Ex-Jayhawk lineman Perez returns from ground zero

By Robert Sinclair - Rsinclair@ljworld.Com     Oct 19, 2001

After playing professional football for 10 seasons in the NFL, CFL and XFL, former Kansas University offensive lineman Chris Perez decided last summer it was time to retire.

Perez, a four-year letterman for the Jayhawks from 1988-91, isn’t exactly passing the time these days watching television from his rocking chair, though. Actually, he works for Remodeling Contract Cleaning Service, a Kansas City-based fire and water restoration company owned by former teammate Bill Sutter’s father.

Perez recently returned from New York, where he spent two weeks working in a building that once stood in the shadow of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers.

“I’ll tell you what, it was pretty amazing,” Perez said. “You’ve seen it on TV, but when you see the magnitude in person, it’s shocking to say the least. Our building was a block away from ground zero. Until you actually stood next to it (the pile of rubble), you couldn’t appreciate it. We had a condominium building we were doing the cleaning with and we were working on the 12th floor.

“You wouldn’t even look down at it, you were looking directly at it on the same level. It was 10, 15 stories high when I got there.”

Working at ground zero in New York, where he had to go through two check points just to get to the building he was helping clean, was a far cry from what Perez had been doing.

After practice Thursday, KU coach Terry Allen continued to express concern about the health of his squad.Among the walking wounded are freshman defensive back Leo Bookman (knee), sophomore running back Reggie Duncan (ankle), senior wide receiver Termaine Fulton (separated shoulder), senior offensive right guard Kyle Grady (knee) and red-shirt freshman quarterback Mario Kinsey (turf toe).”I think Kinsey will play, but I don’t know for how long,” Allen said. “I’m very skeptical that Duncan will play. I think Termaine will try. I don’t think Grady will play. I think Bookman will play.”

After being drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1992 NFL draft, Perez bounced around the league for a couple of years before finding a home north of the border.

He was named an all-star three times during his five-year CFL career, reaching the Grey Cup game while with Toronto in 1996 and again with British Columbia in 2000 before the Lions released him in January of that season. From there, Perez hooked up with the XFL’s Chicago Enforcers during the lone campaign of that now-defunct league.

These days, he’s content to savor his semi-retirement.

“I’m ecstatic,” Perez says. “It’s been a definite adjustment not playing football, but it’s nice to be back in the KC area in the fall. I’ve been wearing my (KU) colors proud. I can’t tell you how much I hate Missouri, and next week I won’t be able to tell you how much I hate K-State. I refuse to go back to Manhattan ever since I lost there, and I only lost there once. But next weekend, I’m going after 10 years.”

First things first, though.

This weekend, Perez, whom former teammates Kelly Donohoe and Sutter nicknamed “Super Sugarbear,” will be in Lawrence as the Jayhawks celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Tony Sands’ then-NCAA record 396-yard rushing performance in the 1991 season finale against Missouri.

Kickoff for this weekend’s Border War is 1 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.

Over the years, Perez has spoken with some of his teammates from that magical 1991 season, which at 6-5 turned out to be the Jayhawks’ first winning season in 10 years. Among the players he mentions talking to are center Dan Schmidt, right tackle Keith Loneker and quarterback Chip Hillary.

Perez then went on to rattle off every one of his fellow offensive starters.

“Man,” Perez said, “I remember them all.”

Now, he’s a fan just like everyone else, and like everyone else has an opinion about this year’s squad. While Perez likes some of the things he’s seen, he’s also been disappointed at times as well.

“It’s been frustrating,” Perez said. “Last week the game was a pretty close game. We just couldn’t do some things offensively. I was frustrated personally with the QB (red-shirt freshman Mario Kinsey) because he relies so much on his athleticism. I wish he would rely on his head and his brain. He’s obviously a bright enough guy that he can do some things. He’s trying hard. You can’t fault him for his effort.

“I’ve played with a lot of athletic quarterbacks over the years, and he’s every bit as athletic as any quarterback I’ve played with.”

That’s no small praise from someone who’s played with the likes of Marcus Allen’s younger brother, Damon, and an undersized CFL quarterback named Doug Flutie.

PREV POST

6Sports video report: Brown back in town

NEXT POST

1652Ex-Jayhawk lineman Perez returns from ground zero