San Diego's Antonio Gates tied an NFL single-season record for tight ends with his 12th touchdown reception Sunday, scoring on a 72-yarder in the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns. He is almost there!

Congrats Antonio. Way to represent the MAC!

Who woulda thought that getting kicked off of EMU's basketball team would work out so well. :D

Quote:Who woulda thought that getting kicked off of EMU's basketball team would work out so well. 

Worked out pretty well. Probably helped him get his act together.

Gates was a model citizen at Kent State, and has inquired about coming back to finish his degree. NFL record or not, he's gotta graduate to have his jersey retired.

'Tone was planning to go back to see the hoops team this week. Hope he provided some inspiration. Bet we see him at a few Flashes basketball games before the season's over.

FlashFan Wrote:

Quote:Who woulda thought that getting kicked off of EMU's basketball team would work out so well. 

Worked out pretty well. Probably helped him get his act together.

Gates was a model citizen at Kent State, and has inquired about coming back to finish his degree. NFL record or not, he's gotta graduate to have his jersey retired.

'Tone was planning to go back to see the hoops team this week. Hope he provided some inspiration. Bet we see him at a few Flashes basketball games before the season's over.

Agreed. Gates has actually said in interviews that it was the best thing to happen to him as it made him wake up and become a better person. It's great to see what Gates has been able to accomplish.

i wonder what woulda happened had Gates played football...

a good target for Cribbs no doubt

It's sort of a moot point. If Gates wanted to play football, he never would have left Michigan State. Saben recruited him to play footballl. Gates claims he was told he could play both football and basketball when he signed. When he couldn't play hoops, he left. The Spartans actually lost most of all.

Stan Heath was an assistant coach at MSU who tried to get him a spot on the Spartans hoops team. As the Flashes head coach, Heath told Gates he'd get his last chance at Kent State. Ironically, Dean Pees was an assistant to Nick Saben at the time Gates left the program at MSU. He treid to get Gates to play football at Kent State, so it was almost deja vu all over again. But Antonio only wanted to play basketball and thankfully no one pushed the football point.

Gates compares Chargers to Flashes. Okay with me.

[quote]Ex-Flash Gates scores key TD
Tom Hardesty
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By David Carducci

Record-Courier staff writer

CLEVELAND - When Antonio Gates was being courted by NFL teams during his senior year at Kent State, he said he just hoped to sign a contract that would allow him to play someplace nice and warm.

San Diego fit that bill, but two years in the southern California sun didn’t keep Gates from feeling right at home when he was reintroduced to the bitter cold of northeast Ohio Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

The one-time Golden Flashes basketball star turned NFL superstar blazed a 72-yard path through the ice and snow for his 12th touchdown catch of the season, tying a league record and helping his San Diego Chargers clinch the AFC West Division championship with a 21-0 thumping of the Cleveland Browns.

In just his second season after being signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent who never played college football, the consistently surprising Gates has now tied the NFL record for touchdown catches by a tight end in a one season.

“It’s a great feeling, and it’s great that I could get that with my family from Detroit and my friends from Kent State here to see it,