Blood Sports: Like Father, Like Daughter

Lamoni, IA - If asked to list the greatest single plays in Super Bowl history, many football fans would at least mention the final snap of Super Bowl XXXIV.

With the St. Louis Rams up 23-16, Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair drove his offense to the Rams' 10 yard line with six seconds left on the clock.

With time for one last play, the plan was for Titans tight end Frank Wycheck to run straight up the seam on the right side of the field to lure coverage away from wideout Kevin Dyson.

Dyson, McNair's workhorse in the 1999-2000 season, was to run a slant over the middle, receive a quick pass from his quarterback and use the space created by Wycheck's route to find an open lane to the endzone.

Everything went according to plan for Tennessee, save one. The spoiler came in the form of Rams middle linebacker Mike Jones, who snatched up Dyson at the legs and put the receiver down after only one step.

The image of Dyson, arm and ball outstretched mere inches short of the goaline, remains an iconic image in Super Bowl lore.

"It was an amazing time," said Jones. "Everything happened all at once. We were playing the last play of the game, we win, then a temporary stage is put up and you are receiving the Lombardi Trophy. This all in the span of maybe ten minutes.

"It took about an hour before it really sank in," Jones admitted.

After the game, Jones was sitting alone in the Rams locker room when Peter King of Sports Illustrated walked up and told him that the play may go down as one of the greatest in Super Bowl history.

King was not wrong. In 2007, ESPN.com ranked it as the 35thgreatest moment of the past 25 years in all sports, and still rates it as the second greatest Super Bowl play ever.

Mike Jones retired from the National Football League after the 2002 season. During his 12 year career, he played for the Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, and Pittsburgh Steelers, recording 604 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 8 interceptions, and 4 defensive touchdowns.

For Jones, playing professional athletics was the fulfillment of his dearest childhood ambitions.

"I had dreamed of playing in the NFL, and I was living my dream," he said.

Upon retirement, Jones spent six years coaching football at Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis. In 2008, he became the Spartans' head coach, and led the team to the Missouri state championship that season.

Jones spent the 2010 season as the linebackers' coach at Southern University, a NCAA Division I school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There, his defense put up solid numbers, including 26 sacks, 8 interceptions, and 92 tackles for loss.

Today, Coach Jones is enjoying his second season as the head football coach at Lincoln University, an NCAA Division II school in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Although Jones is famous for his football career, his life outside of football was just as important, Jones believes.

"During the football season, you have to prioritize your time, but you family should always come first," he explained.

Several years ago, Jones made a promotional poster with his three-year-old daughter for the State of California to promote fathers becoming more involved in their children's lives. Jones' costar for that poster was Graceland University's own, Moriah Jones.

Moriah, a senior middle hitter on the Yellowjackets volleyball team, grew up in Raytown, MO, where she attended Raytown High School.

A basketball player since third grade, her dazzling volleyball career began 11 years ago, when a friend's mother, who coached a youth club, asked if Moriah wanted to join her team.

Moriah continued to play both sports all through high school, earning several volleyball awards, including Second Team All-Conference, First Team All-Conference, and All-State Honorable Mention.

Outside of school, there was club volleyball, too. Moriah played for the Invasion volleyball club team out of Kansas City her sophomore and junior years of high school. And it was in her club career, Moriah says, that she has her best memories of the game.

"It was so much fun and I loved being competitive and getting better every practice," she recalled.

Jones says he and Moriah share a competitive nature and a hatred of losing.

"We are both driven when someone tells us we can't do something, we want to prove them wrong," he explained.

While he admits it is always easy to talk sports with Moriah, Jones says it is not just her shared passion for competition that has made them close.

"I believe a father-daughter bond is, and should be, close." He also attributes some of their bond to their commitment to communicate with each other.

Moriah based her decision to attend Graceland on her desire to play volleyball for the Yellowjackets. Also important was the fact that several friends of hers would also be attending GU in the fall.

Graceland has not had cause to regret signing her, as Moriah has spent the past four years as part of both the varsity volleyball and basketball teams.

"Moriah is the prototype senior. A four year starter, she has always worked hard to accomplish whatever we have asked," says Stew McDole, GU's head varsity women's volleyball coach.

"Mo is one of our captains – a well-deserved role she has earned through hard work and consistent success."

The Yellowjacket's other captain and four year starter, setter Erin Polte, agrees with their coach's evaluation.

"Mo has been a great teammate and friend to me for all of our years at Graceland," she says.

On the court, Erin has complete trust and confidence in Moriah, knowing the middle will always be there for her to set. Off the court, the senior setter continues, "[Moriah] is my best friend and I couldn't ask for a better one."

Although Erin says there are too many great moments on the court together to pick just one, her favorite part about playing volleyball with her fellow senior is when they really find the rare hitter-setter link between themselves and make the perfect play.

Coach Stew McDole noted that although Moriah came to Graceland as an established outside hitter, she has willingly and successfully played outside, middle and right side for the Yellowjackets.

"Mo has always been willing to make the ‘team' choice for us," praised McDole.

Erin added, "Mo has definitely set a high standard for middles at our school and in our conference. She shows the younger middles on the team how to get it done."

Head varsity women's basketball coach, Rich Harrop feels similarly.

"Moriah is a gifted athlete," said Harrop, who praised her physical skills and athleticism, as well as her technical defense and rebounding skills.

"She takes her talent in those areas and adds hard work, which makes her an exciting player to watch," Harrop added.

McDole continued to commend Moriah's physicality and court intelligence.

"She can score with crushing intensity one minute and finesse the next. Moriah is, and has been, a cornerstone of our team," said the coach.

Although Moriah chose Graceland for athletics, she says her favorite thing about GU is the diversity of the students.

"I've met great people and made so many friends from all over the world. Going to a school like Mizzou or Northwest like a lot of my high school friends, I would have never met so many different people," she said.

Asked what it was like growing up with a professional football player for a father, Moriah was thoughtful.

"I'm sure people would think it's very different, but to me, I didn't know any better."

Growing up, Moriah lived with her mom, Misty, most of the year, but she would spend one month in the summer and every other major holiday with her dad, wherever he happened to play.

"He was and still is busy a lot but I was given many opportunities because of his job, so I'm not complaining," Moriah explained, "I'm grateful."

Those opportunities included going to the Super Bowl, as well as going to Hawaii after the Super Bowl.

After games, she would wait for her dad in the player family waiting area, where she was able to meet his teammates.

Moriah says that she has never felt any pressure to be successful in athletics because of her father, and that he has always been very supportive of her athletic career.

Jones does not shy away from praising his daughter's athletic abilities.

"As far as athleticism, Moriah is the best athlete in the family," he said.

It is difficult for Jones to make it to many of his daughter's volleyball games because he is also in season, but he will be at senior night to watch Moriah play her final home game as a Yellowjacket.

History professor Steve Glazer, has gotten to know Moriah better than any other professor at GU. Not only has he had her in many of his classes, but she is also an advisee and his student worker.

"[Moriah]," he says, "is totally reliable, responsible, thorough, and always prepared."

As someone who attends as many of Moriah's games as possible, Professor Glazer has the opportunity to see how "she shows those qualities in the classroom, as well as on the court."

Moriah is majoring in history and business, and plans to pursue a master's degree in business administration after graduating from GU. Eventually, she says, she would like to work for a marketing firm or become a football scout.

"I'd love to do something with football; it feels natural. It's in my blood," said Moriah.

Her father is quite sure that Moriah will make her way, professionally.

"If Moriah decides she wants to be a football scout, she will accomplish that," he says flatly.

According to Jones, "When you are able to work hard at your trade, play with passion, and have ability, you fill find a very unique person."

"That unique and special person is Moriah Jones."