledge our
garlicy hometown bias for San Francisco 49er quarterback Jeff
Garcia, Gilroy-born-and-bred and proud of it.
Unabashedly, without reservation, we happily acknowledge our garlicy hometown bias for San Francisco 49er quarterback Jeff Garcia, Gilroy-born-and-bred and proud of it.
In dramatic fashion, Jeff reached another echelon in a storied career last Sunday by bringing the 49ers back from a 24-point deficit to beat the New York Giants in the NFL playoffs. He orchestrated the second biggest comeback in NFL playoff history and thus threw his hat into the ring with the most legendary Joe Montana and the venerable Steve Young.
The pair cast a long shadow, as Garcia admitted after Sunday’s game. But with characteristic grit and determination, Garcia is casting his own bronze Hall-of-Fame shoes.
He’s kind of a throwback leader of the Johnny Unitas sort. His work ethic, uncanny knack for making the right toss at the right time and forceful will to win more than make up for the lack of “golden boy” qualities like a shotgun arm and a 6-foot-6-inch frame.
Gilroy guts and smarts beats “golden boy” anytime.
Besides the football glory, what really makes Garcia’s success sweet for local fans is the understanding that you’re rooting for a truly good guy. Jeff hasn’t forgotten where he came from and the only Sharpie he’ll pull out is one to sign an extra autograph for a kid.
Garcia isn’t a showboat. He’s substance and sportsmanship.
He comes home to read to students in Gilroy classrooms. He’s sponsoring a spring golf tournament at Eagle Ridge to help the Gavilan College football program, and he lends his name and time to another tournament that benefits the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation. He publicly stood up for the Gilroy school bond, and when he talks about a glorious performance he sincerely acknowledges teammates and those who helped him along the way.
We’re very fortunate to have such a marquis athlete represent Gilroy on the national stage.
No. 1 fan, Rev. John Coleman at St. Mary Parish, will, as usual, be imploring the Almighty to assist in a 49ers’ victory this weekend.
Amen to that. But win or lose, Garcia stays a hometown hero. It’s his character that makes him a winner.
