Covenant News

Former "NFL Today" Host Now Helps Influence Student-Athletes

ROSEVILLE, MN (September 5, 2003) - Although the pro football season started this week, Irv Cross of Roseville Covenant Church in the Twin Cities no longer has any great urge to get back out on the football field where he once was a Pro Bowl player, saying, "I've kind of grown out of that."

But his desire to make an impact to those around him hasn't waned at all. In fact, as director of athletics at Macalester College in St. Paul, he believes the impact he is making on young men and women is incredibly significant. Cross played defensive back in the National Football League from 1961-69 with the Philadelphia Eagles and the then Los Angeles Rams, intercepting 21 passes (returning two for touchdowns) and recovering nine fumbles. He later became an award-winning television analyst for CBS, worked as a stockbroker and as vice president of a company, and assisted the Canadian Football League in expansion plans to United States markets.

Cross has been director of athletics at Macalester since the spring of 1999 after serving in a similar capacity at Idaho State University in Pocatello. He has also worked in local radio and television covering the Minnesota Vikings and is involved in his school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes program. Through it all, he trusts that God will give him opportunities to share his faith, better the lives of others and help him balance the demands of work and family.

"I'm not perfect by any means - there were ups and downs - but I was able to maintain my focus on my Christian faith," Cross said as he recalled his faith journey during his professional football days. "Other things didn't interfere with that. You work as hard as you can physically to get ready for competition, you play within the rules and the rest is in God's hands. I see it in moving in concert with your Christian walk.

He continued, "To me they (football and faith) complemented each other. You have guidelines. You have rules. But there was a greater power than what we produced on the field. There was an element where you were limited physically and needed to trust in something bigger than that. I've always felt that way because I've had a Christian family who had always done that."

Cross grew up in Hammond, Indiana, as one of 14 children. His mother died when he was in sixth grade and there was some question about whether the family would stay together. In fact, social service workers were considering sending some of the children to foster families until Cross's dad intervened.

Thankfully, said Cross, his sixth-grade teacher was Ruth Ewing, who encouraged him to think big and gave him a chance to hone his public speaking abilities. Those abilities have served him well; he was a NFL analyst and covered other sports from 1971 to 1994 for CBS Sports and was most recognized as co-host and commentator on the Emmy-Award winning "NFL Today" shows for 15 years. But he remembers his first broadcasting gig for his grade school class like it was yesterday.

"Ruth Ewing said to me, 'You could go to college,'" Cross stated. "I had never thought about it - no one in my family had ever gone to college and in our town most of the people worked in the mills after they graduated from high school. And then she simulated a radio station, GCR (Good Citizens Radio) and made me the managing editor. My job was to present a news report on the class's activities during the week. She (Ruth) was just an old fashioned teacher who cared and I never forgot it. She turned things right side up for me."

Ewing's encouragement spurred Cross on as he starred in both the classroom and the athletic realm at Hammond High School. In 1957, Cross was the Hammond Times Athlete of the Year, playing football, basketball, track, and baseball. He was an All-State performer in football and basketball and he was good enough in baseball that the Chicago White Sox offered him a contract. Cross accepted a scholarship to play football at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, instead. The school had an affiliation with the United Methodist Church and Irv's grandmother had dreams of him becoming a minister. Those religious values continued to be vital as Cross considered his future.

Following a standout college career, Cross was offered the opportunity to play professional football. He recalled that his faith was a key factor in that decision making process. In fact, his persistence to stay true to his beliefs helped the National Football League (NFL) start weekly chapel services in every NFL city.

"(At first) I wasn't going to play pro football," Cross said. "Not many people from Northwestern go on to be professional athletes and I was making plans to go to graduate school, but at the last minute I thought I'd give it a shot. The New York Titans (of the American Football League), the Toronto Argonauts (of the Canadian Football League) and the Philadelphia Eagles (of the NFL) drafted me. I thought about playing in the AFL because, back then, they played on Friday nights. But I wasn't going to play in the NFL because they played on Sunday and I told the Eagles, 'If there's some kind of chapel service (before the games), maybe I can think about it.' Maxie Baughan, a linebacker from Georgia Tech, and I volunteered to become chapel leaders on Sunday (for the Eagles). Ray Berry was doing it with the Colts and Bill Glass did it for Cleveland. And then we went from city to city and started organizing chapel services."

During his 125-game professional football career, Cross was a "no nonsense" defensive back known for his crisp tackling and intelligence on the playing field. He also returned punts and kickoffs, averaging nearly 28 yards per return in the latter category. His style of play carried over to his announcing as he served CBS Sports for more than two decades.

"At CBS, our attitude was to try to explain the game the best way as possible so people could understand it," Cross explained. "When I watched the (pre-game and post-game) broadcasts today, there aren't many differences in the technique. The difference is in the personalities - a lot want of them want to be funny. But if you want to stay in the business for a long time, you have to report the sport and appreciate what the sport is."

Cross also tried to give back to the game. He has been heavily involved in the NCAA Foundation (started in 1988), which provides more than 25 support services to athletes via drug awareness seminars, life skills courses, and aid athletes through a degree completion programs, among other things. He was also on the board for the American Running and Fitness Association, based in Washington D.C. and met his wife Liz (the executive director of the organization) in the process. They have been married for 18 years and have two children, Matthew and Sarah (Cross has two grown children from a previous marriage).

"I've been around athletic administration for a long time," said Cross of his current work at Macalester. "We didn't make the kind of money in pro football that you make today, so we used the pro experience to leverage your life, long term. I've worked on Wall Street, the President's Council and other avenues, but what I like doing most is being able to have a positive aspect on people's lives. Being an athletic director allows me to do that and that's what I look for."

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