If Browns quarterback Colt McCoy and Bengals wide receiver Jordan Shipley were big talkers, they undoubtedly could spin a yarn or two about their experiences at the University of Texas and the summers between school years.
In the week preceding Sunday’s 1 p.m. NFL regular-season opener at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Shipley simply said they liked to fish (mostly bass) and hunt (mostly deer) in their down time.
McCoy expounded on the latter activity, describing a particular technique called spotlight hunting. They flashed lights on pastures at night in search of varmints, and then shot at reflecting eyes of lurking animals.
“They were wild pigs mostly,” McCoy said. “Basically they’re pests on all these farms and they tear up crops, so you’re (helping) landowners. It’s just something you do in the country when you get a little free time.”
The best anecdote about the longtime friends actually came from Jordan’s father, Bob Shipley. He said “the one thing they probably won’t tell you” is that they liked to engage in pasture parasailing in Burnet, Texas.
Pasture what?
“I can’t believe Coach Shipley told you about that,” McCoy said, when asked to confirm his participation.
Bob Shipley said Jordan had a buddy who had a ranch, and there they would hook a parasail to a couple hundred feet of rope. They’d tie the rope to an old Jeep. Then they’d go into an open pasture, where one would drive the car and the other, harnessed to the parachute and lifted by the rope, would soar through the sky.
Mr. Shipley did it when he was a kid and said Jordan and his friend tried it after overhearing old stories. The activity expanded to include pals like McCoy.
“It’s something Jordan did on a regular basis growing up. And when Colt came down to Burnet…he went a couple hundred feet in the air. It’s not really advisable, but when you’re a country boy, you think up things to do,” Mr. Shipley said.
The players’ paths have diverged since those days. Their friendship hasn’t.
They were almost destined to be the best of chums, as their fathers were football teammates and roommates at Abilene Christian and later groomsmen in each other’s weddings. Young Jordan and Colt occasionally played pick-up football in the grass outside Wildcats games, years before they were teammates and roommates at Texas and groomsmen in each other’s weddings.
The sons of coaches grew up in Christian families and shared similar values, but because they lived in different parts of Texas for a long time, they didn’t see each other all that much growing up. They solidified their friendship when McCoy landed at Texas, where Shipley had been for a season.
Their personalities meshed well, Shipley said.
“Neither one of us are real loud type people. We’re pretty easygoing for the most part,” Shipley said. “We have a good time when we’re together, just hanging out.”
Shipley showed his prowess as a prankster when he and country singer Aaron Watson teamed up to perform a song at McCoy’s wedding in July of 2010. The song featured the refrain “When I grow up, I want to be just like Colt McCoy” and delighted McCoy and his bride, Rachel Glandorf.
“He’s not very good at keeping secrets, so he caught me completely off guard,” McCoy said. “That was pretty good. I’m still figuring out a way to get him back.”
But the players will be all-business in Cleveland, where they’ll compete for the second time as pros.
McCoy returns to engineer a Browns offense that ranked 29th in 2010 for yards per game with 289.7, while Shipley will be among quarterback Andy Dalton’s targets.
Last season Shipley led AFC rookies in receiving yards (600) and tied Jermaine Gresham for the conference rookie lead in catches (52).
McCoy and Shipley think their history would be more meaningful to the rivalry if they were on the field at the same time, which they won’t be. Really, they just wish each other well.
“I’m thankful for the friendship,” McCoy said. “I consider him like a brother, and that’s kind of the way we treat each other.”
