It seems like just yesterday that we had the
pleasure of
meeting Rick and Vicki Cook and their two sons. Ryan a former walk-on
was
starting to really make a name for himself on the Lobo practice fields
and it
was a spring Cherry Silver game we were tailgating at when a young high
school
kid pulls up gets out of his car after throwing the discus for the
Cibola
Cougars. “This is our younger son Erik,” said Vicki Cook. At the time
in
discussions with his parents they weren’t sure he was going to play
football in
college or even try…
Check out the guns of this future NFL
lineman!
Lobo
fans are sure glad he did… We are also glad that Rick
and Vicki kept the refrigerator (with a lock on) and the pantry loaded
with
food! As the older Cook Bros Career continued to take off as a Lobo and
other
Cherry Silver games we just kept seeing the “Little Cook” continue to
bulk up and
make a football name for himself at Cibola.
In
2004 Cook was at the Lobo football camp and he still
looked tiny, but his brother was already an all-MWC candidate and we
had heard
that the younger Cook was going to walk on at New Mexico when he was
done, but
recruiting takes wild twists and turns and at the last minute Erik Cook
was
given a scholarship to continue to the Cook tradition at UNM as Erik
became a
member of “The Hitmen!”
Obviously Erik has
had a wonderful career at New Mexico as
he has been named a consensus all-MWC 1st team center and
the 2009
Red Menace Fan Appreciation Award Winner!
We at
TheRedMenace.com always tried really hard here to make
sure that we didn’t do the “brother of…” As Erik always stood out on
his own.
The big man with a mischievous smile, he was all business on the
football
field, and took all the “brother of…” in stride. Erik was always proud
of his
older brother and always talked him up. I never saw him flinch or get
upset
when asked about “being the brother of…” One year I interviewed Erik
and told
asked him, “Can’t you wait for the day they say Ryan? Yeah, you know
Erik’s
brother!” Erik just laughed it off…
Well today was Erik Cook’s day as the Washington Redskins of
the National Football League selected Erik with the 22nd
pick in the
7th round of the NFL draft! The entire Red Menace football
staff was
invited to Erik’s Draft Party and it got down to the wire… We were
waiting,
when the name showed up on the TV screens and the joint erupted!
Then
there was a hum and someone broke out the… Hail
to the Redskins! Hail Victory! Braves on the warpath Fight for old D.C.!
Once
again local NFL fans have to wait for one of their
Lobos to be drafted by America’s Team or as Erik says… “I know there
are a lot
of angry Dallas Cowboy fans around here.”
Click
here to listen
to the entire interview with Erik
TheRedMenace.com would like to thank and congratulate the
entire Cook family for all the time and support they have given us at
TheRedMenace.com this decade. They truly are The Red Menace’s “First
Family of
Football”
Erik and Vicki