GLENDALE, Ariz. - Steve DeOssie made a 12-year NFL career out of picking his spots.
So this week, with the opportunity to gloat - in four days his only son will be playing for the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII - Steve keeps the ego right where it belongs.
Imagine in less than a year, Zak, a 23-year-old Phillips Academy graduate from North Andover, earned his Brown University degree, was selected in the NFL Draft and now as a rookie is playing in the Super Bowl.
Can you believe it?
"I believe that Dianna DeOssie's son is an Ivy League graduate," said Steve, a former Boston College linebacking great. "Zak's mom has an incredible work ethic and set an amazing example for Zak. Coming out of school, I had a flirtation with the Ivy League. Even though I got accepted to some of those schools, I had no illusions of being able to get through an Ivy League school."
Later this week, a small army of Zak's family and closest friends will come together here in Arizona. Steve, splitting time with his Boston radio and television duties, also took on the chore of relieving Zak of all the travel details.
"The smartest thing Zak did was ask me to take care of all the travel and tickets," said Steve. "We'll have a big family dinner on Friday night, 25 to 35 people, then everybody is under strict orders to leave Zak alone after that."
The smile on Steve's face is nothing new. As the former Giant, Patriot and Cowboy admits, "I enjoy everything I do."
But when he stepped onto the plane Saturday to fly out to the desert, the 46-year-old father of three understood completely how special the next nine days would be.
"Football has been a shared experience that few fathers and sons can share like Zak and I do," said Steve between sessions on the Super Bowl radio row yesterday. "It gives us a different frame of reference. I look at him and remember how I was at that age. Has it brought us closer together? No, because we're already close. Being here just gives us another phenomenal shared experience.
"Even some of this work, this gets a little tedious. But there's a little bit more going on this time. We've talked every day since the playoffs started. To see it come to this is just about as amazing as it gets. It makes you appreciate things so much more."
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"My father has been my hero, still is," said Zak, who was drafted in the fourth round with the 116th overall pick.
Steve and Dianna DeOssie, parents of three children, divorced during Steve's playing days.
The former Don Bosco High of Boston and Boston College star admits there were times that he wouldn't earn any Father of the Year nominations.
"There were two years where I wasn't a big enough part of the kids' lives," said Steve. "One of them was my Super Bowl year (1990). After the game, I thought about how great the year had been. Then realized I had only seen my children four or five times during the year. The reason was misplaced importance. I was doing things, making money in New York. I always had good reason, but that's not what kids want. They want time."
Dad quickly made amends and has been a fixture in all three of the children's lives since.
But Zak was his only boy. And Steve's dream was simple - enjoy Zak's growth as his own father had done.
"I pushed him really hard, but I pushed him to get his education, to be good to his family, and to treat people the right way," said Steve. "Never once did I push him to play football, to play sports. Sports were something that was a privilege that he earned by doing well in school and being a good kid at home."
Long-time Phillips Academy coach Leon Modeste used to joke about Zak's time on the Andover campus. Every move coaching Modeste made was under Steve's watchful eye, but the former NFL linebacker and long snapper was always just an observer.
"Through high school, I never missed a practice, and 20 to 30 percent of the time in college I was at practice," said Steve. "I just wanted to watch. I wanted to enjoy it. My dad was at every practice of every sport I ever played, but he never said a word."
Modeste was no fool. He even sought help, but Steve chose to be supportive but silent.
"All through high school, they asked me if I wanted to help out, but it was his experience, just like this week is his experience. This week I'm backing off. I don't want to impose myself on his experience."
Steve allowed Zak to make the big choices.
"I had scholarship offers at all levels," said Zak, who wasn't heavily recruited by BC, his father's alma mater. "I went to Brown thinking of my future, not necessarily the football route."
Zak's progression at Brown ignited the NFL fires in his father, though. Steve concluded early that his boy was on track to go pro.
"His sophomore year in college, I realized he was a good enough athlete, that if he worked hard he could dominate the Ivy League," said Steve. "From there, it was a matter of size and speed whether he'd be a pro. Once he got to the 6-foot-4, 240-pound range, I knew somebody would give him a shot."
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Zak spent the Media Day session yesterday repeatedly answering questions about the old man and his impact on the rookie, who leads the Giants with five special teams tackles in the playoffs.
Sure, there was the odd, "Who are you voting for in the presidential primary?" but the Giants rookie didn't seem to mind.
A Patriots ball boy at Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, DeOssie's in wasn't his father. It was his classmate at Phillips, one Amanda Belichick. Yes, the daughter of the Patriots coach.
"I was best friends with her at Phillips," he said. "Amanda is one of my dear friends."
The younger DeOssie has had a lot of football influences, but one stands above the rest.
"I owe so much to my dad, watching him play and being old enough to see him win the Super Bowl with the Giants, that has been incredible," said Zak.
Zak made sure to let his father know that if he and the Giants shock the Patriots Sunday, his Super Bowl championship ring was bound to put Steve's to shame. What would dad say then?
"I'd welcome him into a very exclusive club, Super Bowl champions," said Steve. "There aren't that many of us out there, maybe 1,500 or 1,600. I'd welcome him with open arms."
Cranking it up
Zak DeOssie recorded six tackles on special teams during the regular season but has cranked it up in playoff wins over Tampa, Dallas and Green Bay.
DeOssie has five postseason solo tackles on kickoff and punt coverage in those wins, a number that leads the team. He's also the long snapper on punts.
"I'm just trying to get that Super Bowl ring. Can you blame me?" he said. "I'm running down kicks now, and when they let me release on punts, I'm just trying to make the most of my opportunities."
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DeOssies in rare company
The following fathers and sons have played in a Super Bowl.
Father%Team, Super Bowl%Son%Team, Super Bowl
Julius Adams%Patriots, XX%Keith Adams%Eagles, XXXIX
Frank Cornish Sr.%Dolphins, VI%Frank Cornish Jr.%Cowboys, XXXVII, XXXVIII
Steve DeOssie%XXV%Zak DeOssie%Giants, XLII
Tony Dorsett%Cowboys, XXXII, XXXIII%Anthony Dorsett%Titans XXXIV
Bob Griese%Dolphins, VI, VII, VIII%Brian Griese%Denver, XXXIII
Don Hasselbeck%Raiders, XVIII%Matt Hasselbeck%Seahawks, XL
Emery Moorehead%Bears, XX%Aaron Moorehead%Colts, XLI
Mosi Tatupu%Patriots, XX%Lofa Tatupu%Seahawks, XL
Manu Tuiasosopo%49ers, XIX%Marques Tuiasosopo%Raiders, XXXVIII
