Terrence Fede grew up in Nyack a Giants fan, and now he is Fede shooting to be the first player drafted out of Marist College in Poughkeepsie. He is a 6-foot-4, 278-pound defensive end who has admired Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul.
“Right now I’m training at TEST Parisi Football Academy in Martinsville, N.J.,” Fede told The Rumble. “These guys really know what they’re talking about.”
These guys like who they’re training.
“Terrence has the potential to take it to the next level. He has good speed and lateral movement for a defensive lineman,” said Skip Fuller, the academy’s performance director. “I have worked with several linemen in the past years and Terrence’s motor never stops. I think he has the frame that all NFL teams look for. Terrence continues to work hard and make strides in shaping his body and overall speed.”
Fede will be having his Pro Day at Marist on March 6 or 13. He hopes to post a surprise 40 time that will enhance his chances to make history.
“It’s a long shot, but … I want to be the first one out of Marist College to be drafted,” Fede said.
Fede — who is a fan of Ray Lewis, DeMarcus Ware and Aldon Smith — said he believes he has the versatility that NFL teams crave.
“I feel like I can play any position on the defensive line, and I can also play a little outside linebacker rushing the quarterback, which is what I did somewhat in college,” Fede said.
Sacking the quarterback is something he did somewhat too.
“I set a new sack record for my school with career sacks, I have 38 1/2, and I set a single-season sack record at 13.
“Hopefully that can do a lot for me.”
Clutch time for B’way’s ‘Jeter’
Christopher Jackson has been on big stages before, appearing in “In The Heights,” “The Lion King” and “Memphis.” He even recently sang the national anthem before the crowd at a Garden Knicks game. However, the actor/singer now has even more pressure in his continuing role as the now-retiring Derek Jeter in “Bronx Bombers,” which opened last week at Circle in the Square.
While fans have turned out to see many of the Yankee greats come to life, especially Peter Scolari as Yogi Berra, the heat will now be up more on Jackson, who becomes a central part of the play’s end when Yogi relies on Jeter to help keep the pinstripe tradition alive. Does this week’s announcement put even more pressure on him to deliver than it does for the real Jeter during his curtain call season?
“We all have a great responsibility to be true to the characters that we bring to the stage, and the fans know if we aren’t bringing what they expect, just like they know when a player has an off night,” Jackson said. “For me, I always felt that I had a great responsibility because Derek is still playing and the younger people know him better than anyone. So now I really have a duty to make sure I do everything I can to make sure ‘No. 2’ on Broadway is as solid as the one in The Bronx. It is even more of a privilege now.”
Jeter has yet to see the show, but former Yankees Jorge Posada, Rickey Henderson, Tino Martinez and John Flaherty have all come away impressed with the show’s realism.
This camp a bit of a relief for Mets’ Rice
Mets reliever Scott Rice is breathing a little easier this spring, but not much. Rice reported for work last week in Port St. Lucie, and for the first time in 15 years, he is pretty much assured of breaking camp with a big league club.
After 14 years in the minors, the 6-foot-7 Rice saw his hard work and dedication pay off when he landed a spot in Terry Collins’ bullpen last year. Rice appeared in 73 games before he underwent sport hernia surgery in September.
“I think I proved that I can do it,” said Rice. “But I have been around long enough to know that it can slip away just as fast. I am healthy and ready to go.”
Collins said he remembers the day he told Rice he had made the team.
“They should make a movie out of his career,” Collins said. “We were in Sarasota two days before the season started and I called him into my office to tell him he was going north with us. He deserves so much credit for sticking with it all those years.”