For Newhouse, it's just meant to be
By Seth Polansky
NFL.com
(April 29, 2004) -- The Centurions' Reggie Newhouse is thriving in the pass-happy NFL Europe League. And why not? He is an Arizona Cardinals receiver.
Forget the fact that his father, Robert, was a 12-year veteran for the Dallas Cowboys and a second-round draft choice in 1972. Forget the fact that his brother, Rodd, is a personnel assistant with the Cardinals. It has everything to do with the fact that Arizona signed Newhouse as a rookie free agent in 2003 to be part of one of the top receiving corps league.
Already having drafted Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin in the first two rounds of the 2003 draft, Newhouse was given a call following that weekend to inquire about playing football in the desert. But after a year of sitting on the bench and not catching a single pass, Dennis Green and the new coaching staff at the beginning of the year felt Newhouse had something to prove, so they sent the 6-foot-1, 204-pounder over to NFL Europe.
"Coming out of college, I wasn't fortunate enough to get invited to the combine so I never really had a platform," Newhouse said. "So that's why I'm using NFL Europe as a platform to showcase my skills and to see what I can do on the field, what type of player I am. I believe once I do that, everything will work itself out."
Before heading out to Germany for 10 weeks of football, Newhouse thought that the experience would give him a much better shot to be a part of the everyday offense this season. But then the 2004 NFL Draft happened. With the third overall pick, the Cardinals took wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald from the University of Pittsburgh. Widely regarded as the best receiver in the draft, Fitzgerald's selection was not surprising because of his talent and a long personal history with Green. So with Johnson, Boldin, Fitzgerald, Bryan Gilmore, Kevin Kasper, Jason McAddley, Nate Poole and Karl Williams on the roster, where does Newhouse fit in?
"You play this sport for the competition and it's something that I thrive on personally," noted Newhouse. "When you play with the best, it only makes you better. But I feel that I am in a very good situation. I'm pretty confident in myself. I know that if I focus and play up to the level, which I know I can play at, then everything will work out."
Only Newhouse can make the most out of his situation. And so far, so good. He is tied for fourth in NFL Europe with 15 catches and ranks 10th with 155 receiving yards. However, it's 15 receptions and just one touchdown. That's eerily reminiscent of his days back in college at Baylor when he collected 183 catches but totaled only 15 scores. Even if he catches a touchdown pass only eight percent of the time and still makes it to the NFL, then there's obviously something special about him.
Right now he has one touchdown in 15 catches with the Centurions, and that works out to a score in less than seven percent of his receptions. The one and only TD he did score was on a 32-yard bomb late in a game that was the result of a busted coverage. But that is all part of being a team player. Newhouse is the possession receiver that has set up fellow wideouts Carl Morris, Todd Devoe and Albert Johnson for six touchdowns combined. Newhouse's key catches puts everyone else in a better situation.
With all the success Cologne has had on offense this season, the team is just 1-3, having won last week against Scotland. But maybe the tables have turned as the Centurions have momentum after winning their first game in franchise history and their opponent, the Frankfurt Galaxy, are fresh off their first loss of the season.
"You come over here to get better, but you definitely don't come over here to lose," Newhouse said. "I know we are capable of doing it and I feel and truly believe that we will do it. Last week I made the point that we had to win, just like this week. We have to win. We have to win them all."
And a win here will vault the team back to the middle of the pack and just one game out of second place. Then there's the game against currently undefeated Berlin on the horizon in Week 6. If the Centurions can get through this stretch unscathed, then they have a good chance of making it to the World Bowl in their first year of existence, something no other team in the league has been able to do so since Amsterdam's 1995 squad.
World Bowl championship or not, Newhouse is already a better player and person for getting the opportunity he hoped for in Europe. Now it's up to America to see the same thing in Newhouse during the 2004 season.
"I get better over here, I get into training camp focused and in shape and just fight hard learn the plays, learn the offense; go out there and make plays," Newhouse added. "I'm fortunate to be over here and have that opportunity. I'm going to take it for what it's worth and do what I did when I was at Baylor, that's make plays and be the best I can be."
By Seth Polansky
NFL.com
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(April 29, 2004) -- The Centurions' Reggie Newhouse is thriving in the pass-happy NFL Europe League. And why not? He is an Arizona Cardinals receiver.
Forget the fact that his father, Robert, was a 12-year veteran for the Dallas Cowboys and a second-round draft choice in 1972. Forget the fact that his brother, Rodd, is a personnel assistant with the Cardinals. It has everything to do with the fact that Arizona signed Newhouse as a rookie free agent in 2003 to be part of one of the top receiving corps league.
Already having drafted Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin in the first two rounds of the 2003 draft, Newhouse was given a call following that weekend to inquire about playing football in the desert. But after a year of sitting on the bench and not catching a single pass, Dennis Green and the new coaching staff at the beginning of the year felt Newhouse had something to prove, so they sent the 6-foot-1, 204-pounder over to NFL Europe.
"Coming out of college, I wasn't fortunate enough to get invited to the combine so I never really had a platform," Newhouse said. "So that's why I'm using NFL Europe as a platform to showcase my skills and to see what I can do on the field, what type of player I am. I believe once I do that, everything will work itself out."
Before heading out to Germany for 10 weeks of football, Newhouse thought that the experience would give him a much better shot to be a part of the everyday offense this season. But then the 2004 NFL Draft happened. With the third overall pick, the Cardinals took wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald from the University of Pittsburgh. Widely regarded as the best receiver in the draft, Fitzgerald's selection was not surprising because of his talent and a long personal history with Green. So with Johnson, Boldin, Fitzgerald, Bryan Gilmore, Kevin Kasper, Jason McAddley, Nate Poole and Karl Williams on the roster, where does Newhouse fit in?
"You play this sport for the competition and it's something that I thrive on personally," noted Newhouse. "When you play with the best, it only makes you better. But I feel that I am in a very good situation. I'm pretty confident in myself. I know that if I focus and play up to the level, which I know I can play at, then everything will work out."
Only Newhouse can make the most out of his situation. And so far, so good. He is tied for fourth in NFL Europe with 15 catches and ranks 10th with 155 receiving yards. However, it's 15 receptions and just one touchdown. That's eerily reminiscent of his days back in college at Baylor when he collected 183 catches but totaled only 15 scores. Even if he catches a touchdown pass only eight percent of the time and still makes it to the NFL, then there's obviously something special about him.
Right now he has one touchdown in 15 catches with the Centurions, and that works out to a score in less than seven percent of his receptions. The one and only TD he did score was on a 32-yard bomb late in a game that was the result of a busted coverage. But that is all part of being a team player. Newhouse is the possession receiver that has set up fellow wideouts Carl Morris, Todd Devoe and Albert Johnson for six touchdowns combined. Newhouse's key catches puts everyone else in a better situation.
With all the success Cologne has had on offense this season, the team is just 1-3, having won last week against Scotland. But maybe the tables have turned as the Centurions have momentum after winning their first game in franchise history and their opponent, the Frankfurt Galaxy, are fresh off their first loss of the season.
"You come over here to get better, but you definitely don't come over here to lose," Newhouse said. "I know we are capable of doing it and I feel and truly believe that we will do it. Last week I made the point that we had to win, just like this week. We have to win. We have to win them all."
And a win here will vault the team back to the middle of the pack and just one game out of second place. Then there's the game against currently undefeated Berlin on the horizon in Week 6. If the Centurions can get through this stretch unscathed, then they have a good chance of making it to the World Bowl in their first year of existence, something no other team in the league has been able to do so since Amsterdam's 1995 squad.
World Bowl championship or not, Newhouse is already a better player and person for getting the opportunity he hoped for in Europe. Now it's up to America to see the same thing in Newhouse during the 2004 season.
"I get better over here, I get into training camp focused and in shape and just fight hard learn the plays, learn the offense; go out there and make plays," Newhouse added. "I'm fortunate to be over here and have that opportunity. I'm going to take it for what it's worth and do what I did when I was at Baylor, that's make plays and be the best I can be."
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