Greg Jones is More than a Great Athlete and Musician, He is an All American Person!

In an age of me-first antics that draw attention to themselves, the Spartan Nation is led by one of the bests linebackers in the nation in Greg Jones, Jr., but

In an age of me-first antics that draw attention to themselves, the Spartan Nation is led by one of the bests linebackers in the nation in Greg Jones, Jr., but what others may not know is how well rounded a person that he is.

 

I wrote last year (LINK) how Greg took his ring from the Champs Bowl and gave it to his father, Greg, Sr. He made a promise to bring more home and to give back to him and his mother Beverly to whom he has so much admiration and respect. He told me last year that the next one was for his mom. 

 

So when I sat with him last week at the Big Ten Media days I asked him about her reaction. “I gave it to my mom. I know we had talked about that. That was the easiest thing seeing the look on her face when I walked in. I gave it to her. She was so happy. First thing she said, “I can not put that on my finger, it is too big.” So I explained to her I was going to put it on a necklace and give it to her but she was just so happy to have that. It’s pretty exciting.” (Here is the link to the video of that interview)

Hondo and Greg Talk At the Big Ten Media Days Last Week in Chicago. Photo: Bill Marklevits

 

  I recently spoke with Beverly, his mother, and she shed a little more light on the gift. “That ring is so huge and so big, you have got to be kidding me. I put it on. It’s huge, it’s heavy, but I am not wearing that thing around my neck. I was overjoyed when I read in the article last year that he was going to give me this one, but it is too big for me to wear.”

 

Greg’s appreciation for his parents is something he wears openly, and the pride in his parents is one of the few things that force this one-man-wrecking machine on the gridiron to have to control his emotions. “It was really really special. I felt like…I mean I look back at high school, it was so hard just for her (Beverley) to take me…working and stuff and taking me to practice and picking me up and my parents working together on that has been so tremendous. I feel like everything I do I give to them.” Jones mentioned to me during another conversation, “We always went to church, and we always had our family. My parents would sacrifice anything for me. We maybe didn’t have a lot, but we had love, I can’t repay that.”

 

Greg is right. He can’t repay it, but he tries. It is not uncommon to see athletes on scholarship at MSU wearing many of the clothes that are given to them as scholarship athletes. Greg is one of the few that it actually is a surprise to see in the green and white. “I don’t really have a whole lot. I don’t wear a whole lot of Michigan State stuff, not because I don’t want to represent us, because it is all at home with them. My dad wears my varsity jacket and when it gets cold, all the time. It’s not like I don’t represent us, I felt like it would mean more to me if they wore it because they’re the people who got me this far.”

 

Representing the Spartan Nation isn’t something Jones has to worry about. He does that well. His humility is moving and is inspirational to any that learn his story. “I think one thing that would surprise a lot of people about Greg is how he loves the Lord. We raise him in church. We led by example what it means to live your life for Jesus. We are most proud that Greg has taught himself to trust and love the Lord,” was how his mother described her pride in her son.

 

“I do have a special relationship with the Lord. My mom is right. The first thing I do everyday before I even get out of bed is pray. My relationship with Jesus has always been important to me, I need to lead my guys and that starts off the field. Coach Dantonio teaches that who we are on the field will show in adversity with who we are off of it,” was Greg’s thoughts on his faith. “I am not perfect and I don’t want to represent that, but I do love the Lord and try.” I echoed to Greg that none of us are.

 

“Greg has never been a superficial person. He has never been impressed with things. His father is such a fine man. His father works so hard for this family and is a great example. I credit his father for Greg’s character.” With so much talk of Greg Jones, the great linebacker, his mother went on to express even more the pride she feels in her son than jut the above quote.

 

“Greg played the flute and the trumpet for many years, he can beautifully read music and one day whenever football is done, he wants to come back to the inner city of Cincinnati and teach music.” That dream is not dead in Greg. I asked him about it and he expounded by saying, “I just don’t want that. I want to open a rec center. I want the six-year old kid up to about fifteen to come. Let’s teach about football and music and life.”

 

Jones talked about his love for music and how it has helped him relate to the many young kids, that now look up to him. “Not everyone can play football and I love to tell kids that it’s OK to love music. It’s a good thing to be part of the band, I was.” 

 

Jones loves to talk football, but he also loves to talk about his Mom and Pops. He told me, “My mom always says don’t try to do it for her or my dad, for them. It’s hard not to because everyday I strap up and get ready to go. I would not have been there if it wasn’t for them; my mom bringing me into this world, my dad taking care of me and teaching me everything I know and at the same time he keeps me relaxed too. When I go back home, I just like to go back home and chill with my pops. I don’t like to do a whole lot. I just like to relax with my mom.”

 

If you only watch Greg Jones on TV or sitting in the high cathedral of the Spartan Nation you may not get to see the type of person that he is. There isn’t an arrogant bone in his body. In fact this may shock you, but he also is shy. Nothing like you see during a game. “I never forget my dad working all those jobs and my mom sacrificing for me. I can’t go anything less than 100% in practice or in life. My dad never took a day off from being a dad. My mom never said I don’t feel like being a mom today. I love this game and I respect my parents that is why I play like I do.”

 

As Greg loves to praise his parents, they like to praise his Coaches. “I love Coach Dantonio and his wife. They love Greg, not the player. They love Greg. Coach Narduzzi and Tressel and Gill are the same. He was my only child. I was so worried when he left for Michigan State. Each of those coaches promised to love him like their own son, and they have. I can’t thank the Lord enough that we picked Michigan State. The Lord directed Greg’s steps there, and parents need to think and trust that coaches will love their children, discipline them and care on them like they do at Michigan State. I can’t say enough. I can’t tell you the love we have for them and the prayers we offer of thanksgiving for them. You need to understand that they loved him like a son before he was a star. They are tough, but they love. They are good Godly men,” says Beverly.

 

So how did the Mr. & Mrs. Jones raise such a fine son? One with such dedication to the game of football and life? Beverly told me an interesting story about her son’s commitment to the game. “He attended a small bible school, named God’s Bible School in Cincinnati. He transferred to Moeller so he could play sports in high school. We raised him in the church to love the Lord. We asked him when he went to school if he was taking the instruments and he said no. He was going to play football. He knew he had a purpose and that was to play the game and school.”

 

I told you last season about a promise ring and Greg fulfilled his promise. Greg is still young, and is incredibly talented. I still echo that the Spartan Nation can learn a lot from this family of three incredible people. Mr. and Mrs. Jones don’t need the rings; they don’t ask Greg to bring back the free clothes. They already have a trophy. It isn’t their son the football player; it is their son the man.

 

No one knows the future, but the fire of Greg on the field can be seen when his mother talks football. Those rings are nice from the Champs and the Capital One, but there is more. This program has a lot higher place to go. We have the coaches that love the players and they trust them to take them there. I told Greg these rings aren’t the end. They are the beginning. If this last ring was big, just wait until we do more. The Spartans are blessed to have Mark Dantonio and I can tell you things aren’t done yet. We’ve got more.

 

I agree, Mrs. Jones, and you are right, we are blessed to have Mark Dantonio. I can also say that the Spartan Nation is blessed you have Greg Jr., Greg Sr., and you. Strong families make strong programs and you are part of a great foundation.

 

Greg Jones, Jr. is a great football player who fulfilled a promise by bringing home another ring. Greg Jones is the type of player that you win championships with, and his mom and dad will be right there on the field with him. “I think before every play and every tough situation about them, it motivates me. There ain’t nothing on that field like my family has faced. I know we can do it.”

 

I agree Greg. You are the pre-season Big Ten Defensive player of the year. You are also an All American human being and your parents don’t need a ring to know that. You live it!