Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 6, 1994 TAG: 9410060010
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The cliches tumble like clothes in a dryer with a screw loose:
Kids these days don't want to pay the price.
Kids these days won't get after it.
Kids these days have no work ethic.
Some kids have no ethics, period.
Maybe the wise guys haven't met Blacksburg High fullback Tucker LaForce, No.4 on the Indians' roster.
LaForce is one of those nice kids, all freckles and noble intentions. A nice kid who nevertheless doesn't mind running over somebody like Teddy Roosevelt taking San Juan Hill.
LaForce is assuredly a nice young gentleman, the sort who was raised not to make light of the misfortunes of his fellow man.
But sometimes, in the blast furnace of early August practices, he can't suppress a sparkling-toothed grin when his teammates begin moaning the blues.
``I'm too tired to call my girlfriend tonight.''
``My brains are fried by this sun.''
``I can't take getting up this early.''
LaForce lets them have it.
``Early? I was up two hours before you. Tired? This is fun. You ought to try working. Hot? How about a dawn-to-dusk job building a barn.''
LaForce, you see, is a farm boy. Proud of it, too. Since he was 8 years old, he's worked year-round for his stepfather, Boyd Grubb in the family beef cattle operation.
The Grubbs really have a combination of businesses. During the summer, when the cattle can pretty well take care of themselves, the owners and employees of Triple-T Farms (named in honor of sons Tucker and Tommy LaForce and Travis Grubb) run a construction gang - barns, equipment sheds, fences (plank and wire), farm ponds, that sort of thing. Fall, they put up hay. What they don't feed the herd later that winter, they sell. Winter, there are 275 head to feed, every day. Those bovines don't give a semi-chewed cud whether it's dark, raining, snowing, icing , or 5-below - they've got to eat.
Then there are the fences, an important architectural touch with all those animals running around. Keeping up with the fence is a major deal with the Grubbs because, counting the leased land, they're working something a little shy of 3,000 acres of prime Catawba Valley real estate that runs right down to the Roanoke County line.
``I love it,'' said LaForce of the land and the life.
Sometimes that gets a little difficult to convey to his teammate.
``They'll be going, `Hey Tucker, throw me a bale of hay.' Or, `Let's go rope some cows.' It goes in one ear and right out the other.''
He doesn't mind as long as they don't when he laughs at them gagging through August two-a-days.
Of course, one way to endear yourself to your teammates is to go out and play some serious football. At a lean 6-feet-2 and 185 pounds, LaForce can certainly do that, as the boys from Alleghany can bear eloquent witness after he bludgeoned them for 187 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a 16-8 victory Sept.23.
``I saw that in the paper the next day and I said, `Good day!' I had no idea.''
The Mountaineers may have had no idea what hit them. You can bet LaForce hit them with vigor, though.
``He's one of those kids who just loves to play,'' Blacksburg coach David Crist said. ``And he doesn't care where he plays. I could tell him, `Tucker, go in there and play strong guard.' And he'd say, `Fine.'''
``And he'd play strong guard like a banshee,'' assistant coach Vaughn Phipps said.
Whether he's a workaholic or just has a lot of spring in his step is for you to judge. But you have to wonder about somebody who, like he did the morning after the Salem game, teamed up with five others and put up 1,200 bales of hay.
LaForce is a junior, so he figures to get better. And maybe bigger. In that case, a college recruiter or two might take an interest.
``I hope so,'' he said. ``I'd play college ball in a heartbeat. I hate the thought of having my high school career end and that would be it.''
As for a future career, count on him doing something agriculturally related. Right now, he's leaning toward taking up veterinary studies.
For now, there's some football to play and in that regard, Blacksburg is fortunate that he's wearing the blue and gold.
by CNB