An offensive lineman normally wouldn't want anyone turning his name into a mock street, such as "Yeah, D'Brickashaw Boulevard, that's the path to the quarterback."
But D'Brickashaw Ferguson is more brick wall than cobblestone pavement for Mark Sanchez and the Jets QBs now. And as the fourth-year tackle has grown in size and stature on the field, he's risen in prominence off the field.
For instance, he's now worthy of having a real street named after him. And that's happening today in his hometown of Freeport on Long Island.
"It's the street I grew up on, South Ocean Avenue, so it's very appropriate," Ferguson told newyorkjets.com. " 'D'Brickashaw Ferguson Avenue.' I thought that was pretty long. That's why I've got to wait and see how it looks on the sign. That's a lot of characters."
The honorary street dedication will take place this morning at 10 o'clock at the intersection of South Ocean and Sunrise Highway. That's when the streetsign with only a few more letters than the back of his jersey will be unveiled by Freeport mayor Andrew Hardwick, councilwoman Angie Cullin, town supervisor Kate Murray and school superintendent Dr. Kishore Kuncham.
Brick is lighthearted about this honor but he also takes the honor and his commitment to his town very seriously. He said he's often pondered the names upon the signs where he lives.
"You might say, 'Oh, this is Guy Lombardo, and he was a famous pioneer of Freeport.' Or you look at the different avenues and it sometimes makes you wonder that these must've been pretty incredible people and they have streets named after them," he said. "You also look at your political figures, like Martin Luther King — you see streets named after him in every state, probably one in every town. It just shows you how much of an effect he's had on his community and the surroundings."
Ferguson has never left Freeport, where he grew up and starred on the high school gridiron. He hasn't left it mentally, and even though he partially relocated to New Jersey when the Jets moved into their new facility a year ago, he hasn't left his hometown physically, either.
"I come from Freeport, and I give back to Freeport," he said. "I like to support Freeport. I go to functions for my football team, to support my community. I give money to the local churches so they can continue to produce people of good quality and good manner, a good caliber of individual inspiring people. And I try to come back to the schools in Freeport and talk to the students.
"People might say, 'He goes once a week and that's why he has a street named after him.' But it's more than that. I try to be an intricate part of my community, even when I've moved two hours away. That's one of the things I've been really proud of."
"I especially feel honored that they decided to recognize me in this manner," he said.
