Cody Journell making the most of second chances
I’m about to jump a flight to Orlando today, which, based on this weather, is about the perfect time of the year to do so.
Before I head out, here’s a link to a story I wrote about today Cody Journell, who talked generally about his arrest last year at this time for the first time publicly. Here’s how the story starts:
BLACKSBURG – With the Virginia game in the balance, Cody Journell stood over a 42-yard field-goal attempt, knowing if he could push it through the cold, November air, it would all but certainly mean a win against Virginia Tech’s intrastate rival.
He tried to play the wind, aiming for the left goal post and wanting to fade it back in. But instead, he pulled it just wide to the left, keeping the game tied.
An interception by cornerback Antone Exum gave Journell another chance minutes later. With new life, he took advantage, drilling a 29-yarder as time expired, making Tech bowl eligible by the slimmest of margins.
Journell has made the most of the second chances he’s been afforded lately.
It’s been a year since the kicker made headlines in all the wrong ways, arrested and charged with breaking and entering after an alleged home invasion in Blacksburg just before Christmas.
He spent a week in jail, was suspended from the team, had the indignity of appearing in newspaper headlines across the region and waited months for a legal resolution in which he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge. He did community service and says he rejoined the football program in the summer as a humbled individual.
“It put a lot of things in perspective for me, being here and being as privileged as I am,” Journell said earlier this month in his first public comments about the ordeal.
“All this stuff around you, once you get that taken away from you and you don’t know if you’re going to get it back, it makes you appreciate everything that the coaches do here, what we have in front of us, the facilities and fans and everything.”
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Journell talked about a number of other topics, although the story was more focused about him reflecting on the last year. Here are a few things that didn’t make the story:
- Journell made big kicks in three games this year — Georgia Tech, Boston College and Virginia. Which one stood out to him the most? “I think Georgia Tech,” he said. “I’m kind of torn between the Georgia Tech and UVa kicks, really, but being able to come back that first game and everything in the offseason happening and being able to establish myself that, ‘Hey, I’m back and I’m ready to play and put all this other stuff behind me.’ But then again, the UVa game, we had a bowl game riding on it, with seniors, whether they were going to get to play another game or not in their collegiate career. I think sentimentally that one is probably more important to me than the first one.”
- The Boston College kick was probably the most difficult. There was a wind and the snap wasn’t perfect. Trey Gresh made a nice hold just to get the ball down. Journell barely sneaked it inside the left upright. Plus, the situation was tough. “It wasn’t if I missed, then we’re just going into overtime,” Journell said. “It was just kind of like, ‘We’ve got to make this or we lose.’”
- Journell didn’t make the All-ACC team or even get an honorable mention, but he doesn’t feel snubbed. “I didn’t really have any expectations,” he said. “Almost every team that we played this year had a really good kicker.”
- Which kick did Journell want back the most this year? “I think the one that kind of stands out the most is from the Miami game,” he said, talking about a 47-yarder late in the third quarter. “I don’t remember exactly how much we were down. We might have been down a touchdown or maybe four or something like that, but I could feel we had a little bit of momentum coming up and I felt like we might have been able to pull it out, and I botched that one kick. And it probably didn’t have anything to do with it, because we lost by more than three, but I feel like it kind of offset the momentum a little bit. So I’d like to see what would have happened had we made that. I think we could have pulled it out.”
- Journell often spoke up in the locker room when times were tough this year, something he didn’t do much of his first few years. That’s not something kickers normally do. “I’m not sure how it goes in every locker room but I think me being so close with all those guys has helped a lot,” he said. “And they respect what I have to say. They know I’m not really one to talk up when it’s not necessary. If I have something to say, it’s usually something we need to hear. I think that helped the guys listen.”
- Journell, who is from nearby Ripplemead, grew up a Virginia Tech fan. He was also a big fan of Shayne Graham, who he had a chance to talk to after the UVa game. “The first time I heard his name really was in the West Virginia game. I think it was ’99,” Journell said. “Then I realized how close he grew up from here and then going through high school and watching him progress through the NFL kind of gave me some motivation, knowing that I’m not going to be the one to ever do this. It’s possible. And them giving me a scholarship out of college, it helped me compare to him a little bit. It was like, well, they have trust in me, I have trust in them. I think I can do it too.”
- There’s no special meaning to his No. 89. “It was the number that they gave me when I got here as a freshman,” he said. “I know a lot of the freshmen have 100-something as their number, because we were all on scout team still. There are more lockers than there are numbers and I was excited that I got my own number. And getting all the gear and stuff when you’re here playing the first year, I didn’t want to change it. I already had sweatshirts with No. 89 on it. I figured I’d just keep it.”
- His goals for next season? Lofty, but reasonable. “I really want to improve my accuracy from 45-plus,” he said. “We really didn’t get a chance to kick a lot of those this year. It kind of just comes with the situation. But I think the majority of the ones I missed this year were 40 and out. So obviously my goal is to go 100 percent next year. It’s a little far-fetched, but it’s been done, though.”
December 23, 2012 - 8:44 AM
Are you kidding me?? Only playing for Frank Beamer and having Jimmy Turk on Tech’s payroll got him “second” chance. He shouldn’t be playing at all now and wouldn’t be if it weren’t at Tech. The university known for those two great alumnus Michael and Marcus Vick. Also how many times have “second” chances been given to Tech players basketball nd football. A felony charge and he’s back on the team. Great example Frankie, lets fill the team up with felons and maybe we can get to the promised land of a national championship. UNREAL
FOOTBALL FAN, you are a true idiot. I’d bet that you’re a UVA fan who’s just sore that your team has been reduced to an afterthought in your home state. What is it now? 9 in a row? 12 out of the last 13? LOL!!! Now go crawl back under your rock. WAHOO-WAH!!!
#1 this is what I heard from your post, “Wa wah wah wah wah…blah blah blah…sniff, sniff, wah wah wah wah!”
Have a box of tissues nearby because you are going to be crying about everything wrong with Hokies.
Thank goodness for second chances in life. People make mistakes in life. Especially young people. Nice to see he is making the most of his second chance. Keep up the good work Cody! There are a lot of people out here pulling for you.
Never made any mistakes in your life I guess, huh FOOTBALL FAN. Never needed a second chance. Must be nice being perfect.
Dear “Football Fan” -
Nine in a row.
Merry Christmas,
Hokie Nation
Athletic scholarship recipients live in the dream world of “second chances.” If they are an asset to the team, breaking the law will be forgiven and team reinstatement will be granted. Ideally, these athletes should be as stellar off the playing field as they are on. I think the reference to the Vick brothers by another blogger puts it all in perspective: second chance is an analogy to double standard. Let these law-breaking, plea-bargain players play all they can in college. Once they find gainful employment in the real world – they’ll end up in prison with their lives totally destroyed for committing a felony…yawn…
Football Fan is not even a real football fan. If he was, he would understand EVERY university has these issues, and every one handles it in similar ways. If my memory serves me correctly, Jounell was charged but not CONVICTED of a felony. That’s the difference you idiot. Football Fan you’re not, foosball fool, you are. Quit you whining and go back to your needlepoint.
all i can say is FOOTBALL FAN sucks pretty much…
#1 and #7. I am so glad that no one you love has any experience at all with the criminal justice system. Its a real luxury.
Those of us who have had our loved ones hauled “downtown” can tell you that “Lawyering 101″ for the defense consists of little but getting the best deal. “Lawerying 201″ for defense is holding out even longer until the prosecution gets tired of it all and settles for a little lower.
This is not a double standard. This is the way our system works.
Journell got EXACTLY the same treatment as non-athletic young men I know here in Texas.
Marcus Vick’s continuing trouble had nothing to do with VT and everything to do with himself. I know its hard for you but see if your memory can hold a thought: VT THREW HIM OUT!. It isn’t like we worked on him and nursed him through. Beamer dismissed him from the team.
As for Michael. Well, VT certainly didn’t teach him that cruelty to animals and breaking federal gambling laws were just peachy things to do. Not sure how VT can be held accountable for that. He is an embarrassment to the school. However, he did hard time in Leavenworth. He didn’t go to “Club Fed”. He went a maximum security facility where, I am sure, his new friends treated him with all the dignity and respect they could muster. I don’t see how he got the benefit of a double standard. He did the crime AND his time.
Now why his situation is different than say, PacMan Jones, I don;t really know. I do know that Vick paid what the law required. After that payment a person is supposed to try to do good. Which, I might add, Michael is apparently trying to do.
Shall we continue? OJ is in jail now, probably for the rest of his life. Better late than never. Jamal Lewis did hard time. Mercury Morris did hard time. Plexico Burress did time. The kid from the Cowboys is suspended pending trial for Vehicular Manslaughter. If guilty, he’ll do time. Shall I go on?
Denny McClain did time. Dykstra is going to do time. Ron Leflore did time and then played MLB. Josh Hamilton has problems galore to go along with his talent. He has done time, rehab and hevean knows what.
We can all rail about percieved injustice but if you have had loved ones go through the system for drugs or car issues as I have I will assert that Journell was treated about the same as anyone else. Celebrity did not help him.
The idea that athletes are immune does not hold up to scrutiny. Each case is different and only an idiot takes press accounts as 100% of the story.
Ah but you guys don’t want perspective or truth. You just want to insult and belittle. How wonderful for you.
Bring it Zman. Michael will answer one more time. Dog spelled backwards is God.
Cody wasnt convicted of a felony.
Michael Vick never got in any legal trouble while at VT.
Marcus Vick was given a second chance, when he messed that up he was sent down the road.
Hundreds of VT students break the CoC every year, most are given second chances. Why should it be any different for an athlete?
Zman, I agree with your thoughts. If this would happen to all players it would be ok. With a non-starter it would not be the case. I hope all individuals can learn from mistakes. Merry Christmas!!
Hey hoo any lower life form than a dead beat dad, Ralph is the biggest scum on the planet. How much time did Ralph pull for letting his kids do without? bet you don’t have the gonads to answer me.
Zman, you are like a breath of fresh air on this site.
I don’t think you will need to worry about any Tech players being convicted of a felony as long as Turk is close by. The important thing about Journell is that he can kick the football accurately, nothing else will matter much to the VT faithful fans. Just sayin’, if Tech cannot run the ball against Rutgers, it will not be a pretty game for the Hokies. Watch the Sun Bowl and you will see a great matchup of the Jackets and the Trojans.
At least VT suspends the players awaiting the result of the court case. UVA continued to let RaShawn Jackson play after he had been charged with a felony. Mike Vick never got in legal trouble at VT, all came after, Marcus did and was thrown off the team and then out of the school. Merry Christmas wahoo
#11. Yes, Michael will answer to god. Thing is, I believe in the God of the New Testament. This is the God that forgives and sent his only son. Maybe you remember the story or have heard it before?
The God of the Old Testament is the “eye for an eye”, fire and brimstone and eternal damnation guy.
Now, since God can extend grace to anyone, for no reason, I don;t think it’s up to us to predict what judgment will occur. So we have to be satisified with the punishment humans can deliver and move on.
Hence, Michael did the crime AND the time and we should render unto God what is God’s.
Assuming, of course, you believe in the first place.
Hasn’t Mike Vick been gone from Tech for, what, 12 years or so? Didn’t UVA recruit Marcus Vick? Kids are kids, you hope they learn before they crash and burn, but kids do mess up. Zero tolerance may sound good to some, but makes no sense in real life. Barry, I’d love to watch your bees get trounced, but I think there’s a Beverly Hillbillies rerun I think I’d rather catch.
Kudos to Zman. Well said; God will meet you when you are serious about Him but He will not meet you where you pretend to be. This is a good time of the year to receive His grace. Even us Jackets fan need a lot of that.
When Florida State defeated Virginia Tech for the MNC there were players on that team who had broken the law and they were on the team, their quarterback was 27 years old, again 27 years old, and the place kicker had broken curfew the week of the game and he had no punishment from Bobby Bowden, mainly because Bowden said, ” but his is a good boy “, so how is that for a prestigious national championship team?
This type of behavior is everywhere in society. That is the way that it is. Get over it and move on with your own lives.
Cody’s offense was reduced to a misdemeanor if any one would like to know and it is school policy that they may be re-instated after meeting the requirements for the offense.
What’s the matter Andy not want to post my reply to everyone who thinks I am a Hoo fan? Like I said I am not a UVA fan and definitely not a Tech fan. You have a gutless coach who will only keep a player who has been in trouble if it benefits his team. Non-starters or non-contributors would be dismissed for infractions in a heartbeat. Zmas who is talking about denny McClain or OJ ? Did they play for Tech too? Noooo Player of the Year for chokies should be Jimmy Turk as he was biggest contributor. I see Tech is really selling those tickets to the Russell Kmart Athletic Bowl. Another loss on the horizon so get those excuses ready.