Spikes Brings His Trademark Intensity - and His Wardrobe Mojo - to the Super Bowl
Saturday, February 4, 2012 | Football
By Katherine Smith
Special to GatorZone.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- The pink suit raised some eyebrows.
But for those who know Brandon Spikes, they know the significance of the pastel ensemble.
“(I'm) undefeated with the pink suit,'' Spikes said. “I had it in high school. The time I didn't wear it was against Alabama. The cleaners closed early.”
Spikes broke out his lucky suit for the New England Patriots' Super Bowl sendoff. He didn't want to take any chances as his Patriots team prepares to take on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. The suit brought him luck during his days as a Florida Gator, except for that SEC Championship dry cleaning glitch, and he wanted to bring some of that wardrobe mojo to the Super Bowl.
That Spikes is gearing up to play in a Super Bowl in only his second year in the league is a testament to his team's supremacy and his resiliency.
In his first two years in the league, Spikes, New England's 2010 second-round draft pick, has had to learn how to battle adversity. He missed six games with a knee injury this season, but returned with a vengeance in the postseason.
“Spikes is a great player,'' Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo said. “He brings a lot of energy to the game. Any time you lose a guy like that, it's pretty tough on a defense. We have that next man up mentality, and guys really stepped in and helped fill the void, but it's good having him back in the lineup.”
The injury sidelined Spikes for the first time since his rookie season when he was suspended for four games because of a violation of the NFL's banned substance policy. An ingredient in the former Florida All-American's ADHD medicine, which Spikes had received clarification for taking, was the source of the violation.
Any worry about Spikes' future with the team was quickly put to rest. A heart-to-heart with Patriots coach Bill Belichick early in his career gave Spikes all the confidence he needed.
“We had a pretty deep conversation,'' Spikes said. “He called me and was like, 'We drafted you in the second round.' He said, 'Don't worry about it. I know you're a hell of a player. I know you're probably upset because you slipped but whatever.' That was good for me just to hear him tell me that I was going to be a great player as long as I work every day and get better and better.
“I just feel like everything worked out perfect. Everything happens for a reason. Look at me today.”
Where he is his today is a starting linebacker for the New England Patriots. On Sunday, he'll line up across the New York Giants with a Super Bowl ring on the line.
“I just feel like I'm caged up right now, pacing back and forth, waiting,'' Spikes said. “I'm ready. It's hard to explain. Like I said, I'm enjoying all this, you guys. It's fun; it's a great experience. It's something I can tell my kids a long time from now.”
And to make sure those memories he tells his kids someday are good ones, he's drawing on his experience in his two National Championship victories with the Gators.
“Every year in my career I always want to show in the big dance and the big game,'' he said. “I think as far as me and all the stuff the Super Bowl offers is you got to try to soak it in and make sure you don't get your emotions too riled up and make sure guys know at the end of the day we're here on a business trip. We came here to win this ballgame.”
