ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, January 20, 1997 TAG: 9701210041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
THE RECEIVER IS right at home in Green Bay, where he's proven his abilities through opportunity.
The newest football tradition in Green Bay is a celebratory jump of adulation and appreciation.
Antonio Freeman has made a ``Lambeau Leap'' of a different kind.
Freeman began training camp as the backup to Robert Brooks, the Packers' leading receiver last season. The former Virginia Tech star will finish his second NFL season Sunday not only in Super Bowl XXXI, but as quarterback Brett Favre's top target.
Freeman may not yet have a Super Bowl ring, but this week he's on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He's even overcome a bad break to get there, too.
``I was determined I was going to make it here,''said Freeman, a Baltimore native who was the last of four third-round draft picks by Green Bay in 1995, but thought of primarily as a return man, not a pass catcher.
Freeman now lives in a place known for its cold, and he sounds somewhat bitter about a portion of his days at Tech, despite owning the school record for career receptions and touchdown catches in a season and in a career.
``I really don't think I received a lot of credit there,'' Freeman said by phone before the Packers left for New Orleans and the date with New England. ``I thought most of the promotion went to other guys. I don't think it was carried out in the proper way. I wasn't one of the go-to guys. I was disappointed. I was hurt.
``They promoted Maurice [DeShazo] for the Heisman Trophy. I thought I deserved the same amount of hype he had. I don't think he could have been successful without me just like I couldn't have been successful without him.
``When I came here, I wanted to show everybody what I could do. I always knew what I could do. Given the opportunity, given the same amount of balls, I thought I could produce.''
Freeman missed four games after breaking his left arm at midseason. He still finished the regular season with 56 receptions for 933 yards and nine touchdowns. He didn't just become Favre's favorite receiver once Brooks suffered season-ending torn knee ligaments one game before Freeman was hurt. Freeman already was getting most of Favre's throws after beating out veteran Anthony Morgan in preseason. Morgan was cut.
``I honestly don't know why [Freeman] wasn't drafted any higher,'' said Packers general manager Ron Wolf, admitting he didn't know how good the ex-Hokie could be.
Last season, Freeman was known for his returns. He had only eight receptions for 106 yards, but returned 24 kickoffs for a 23-yard average and averaged 7.9 yards on 37 punt returns. He brought back an Atlanta punt for a touchdown in a 1995 playoff win over Atlanta, the only runback for a score in Green Bay's storied playoff history until Desmond Howard's punt-return touchdown against San Francisco earlier in this postseason.
What the Packers have found is that the same peripheral vision that made Freeman a dangerous return man makes him a good receiver. ``He's a real receiver,'' said Packers receivers coach Gil Haskell. ``He had a good feel for the open field. Some guys may have great speed, but they don't have that feel.''
``I didn't care who drafted me,'' Freeman said. ``Green Bay? That was fine. I was just ecstatic to be drafted. I didn't know much about Green Bay, other than it had a great heritage. It's different here, with the fans. If you're a Packer, everyone knows you.
``It's good on Sunday, but the rest of the week, it can be tough. There's no ordinary day, where you can just go out and do something by yourself. You're always signing autographs. It's different.''
Brooks said that Packers coach Mike Holmgren figured out early how to get the kind of numbers Freeman is producing. ```Free' is one of those guys who plays better when you get him mad,'' Brooks said.
Freeman doesn't disagree, and he loves playing for Holmgren, who brought the West Coast offense from San Francisco, where he was the 49ers' coordinator.
``He's definitely one of those coaches who teaches every day,'' Freeman said. ``He says, `Do it my way, and you'll be successful. And if you do it my way and you're not successful, then I'll take the blame.' I've learned a lot from him. I don't mind him getting on me. He's pushing me.
``You also can't do much better than catch passes from the two-time NFL MVP.''
Freeman said when he suffered the broken ulnar bone in his left arm, he was told he would be out 4-6 weeks. So, he thought he could get back for what was predicted to be a Super Bowl bid. He's the same receiver as before the break, with one exception.
``I've had to suspend my Lambeau Leaps,'' Freeman said. ``The doctors said it wouldn't be very safe jumping into the crowd. The arm was broken in half. It's still broken. After it happened, they bond it back together with five screws into a metal plate. It was tough the first two weeks, but I've hung in there.
``I still wear a cast. There have been adjustments to the cast all along, and now it doesn't cover my hand. I don't know if it will ever completely heal, but it isn't too bad right now.
``I put my faith in God that I could come back. I knew we had the kind of team that could get this far. The Super Bowl was our goal. We've had some people get hurt, but here and there, we've gotten pretty much healthy again. It's all about taking advantage of an opportunity.''
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. 1. Former Virginia Tech standout Antonio Freeman hasby CNBleapt into the arms of success in warm-hearted Green Bay. 2. Antonio
Freeman was originally drafted as a return man, but has proven his
worth this season as a receiver, despite playing with a broken left
arm that sidelined him for four games. color. Graphic: Chart.