UNCLE TRIBUTE

His grandfather Charlie Margiotta tells us, "It was a calling, like something hit him." That's the only way he can explain it. But Michael Margiotta, he of Monsignor Farrell HS (two-time Advance All Star, CHSFL All-Star, Andy Barberi Memorial Scholarship Award winner, etc., etc., etc.) and Muhlenberg College (he played offensive guard last year as a freshman and undoubtedly would have started for his final three years there) football fame, has decided to give up his grid career at the Pennsylvania school and follow in his uncle Chuck Margiotta's footsteps as a student at Brown University.

"Yes," grandfather Charlie says, "My son Michael (Sr.), my grandson Michael (Jr.) and I went up to Brown for a tree-planting (in honor of Chuck and three of his Delta Tau fraternity brothers who also died on 9/11) and he (Junior, obviously) was so taken by the area, the school, the atmosphere, the festivities that he said to us in the car driving home, 'Why am I not going to Brown?' Of course, we thought he was kidding, but he wasn't. He was dead serious. He felt that in the long run the degree from an Ivy League school would be more important than football.

"With his grades, (Brown) accepted him without a problem. And so ends his career as a football player and his dad and granddad going to all his games," he adds with a kind of sad little chuckle. But, as fanatical as Charlie and his family are about football, they're all "thrilled" that Michael Jr. will keep the Margiotta tradition alive at Brown.
"I know that my son Chuck is up there smiling right now," the proud grandfather tells us.
Besides, as Charlie says, "Michael will stay in shape and, who knows, maybe one of the coaches will sidle up to him one day and ..."

Julie Summers