(17th in a Series)
Where Are They Now? Gopher Shady Salamon, RB/S/ST (2008-2011)
Shady Salamon, of South St. Paul and Cretin Derham Hall High School, was the first commit of Tim Brewster’s 2008 recruiting class. At 5’10”, 185 pounds, Salamon was a 2-way starter at CDH, at running back and defensive back. As a senior in 2007 he averaged 8.8 yards per carry, totaling 774 yards on 88 carries, scored 19 total touchdowns (15 rushing and 4 receiving); he also had 33 receptions for 522 yards. He helped lead CDH to a 13-1 record his senior year and a berth in the 4A state championship game. He was 3-star ranked on both Rivals and Scout and was rated the No. 6 player in Minnesota and the 83rd overall running back in the country.
Salamon was a 4-year letter winner with the Gophers, playing in 46 games over his career. He started out as a running back and appeared in 12 of 13 games with two starts his freshman season. He ranked third on the team in rushing (behind De’Leon Eskridge and Adam Weber) with 181 yards on 49 carries and 3 touchdowns and also had 9 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown. In 2009 he was one of the best performers on Gopher special teams, with 6 tackles. In 2009 he made the B1G All-Academic team.
Shady made the full switch from running back to safety after his sophomore season (2009). He played safety and was a regular on special teams his junior and senior seasons, notching 11 tackles in 2011. He made his second B1G All-Academic team in 2010. He started at safety in the season opener against USC in 2011. He then suffered a herniated disc, an injury from which he never fully recovered.
Shady is currently a Specialty Sales Representative (Foot and Ankle) with the Stryker Corporation, a medical device company, and lives in the Chicago area.
Interview Questions:
1.How is your physical health, 7 years removed from your Gopher football career? Do you have lingering effects from concussions or other football injuries?
I still have lingering pain in my lower back sometimes since the herniated disc I had senior year of college. I also tend to not run full speed in any extra curricular activities because of my hamstrings, which were also torn heading into my sophomore year.
2. Were you a Gopher football fan growing up? What are your first Gopher football memories? Favorite Gopher players?
I grew up watching Marion Barber and Lawrence Maroney so that made me a fan since they played the same position.
3. Describe your college recruitment process, who recruited you, and how you made the decision to play for the Gophers.
Tim Brewster and his Gopher staff recruited me. I was coach Brew's first commit during my Junior year of HS. It felt like the right fit with me being from MN, and the former Gopher RBs that came before me had a great track record on making it to the NFL.
4. Did you have any football idols growing up, or players after which you tried to pattern your game?
I studied a lot of RBs, but Adrian Peterson was someone that I would watch film on all the time. Eddie George was also one of my favorite players growing up.
5. You played three years under head coach Tim Brewster, and one under Jerry Kill. Can you share any favorite Coach Brewster stories? Coach Kill?
I have many stories with Coach Brew, but the most memorable is when he came to my house and offered me a scholarship. I admired Coach Kills story in regards to what he has been through and the adversity that he faced/continues to face in such a fearless manner.
6. You started out your career at Minnesota as a running back and then switched to defensive back for your last two seasons. Describe what factors led to the position change and how difficult it was to make the transistion?
There was a lot that went into it that I choose not to speak about. A lot of my mentors wanted me to transfer, but I made a decision when I committed to MN so I was going to stick it out either way. I played defense in high school so decided to make the switch to safety.
7. What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Minnesota (on and/or off the field)?
Just the comradery with all of my teammates.
8. What Gopher loss from your playing days stung/stings the worst?
Losing to Wisconsin and not getting the axe. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about that.
9. What Gopher win did you savor the most?
Beating Iowa at home and carrying Floyd back to our locker room where he belongs.
10. Some Gopher fans have the impression that for an extended period of years football players at Cretin Derham Hall, your alma mater, often spurned the Gophers to play for other P5 schools, and that the CDH coaching staff may have directed players away from Minnesota. Is there any truth to these impressions?
We had a lot of great players come out of CDH and everyone makes their own decision as to where they feel is going to be the best situation for their future.
11. What important life lessons did you learn from your football experiences?
Going to the NFL was always my first dream, but after a few injuries I really understood that you needed a plan B/C/D after football. Obviously every college player wants to make it to the Pros, but if you don’t have plans to make things happen outside of that it can be rough. I was fortunate to learn that through some hard times, but it has made me an even more successful person today.
12. How actively do you follow Gopher football? Do you attend any games? Are you a member of the MN Rivals site? How do you receive most of your Gopher sports news and information? Do you keep in touch with any former GG teammates?
I talk with a core group of my 12’ classmates everyday. I try to make it back for at least one game a year.
13. Did you get your degree from the U of M? What was your field of study?
Yes, a Business Marketing major and Business Management minor from Carlson
14. Your linkedin page indicates you work in the Chicago area as a Specialty Sales Representative for Stryker Corporation, a medical devices and equipment manufacturing company. Describe your career path that resulted in this position and what you like best about your job.
I was always interested in the medical field, but it was tough being a college student/athlete along with pre-med so I decided to go the business route after my sophomore year. Now I have the best of both worlds working for one of the top Medical Device companies, while also being in the operating room with surgeons on a daily basis. The best part about my career is seeing patients get better first hand because of a service I was able to provide.
15. Do you have any family/relationship news you want to share?
Not really
16. Has the current Gopher coaching staff made any contact with you?
Everything is typically communicated through the Alumni association for the most part.
17. Do you have any Gopher tattoos? (Pics if possible)
Negative
18. Are you active on social media? Which platforms?
Not much, but I do have facebook and Instragram
19. Who was/is your funniest teammate on the Gophers?
Gary Tinsley who was also my roommate and unfortunately passed away. He could brighten up any room that he walked in and I try to live my life with the same passion/positive mindset that he lived with every single day. He will never be forgotten.
20. Are you currently involved in any sports/fitness/physical and/or coaching activities?
I have played on a flag football team here in Chicago for the past 5 years that I have lived here.
21. Concussions and CTE are on the minds of many sports fans and participants. If you had/have kids just starting out in sports, would you encourage or allow them to play tackle football?
I will encourage them to do whatever they want. Football has taught me so much about life and I don’t think it would be fair for me to say they cannot do something.
22. Tell us about something exciting, unusual, and/or inspiring that you’ve done since your Gopher days? (e.g.- travel, volunteering, amateur bull riding, etc.).
I have helped out with a few inner city football camps while living in Chicago. I think it is important for the youth to see different stories of success.
23. What are you most passionate about?
Working as hard as I can now, so that I am really able to provide for those who come after me.
24. What might Gopher fans be surprised to learn about you?
Hard to say
25. Do you have any message for Gopher fans, Coach Fleck, or the current team?
Let's make it happen!! SKI-U-MAH!!
Where Are They Now? Gopher Shady Salamon, RB/S/ST (2008-2011)
Shady Salamon, of South St. Paul and Cretin Derham Hall High School, was the first commit of Tim Brewster’s 2008 recruiting class. At 5’10”, 185 pounds, Salamon was a 2-way starter at CDH, at running back and defensive back. As a senior in 2007 he averaged 8.8 yards per carry, totaling 774 yards on 88 carries, scored 19 total touchdowns (15 rushing and 4 receiving); he also had 33 receptions for 522 yards. He helped lead CDH to a 13-1 record his senior year and a berth in the 4A state championship game. He was 3-star ranked on both Rivals and Scout and was rated the No. 6 player in Minnesota and the 83rd overall running back in the country.
Salamon was a 4-year letter winner with the Gophers, playing in 46 games over his career. He started out as a running back and appeared in 12 of 13 games with two starts his freshman season. He ranked third on the team in rushing (behind De’Leon Eskridge and Adam Weber) with 181 yards on 49 carries and 3 touchdowns and also had 9 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown. In 2009 he was one of the best performers on Gopher special teams, with 6 tackles. In 2009 he made the B1G All-Academic team.
Shady made the full switch from running back to safety after his sophomore season (2009). He played safety and was a regular on special teams his junior and senior seasons, notching 11 tackles in 2011. He made his second B1G All-Academic team in 2010. He started at safety in the season opener against USC in 2011. He then suffered a herniated disc, an injury from which he never fully recovered.
Shady is currently a Specialty Sales Representative (Foot and Ankle) with the Stryker Corporation, a medical device company, and lives in the Chicago area.
Interview Questions:
1.How is your physical health, 7 years removed from your Gopher football career? Do you have lingering effects from concussions or other football injuries?
I still have lingering pain in my lower back sometimes since the herniated disc I had senior year of college. I also tend to not run full speed in any extra curricular activities because of my hamstrings, which were also torn heading into my sophomore year.
2. Were you a Gopher football fan growing up? What are your first Gopher football memories? Favorite Gopher players?
I grew up watching Marion Barber and Lawrence Maroney so that made me a fan since they played the same position.
3. Describe your college recruitment process, who recruited you, and how you made the decision to play for the Gophers.
Tim Brewster and his Gopher staff recruited me. I was coach Brew's first commit during my Junior year of HS. It felt like the right fit with me being from MN, and the former Gopher RBs that came before me had a great track record on making it to the NFL.
4. Did you have any football idols growing up, or players after which you tried to pattern your game?
I studied a lot of RBs, but Adrian Peterson was someone that I would watch film on all the time. Eddie George was also one of my favorite players growing up.
5. You played three years under head coach Tim Brewster, and one under Jerry Kill. Can you share any favorite Coach Brewster stories? Coach Kill?
I have many stories with Coach Brew, but the most memorable is when he came to my house and offered me a scholarship. I admired Coach Kills story in regards to what he has been through and the adversity that he faced/continues to face in such a fearless manner.
6. You started out your career at Minnesota as a running back and then switched to defensive back for your last two seasons. Describe what factors led to the position change and how difficult it was to make the transistion?
There was a lot that went into it that I choose not to speak about. A lot of my mentors wanted me to transfer, but I made a decision when I committed to MN so I was going to stick it out either way. I played defense in high school so decided to make the switch to safety.
7. What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Minnesota (on and/or off the field)?
Just the comradery with all of my teammates.
8. What Gopher loss from your playing days stung/stings the worst?
Losing to Wisconsin and not getting the axe. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about that.
9. What Gopher win did you savor the most?
Beating Iowa at home and carrying Floyd back to our locker room where he belongs.
10. Some Gopher fans have the impression that for an extended period of years football players at Cretin Derham Hall, your alma mater, often spurned the Gophers to play for other P5 schools, and that the CDH coaching staff may have directed players away from Minnesota. Is there any truth to these impressions?
We had a lot of great players come out of CDH and everyone makes their own decision as to where they feel is going to be the best situation for their future.
11. What important life lessons did you learn from your football experiences?
Going to the NFL was always my first dream, but after a few injuries I really understood that you needed a plan B/C/D after football. Obviously every college player wants to make it to the Pros, but if you don’t have plans to make things happen outside of that it can be rough. I was fortunate to learn that through some hard times, but it has made me an even more successful person today.
12. How actively do you follow Gopher football? Do you attend any games? Are you a member of the MN Rivals site? How do you receive most of your Gopher sports news and information? Do you keep in touch with any former GG teammates?
I talk with a core group of my 12’ classmates everyday. I try to make it back for at least one game a year.
13. Did you get your degree from the U of M? What was your field of study?
Yes, a Business Marketing major and Business Management minor from Carlson
14. Your linkedin page indicates you work in the Chicago area as a Specialty Sales Representative for Stryker Corporation, a medical devices and equipment manufacturing company. Describe your career path that resulted in this position and what you like best about your job.
I was always interested in the medical field, but it was tough being a college student/athlete along with pre-med so I decided to go the business route after my sophomore year. Now I have the best of both worlds working for one of the top Medical Device companies, while also being in the operating room with surgeons on a daily basis. The best part about my career is seeing patients get better first hand because of a service I was able to provide.
15. Do you have any family/relationship news you want to share?
Not really
16. Has the current Gopher coaching staff made any contact with you?
Everything is typically communicated through the Alumni association for the most part.
17. Do you have any Gopher tattoos? (Pics if possible)
Negative
18. Are you active on social media? Which platforms?
Not much, but I do have facebook and Instragram
19. Who was/is your funniest teammate on the Gophers?
Gary Tinsley who was also my roommate and unfortunately passed away. He could brighten up any room that he walked in and I try to live my life with the same passion/positive mindset that he lived with every single day. He will never be forgotten.
20. Are you currently involved in any sports/fitness/physical and/or coaching activities?
I have played on a flag football team here in Chicago for the past 5 years that I have lived here.
21. Concussions and CTE are on the minds of many sports fans and participants. If you had/have kids just starting out in sports, would you encourage or allow them to play tackle football?
I will encourage them to do whatever they want. Football has taught me so much about life and I don’t think it would be fair for me to say they cannot do something.
22. Tell us about something exciting, unusual, and/or inspiring that you’ve done since your Gopher days? (e.g.- travel, volunteering, amateur bull riding, etc.).
I have helped out with a few inner city football camps while living in Chicago. I think it is important for the youth to see different stories of success.
23. What are you most passionate about?
Working as hard as I can now, so that I am really able to provide for those who come after me.
24. What might Gopher fans be surprised to learn about you?
Hard to say
25. Do you have any message for Gopher fans, Coach Fleck, or the current team?
Let's make it happen!! SKI-U-MAH!!
