2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Hickman optimistic despite charges
Redshirt freshman fullback expressing interest in Appalachian State after being released from team
Preston Boyles
Issue date: 1/17/08 Section: Sports
Hargrave Military Academy has a reputation for disciplining and producing better athletes. Redshirt freshman Cedric Hickman said Hargrave made him a stronger person.
Now, a little more than a month after he was arrested for five counts of breaking or entering a motor vehicle, Hickman is ready to take the strength he said he gained at Hargrave and open up a new chapter of his life.
Following the incident, Hickman said he kept in close contact with football coach Tom O'Brien, who said he wanted to wait until after Hickman's Jan. 2 court date to make a decision regarding his status with the football team. According to Hickman, O'Brien released him last Friday.
"He released me from the team because he said he didn't want any thieves on the team," Hickman said. "I just sat there in shock because you can't really call anyone a thief unless you were there and knew what happened.
"I respect his decision, but I don't respect the things he said to me."
Hickman's high school teammate Tony Gorham, now a sophomore at Winston-Salem State University, said he thought something was missing from the story when he heard about the incident because it didn't sound like Hickman.
"In Winston, everyone knows that Ced is a good and classy person," Gorham said. "Everything happens for a reason; maybe [State] just isn't the right place for him."
Hickman said after talking to O'Brien, he withdrew from classes and is looking to transfer. Due to his eagerness to get back on the field, he is considering Division I-AA schools such as Appalachian State.
"If I go to an ACC school, I will lose eligibility," Hickman said. "I'm ready to play. App has a good program, and they are a three-peat national championship team. I'm hoping to talk to their coaches this week."
Hickman said he is ready to put the past behind him and accepts the challenges that lie ahead.
"People make mistakes, and they learn from their mistakes," he said. "I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
"People should not be judged by their mistakes, but the lessons they learn from them. You have to be careful about the company you keep."
Hickman understands his life is going to be different, but said he can adjust to a new system and atmosphere wherever it may be.
"It's going to be hard to leave my teammates because they are like my brothers," Hickman said. "But I'm ready. Tough times don't last long; tough people do."
Cameron Ketner, sophomore in engineering and former high school teammate at North Forsyth, said Hickman suffered a knee injury junior year of high school and was still able to make it to State. Ketner also said that he believes Hickman can get past his situation since he got over his struggle with his injury.
"It might be a harder road now for him to achieve his goals," Ketner said. "But nothing is going to stop him.
"If anyone can bounce back from this, it's going to be Ced."
What he's doing now
The judge in the Jan. 2 court case assigned Hickman with 225 hours of community service to be completed by Dec. 31, 2008. With the case continued until July, Hickman said his personal goal is to complete his service hours by July. He is working with ground maintenance on campus and said he has completed approximately 20 hours.
-Preston Boyles
Cedric Hickman by the numbers
1 start
1 touchdown reception
4 receptions
10 games played
20 yards receiving
21 years old
Source: N.C. State Athletics
Now, a little more than a month after he was arrested for five counts of breaking or entering a motor vehicle, Hickman is ready to take the strength he said he gained at Hargrave and open up a new chapter of his life.
Following the incident, Hickman said he kept in close contact with football coach Tom O'Brien, who said he wanted to wait until after Hickman's Jan. 2 court date to make a decision regarding his status with the football team. According to Hickman, O'Brien released him last Friday.
"He released me from the team because he said he didn't want any thieves on the team," Hickman said. "I just sat there in shock because you can't really call anyone a thief unless you were there and knew what happened.
"I respect his decision, but I don't respect the things he said to me."
Hickman's high school teammate Tony Gorham, now a sophomore at Winston-Salem State University, said he thought something was missing from the story when he heard about the incident because it didn't sound like Hickman.
"In Winston, everyone knows that Ced is a good and classy person," Gorham said. "Everything happens for a reason; maybe [State] just isn't the right place for him."
Hickman said after talking to O'Brien, he withdrew from classes and is looking to transfer. Due to his eagerness to get back on the field, he is considering Division I-AA schools such as Appalachian State.
"If I go to an ACC school, I will lose eligibility," Hickman said. "I'm ready to play. App has a good program, and they are a three-peat national championship team. I'm hoping to talk to their coaches this week."
Hickman said he is ready to put the past behind him and accepts the challenges that lie ahead.
"People make mistakes, and they learn from their mistakes," he said. "I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
"People should not be judged by their mistakes, but the lessons they learn from them. You have to be careful about the company you keep."
Hickman understands his life is going to be different, but said he can adjust to a new system and atmosphere wherever it may be.
"It's going to be hard to leave my teammates because they are like my brothers," Hickman said. "But I'm ready. Tough times don't last long; tough people do."
Cameron Ketner, sophomore in engineering and former high school teammate at North Forsyth, said Hickman suffered a knee injury junior year of high school and was still able to make it to State. Ketner also said that he believes Hickman can get past his situation since he got over his struggle with his injury.
"It might be a harder road now for him to achieve his goals," Ketner said. "But nothing is going to stop him.
"If anyone can bounce back from this, it's going to be Ced."
What he's doing now
The judge in the Jan. 2 court case assigned Hickman with 225 hours of community service to be completed by Dec. 31, 2008. With the case continued until July, Hickman said his personal goal is to complete his service hours by July. He is working with ground maintenance on campus and said he has completed approximately 20 hours.
-Preston Boyles
Cedric Hickman by the numbers
1 start
1 touchdown reception
4 receptions
10 games played
20 yards receiving
21 years old
Source: N.C. State Athletics
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 8
Cry me a river
posted 1/18/08 @ 12:41 AM EST
It is terrible that this poor guy got caught stealing crap out of people's cars and was tried, convicted, and sentenced.
If you don't want the Admiral to call you a thief, don't steal things from people. (Continued…)
Cry me a river (2)
posted 1/18/08 @ 8:51 AM EST
I can see it now. An ESPN special about 2 years from now where they'll interview him and he'll talk about how he went through a rough time in his life. (Continued…)
Ced Hickman (just kidding)
posted 1/20/08 @ 11:42 PM EST
poorly written. should be a hard news story, but it starts out like a feature. it also doesn't show 2 sides.
"Bounce back" -- yeah, i bet the people who had their stuff stolen won't have to "bounce back" from having things stolen. (Continued…)
Heather
posted 1/21/08 @ 4:55 PM EST
What a douche. Congrats Hickman, you're on your way to being like every other OVERPAID criminal in professional sports...except you should really wait until you're in pro sports to become a criminal, this way you can afford to pay everyone off to get you out of trouble. (Continued…)
anonymous
posted 1/22/08 @ 12:42 AM EST
I'd like to have my stuff back now that they have caught the radio thief
ASU Fan
posted 1/22/08 @ 8:20 PM EST
If Hickman was convicted, and I respect O'Briens decision, if he was quilty (sounds like he was). Please go somewhere else, ASU don't need thugs to play for a 3 time national champ. (Continued…)
G.W. Bush
posted 3/27/08 @ 7:25 PM EST
Thank you all for not noticing(the wh$t# b@y) our own, was not mentioned in this debacle. Do we really believe this thug was stealing country music CD's from our neighborhoods? The only reason he was allowed in the neighborhood was because he was riding with Bryson(not his real name sounds close enough)the real radio smuggler, who got off with a tap on the hand. (Continued…)
Chris Sutton's aunt
posted 4/06/08 @ 12:13 AM EST
I am Chris's aunt. All during his high school years,
he made awful grades, & was allowed to stay on the wrestling team. He, along with his family, gloated
& bragged about him receiving a wrestling scholarship. (Continued…)
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