NASHVILLE, TENN. • Whatever’s the opposite of late bloomer — instant bloomer? — well, that would be young Adoree’ Jackson.
Jackson thinks he was about 10 years old when he went to tryouts for his first little league football team in Belleville. All the youngsters went through drills that day, after which a draft was held to fill out the rosters for three teams.
“One of the coaches knew I was good, but they picked last,” Jackson recalled. “So he was like, ‘Just play bad and we’ll pick you up.’ “
That’s right, the coach wanted Jackson to sandbag his drills.