It was 10 years ago Thursday that I had perhaps the weirdest conversation I've ever had with an athlete - that athlete being Curtis Enis, the enigmatic sled of a tailback who lasted only three years in the NFL after the Bears made him the fifth-overall pick in the 1998 draft.
As a rookie, Enis was mostly unproductive on the field before hurting his knee. He was known more for being a soft-spoken, self-described Christian who had gotten horrible advice from his agent than for being a star on the rise.
Now, as training camp 1999 opened, a different Enis had arrived. As I wrote in my column from that day:
"Enis barreled into Platteville in his gigantic, customized, seven-miles-per-gallon Hummer, rap-music blaring, horns sounding his arrival. He wore a New York City cabbie shirt with 'Abdule' stitched over the right pocket, khaki shorts tugged down just enough to reveal the waistband of his red Hilfiger briefs, and a pair ot Chuck Taylor hi-tops over his sock-less feet. This is Curtis with a 'tude. ... He has dumped his agent. ... And, hold your ears: Enis has changed linguistic styles, too. A half-hour chat with the media included multiple damns, hells and other colorful words."
OK, now that you've got the picture, here was the exchange he and I had (with another half-dozen or so media listening in):
Me: "Don't take this question the wrong way. Do you still consider yourself a Christian?"
Enis: "Do you consider yourself one?"
Me: "No."
Enis: "OK then."
Me: "I'm Jewish."
Enis: "Well, I have no problem being Jewish. I like to get money and make things happen."
What? No reference to my big nose, my love of bagels or the way I singlehandedly control the media? So disappointing.
After his playing career ended, Enis bounced around from job to job. According to newspaper accounts, he has landed with the Miami (Ohio) County Sheriff's Dept., where he is a deputy. He also is doing some volunteer coaching with a local high school.
There were no updates about his views of Jews (or any other religion, race, creed, color or nationality), which is probably a good thing.
Anyway, how a decade flies when you're having fun.
Happy anniversary, Curtis Enis. And shalom.
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your gal erin has been having a rough time lately...have you reached out to her...
ReplyDeleteNice article.......however, your sources are incorrect.....Mr. Enis is no longer with the Sherrif's Dept. Of course he has to be a volunteer coach, one look into his lengthy background check and no organization would be allowed to put him on their payroll. A scum bag of a man who chose to give up so much for life on the "Down Low"! Curtis Enis sucks cock!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree, I loved the article. I also have heard Mr. Enis is no longer with the sheriff's dept. for the reason as stated above. Now the great football star is a bouncer in a local bar. And I for one would not be pleased to have him coach my child's sports team.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all you cant always believe what you hear or read because I have been in that situation before. Secondly if you have any knowledge at all, in most states if you work, coach or volunteer in a school system you must be fingerprinted, background check and board approved, I know Ohio is this way. Everyone has a past..lets look into yours!!! Looks to me that he has done way more in his life than most people have or ever will and whats it matter what he does or where he works. Some people just need to mind their own business and worry about their own. Things can happen to anyone, you never know you may someday lose your job, be living off the system or (abusing the system)cant pay your rent and shacking up with people when you should be worrying about yourself and (children) if any...Then be sure that it will be made public knowledge!!!! Ohh I forgot you probably havent ever did anything in your life constructive that people would really give a crap about because you have nothing better to do than bash a person or be a nusiance to soceity. Im sure that he really could care less what you have to say or think......
ReplyDeleteI never had to read anything it's not just happened to his 2 ex wives but other ones too. He has no job and does not pay anything in child support to help with his 4 kids....what a loser!!! The fucked up society we live in still let's the bastard who loves to suck cock and loses his job still HAVE visitations to his 2 kids!!! Only God will eventually to care of sorry bastards like CURTIS ENIS!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow ...first off my family help Curtis in many ways after him and Tiff. We paid for his camp down in New Orleans,food and plane tickets! He owes us like $20k,but wait he even live in our house Rent free! I hope curtis find his way in life,by the way its is true. He like men and women..and smoke crack. This is Tj from Chicago/Tampa email me anytime eb1991@live.com
ReplyDeleteTell Curtis we want out money!
All of you scum bags that want to sit and talkmad shit about mr. enis can fuck off! do you havea life? I garuntee that if this was a man that was never famous in NFL you poeple would give two shits whether he was a sherrif, coac or sucks cocks for that matter, grow the fuck up & mind your own damn buisness!!!! I know him very personally, & he is a good man & a damn good coach for that matter, so like before FUCK OFF!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI knew Curt from prep school. He was a good guy. I was a nerd, we played football together (I was a sophomore and he treated me with respect) and we were in chorus together ( a group containing quite a few Jews who he was friends with). So I knew him well. If he got mixed up in the wrong crowd or made bad decisions, he deserves what everyone deserves, the opportunity to overcome those decisions. He was a kid thrust into a world of money and notoriety that is overwhelming. At kiski Curt was respectful of people of all religions and cultures. I am sure his "gangster" phase that you eluded to and experienced was merely a dumb kid trying to come of age. We have all been dumb kids from time to time. I hope he is well and that if he is "sucking cock" as alleged above by the people fantasizing about it, I hope he uses protection because it is dangerous out there... :-)
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I knew Curt from prep school. He was a good guy. I was a nerd, we played football together (I was a sophomore and he treated me with respect) and we were in chorus together ( a group containing quite a few Jews who he was friends with). So I knew him well. If he got mixed up in the wrong crowd or made bad decisions, he deserves what everyone deserves, the opportunity to overcome those decisions. He was a kid thrust into a world of money and notoriety that is overwhelming. At kiski Curt was respectful of people of all religions and cultures. I am sure his "gangster" phase that you insinuated to and experienced was merely a dumb kid trying to come of age. We have all been dumb kids from time to time. I hope he is well and that if he is "sucking cock" as alleged above by the people fantasizing about it, I hope he uses protection because it is dangerous out there... :-)
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Update. Curtis is turning around a lowly high school football program in his old high school conference.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.crosscountyconference.com/wordpress/?p=889
I knew Curtis well from the time he was at Kiski Prep, til he was a sophomore at Penn State. A bunch of us hung out pretty much every weekend or so in New Castle, Pa. for that 2 or 3 year period. I can say that Curt comes from a good family and he was a good man. He was very well spoken, intelligent, and wasn't an asshole in any way, shape, or form. He was very respectful to anyone he came across even my own family who is a bit of a tough crowd. All this other stuff I read on here shocks me especially about smoking crack and being with other men. That's so far from what Curt was when he was around us that I find it hard to believe any of that. For those of you that don't know him, I'd be a little less judgmental.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about his past, but I know he is a nice guy trying to make it in this world now. He was on the police squad, but was no longer on for accusations (untrue) and is now an amazing coach. He does an awesome job, and has really made some good change in our teams. You can badmouth, but karma is a bigger b.tch than any of us will ever be. You may think you know him from what you've "heard, read, think you know...etc" but just let the man live his life. He is a great guy.
ReplyDeletethe guy is a total asshole.very arrogant and self centered.yes i know him personally.he's a huge DOUCHEBAG.take care of your kids asshole.what a loser!!!!!1
ReplyDeleteThese rumors about Curtis Enis being gay are completely false. Enis is my oldest and dearest JO Bro and we never tolerate any gay shit. Once I met up with P-Enis for our weekley Saturday dong pull and Enis brought along this new guy who he met at Home Depot. This was not unusual as Enis has been known to visit Home Depot and Bass ProShops to find random JO Bros. The JO session was going great for the first hour (we usually warm up our JOs slowly before we start padded drills so we don't injure our wieners) until the new guy tried to touch the tip of his fireman to P-Enis' buttcheaks. Enis was infuriated. Needless to say Enis personally made this poor sap hit the showers the Penn State way. I also don't believe these accusations that Enis doesn't pay child suppport; Enis loves children. No one was more eager to volunteer for Second Mile than Enis.
ReplyDeleteI heard his penis is the size of a Pringles can.
ReplyDeleteI know a teacher who works at the school he coaches at. Enid is a typical black Hood. He was fired from the sherrifs dept due to sexual harassment. Very true people. Was hired by Bradford schools only because he was in the NFL. The over look a more qualified coach who had more time and earned the job. He wasn't even that great of a ball player!
ReplyDeletemike dreidel u mad bro
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