Justin London
By Bruce Tran
Daily Bruin Contributor
[email protected]
Before arriving in Los Angeles, before settling down in the
entertainment capital of the world, and even before taking a stroll
in Hollywood, Justin London has already demonstrated his flair for
the dramatic.
At a press conference from Northside High School in Roanoke,
Va., many in attendance believed it to be a mere formality. London
was supposed to express his intent of signing with the hometown
Virginia Tech Hokies.
And so it would seem, as the star linebacker strutted into the
room in front of the media, donning a Virginia Tech cap and a
maroon red shirt.
Until he stripped.
“I just wanted to have some fun and be different from the
other recruits,” London said.
He took off his cap and pulled off his shirt to reveal a baby
blue UCLA football jersey, custom-made with his name and high
school number ““ one.
The adults were stunned. His friends were thrilled. And
somewhere in California, head coach Bob Toledo was smiling.
“Three people knew of my decision prior to the press
conference ““ Toledo and my parents,” London said.
“Toledo found out the weekend before when he came to visit my
home. He didn’t tell anyone either, so I knew I could trust
him.”
And so, London announced his commitment to go across the country
to play football for the Bruins.
Justin London
“It was very tough,” London said. “I
didn’t know where I wanted to go. It was especially hard
because everybody here is a Virginia Tech fan. I basically had to
stop taking phone calls. It came down to the fact that I
didn’t want to sell myself short.”
The Bruins get a highly physical player whose vivacious
personality should make him an instant favorite among fans and
teammates alike. Nowhere was this more evident than during his
official visit to UCLA, when he attended a game at the Rose Bowl.
When he heard his name over the P.A. system, he strutted out and
shouted at the crowd, prompting Toledo to note how charismatic he
was.
“I’m really outgoing, and I don’t really fit
in here at Virginia, at least personality-wise,” London said.
“I knew I didn’t want to go up to Virginia Tech by
myself. I want to see the rest of the world. I’d like to open
my life up a little more, and the fact is that I’d rather be
there than here.”
During his football career at Northside, London was renowned for
his crushing blows and sideline-to-sideline speed. Against Pulaski
County, a game in which Northside was a 48-point underdog and
facing an offense that had been averaging 50 points a game, the
Northside defense shut Pulaski County down. London accumulated 17
tackles and a sack and found time to rush for 104 yards on four
carries, leading Northside to a 34-24 upset victory.
“He is just more gifted than any athlete we’ve ever
had,” said Northside head coach Jim Hickam, who has coached
for over 25 years. “His physical ability and mental acuity is
above and beyond anybody I’ve ever seen. (Even after signing
a letter of intent), he is still out there working hard everyday,
running the track and lifting weights. He’s just an
incredible football player.”
London’s relatives live in Southern California. His
father, a former member of the Cleveland Browns, came to UCLA with
London on the official visit and enjoyed the trip. Still, London
came very close to not being a Bruin. On Nov. 22, his childhood
best friend, who played for Virginia Tech at the time, died in a
car accident. The death crushed London, and played a crucial part
in the decision-making process. Said London, “If he were
still alive, I’d definitely be a Hokie.”
So London runs on the track and lifts weights, even during the
off-season, partially because his friend’s death changed his
perception of life. He looks forward to the two-a-days in August at
UCLA as a chance to establish himself, and feels he can step right
in and play next year. Through it all, his personality has been his
trademark, as he grew up a devout Christian and a garrulous player
who simply enjoys life.
Nevertheless, some criticized London’s decision to
announce his commitment the way he did. To that, London says,
“It was just a young teenager having fun. I didn’t mean
anything by it, and it certainly wasn’t anything personal. I
only have one chance to go through all this, and I just wanted to
have some fun.”
The UCLA jersey had just arrived at Northside the morning of the
press conference. London quickly tried it on and called the uniform
a perfect fit. He then slowly pulled on the Virginia Tech shirt
over it, and he couldn’t help but grin. After taking a
breath, he stepped out from behind the curtains for the lights,
cameras and action.