Charles "Peanut" Tillman: Preaux Career

[Pirogue]

Charles Tillman was a ball catcher in high school?

Not nearly as hard to believe as the fact that he went play for Jerry Baldwin at Louisiana Tech...

[Just1More]

Not nearly as hard to believe as the fact that he went play for Jerry Baldwin at Louisiana Tech...

I was going to point that "typo" out too.... we only wished Baldwin would have gone to LaTech instead. I don't know how often a guy plays both DB and WR for a high school (other than small highschools), but it would be a heck of a great learning opportunity... worked for Peanut. I see that he only played CB when it was inside the red zone. Regardless, that had to be a serious demand on him (and the other guy).

[NewsCopy]

CHICAGO - Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, despite being occasionally vilified by some Bears fans as being a weak link to the defense, probably has been one of its steadiest performers this season. What gets his goat the most, though, is that people still aren't sure where his nickname - Peanut - came from. He likes the cartoon characters, but that's not it. He occasionally does get roasted by quarterbacks, but that's not it, either. Let him explain. Q1: Are you surprised you aren't more of a player in the peanut advertising market? A: No, because I don't really talk about it much. If it happens, it happens. Q2: How often do you find yourself actually eating peanuts? A: Not too often. I like peanuts, but I don't eat them much. If they're there, they're there. Q3: Did you know that the peanut came to the United States from Africa (thanks to the Portuguese, who brought it from Brazil)? A: I didn't know that; now if I need to bring that up, like at a party for a useless fact, I've got it. The rest of the story David Brown Special to the Advertiser

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Because of Super Bowl Media Day Tuesday, a lot more people now know what long-time UL fans have known for a while — that Charles Tillman is a quote machine. Tillman, always verbose and never stuck for an answer throughout his four-year Cajun football career, probably enjoyed what for most players is an agonizingly long interview session leading up to Sunday’s game. The Chicago Bears cornerback, in his fourth NFL season, had the most stability in his life in his four UL seasons and in his four years with the Bears. Before that, the child of a military family moved constantly and he attended 11 different schools prior to college. “If you move all the time and you’re real quiet, you probably won’t make friends easy,” Tillman told the media masses Tuesday. “You’ll sit at home and be a loner. By us moving so much and traveling all the time, I had to get out there and make friends. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

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MIAMI -- About the only direct Louisiana connection on the Chicago Bears' roster, cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman, somehow matriculated from Texas to Louisiana-Lafayette, where he was a four-year starter for the Ragin' Cajuns but could never figure out how to peel a crawfish. "I really didn't do the mudbugs," Tillman said. "I just did the boudin and the jambalaya. Those were the best things I learned to eat down there. I know there was a technique that involved peeling and pinching where it would all come out. "I've done it like two or three times but couldn't get it. I would just eat the corn and the potatoes." In fact, Tillman recounts that on his recruiting visit to UL-Lafayette, he went to a restaurant in Lafayette called "The Cajun Pier." "They had nothing but seafood," said Tillman, who was a four-year starter as a cornerback for the Cajuns and two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection after playing wide receiver at Copperas Cove (Texas) High School. "I don't eat seafood. I don't eat anything that comes out of the water. "I sat there and ate French fries and corn on my recruiting trip that first night. And the coaches realized, 'Oh, this is a good ol' Texas boy. He needs a big steak and potatoes.' So the next day, me and two of the coaches went to the Outback across the street, and I had steak and potatoes. Sacrilegious there, I know. But I just couldn't do the mudbugs. I just couldn't." The rest of the story By Jimmy Smith jsmith@timespicayune.com (504) 826-3814

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Things couldn't have been much worse for Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman last postseason. Less than a minute into the NFC Divisional Playoff Game, Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith burned Tillman for a 58-yard touchdown. The Panthers went on to win 29-21, and Tillman received much of the blame. A year later, Tillman is on the verge of starting in Super Bowl XLI. "I like the way he rebounded from last year," said Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. "I know that the NFC playoff loss was tough, and I know a lot of people wanted to point toward Charles. One thing I thought was impressive about Charles was he went work this offseason, along with (defensive backs coach) Steve Wilkes and (defensive quality control coach) Gil Byrd, and really concentrated on working his techniques and his individual style of play, and he really improved. The rest of the story By Larry Wade shreveportsports@gannett.com

[Pirogue]

[NewsCopy]

. . . Escalators move cornerback Charles Tillman's 2007 base salary from $845,000 to $3.1 million. Tillman, after the team's success and a strong year personally, is a candidate for an early extension to keep him out of free agency in 2008, although no deal has been put on the table yet. The rest of the story

[NewsCopy]

ELMHURST, IL - The signature play that put Chicago Bears cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman on the map came in 2005 when he ripped a pass out of Minnesota Viking wideout Randy Moss’ grasp for an interception to seal a Bears' victory. Tillman has since continued to cause havoc in the secondary, recording five interceptions during last year’s NFC championship and Super Bowl season. Roles were reversed Wednesday at Elmhurst College’s Langhorst Field as Tillman, along with numerous Bears’ teammates, became the gunslingers with “average Joes” trying to pick them apart. The fan-friendly event was Charles Tillman’s first annual Meijer Celebrity Gridiron Challenge — a 6-on-6 flag football tournament to benefit Tillman’s Cornerstone Foundation. There were 14 squads made up of six players with a Chicago Bear as the quarterback. Besides Tillman, the signal-callers featured the likes of John Tait, John Gilmore, Chris Harris, Rashied Davis, Israel Idonije, Jason McKie, Leon Joe and others. “Everyone has a celebrity golf tournament, things like that, so we tried to change it up and do a gridiron challenge flag football with ‘Average Joes,’ ” Tillman said. “So come out and watch and see what kind of arm John Gilmore doesn’t have and have some fun with it. I’m not here to school them. I’m here to get my Rex Grossman on, so I’m here to throw the ball — throw some touchdowns.” Firm Foundation Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman started his Cornerstone Foundation a year ago to provide financial assistance and educational funding for at-risk youth in the inner-city community. He also launched two programs — “Pick it Up” and “It’s Cool to be in School.” The rest of the story By Ryan Lowry Elmhurst Press

[Kernel]

Bears agree to 6-year contract extension with cornerback Tillman
By John Clayton
ESPN.com

The Bears cleared a major hurdle for the future of their defense Tuesday by agreeing with cornerback Charles Tillman on a six-year extension that will keep him in Chicago until 2013. The deal will pay about $38 million in new money with $18.5 million in guarantees.

Combined with the recent signing of cornerback Nathan Vasher for $28 million for five years, the Bears have resolved the two major questions in their secondary. Tillman and Vasher were scheduled to become free agents after the season. Keeping them was of one of the main priorities of general manager Jerry Angelo.

The team announced the signing Tuesday afternoon.

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Tillman, who matches up well with tall wide receivers, is close with quarterback Rex Grossman and one of the most popular players on the team. He made a name for himself as a rookie in 2003 when he covered Randy Moss of the Vikings well in two games.

The former third-round choice has played 53 games for the Bears and has 14 interceptions, 10 of which came over the past two seasons.

With Tillman and Vasher re-signed, the Bears can concentrate on wide receiver Bernard Berrian. After taking over the starting job last season, Berrian is set to become a free agent following the 2007-08 season.

Left unsigned for the Bears is franchise linebacker Lance Briggs. Because the team isn't offering him a multi-year deal, Briggs will likely hold out of training camp.

Senior writer John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

[gridiron]

Post of the day way to Geaux Peanut.

[TillmansNumber1]

Charles Tillman, a former Ragin Cajun representing Louisiana---Lafayette in the NFL, signed a huge contract with the Chicago Bears. The contract, according to ESPN.com, is worth nearly 38 million dollars with 18.5 million guaranteed. A former Ragin Cajun, who played in Super Bowl ¨Peyton Manning overcame the New England Patriots curse,¨just helped showcase the progress of the program and showed potential student athletes at Louisiana---Lafayette they, too, can succeed at the highest level.

Sadly, this information is not available on RaginCajuns.com, the primary online information source for Ragin Cajuns fans, Louisian---Lafayette students and faculty, and, most important, recruits who look to RaginCajuns.com for coverage of former athletes and current athletes.

What is a seventeen year old to think when he sees Charles Tillman´s contract gets no mention on RaginCajuns.com? What does he think when he sees Ron Guidry(no longer playing, but coaching) featured more than BJ Ryan and Ike Taylor (both currently playing and making an impact)? What does he think when RaginCajuns.com doesn´t feature a page focusing on recent former Cajun athletes´success in the pro leagues?

RaginCajuns.com must have information every recruit wants to know. Recruits need to know former athletes are having personal and financial success in the pro leagues (semi professional, too). When Jessie Evans´recruit Oriene Greene was signed by the Celtics in 2005, it took RaginCajuns.com nearly five days to write an article about Greene being drafted.

Recruits constantly look for information on former athletes. Even if Brian Mitchell or every other member from Jessie Evans´tenure are bouncing around Europe or México playing basketball, it´s important information.

Each week, OhioStateBuckeyes.com has a feature ¨Buckeyes in the Pros,¨which showcases the statistical accomplishments of former Buckeyes. Yes, Ohio State has been the best program for football players and will have more NFL players than the Cajuns, but they´re promoting their former athletes and fans, students and recruits can know the accomplishments of former athletes.

Here´s how the RaginCajuns.com can improve...

1. Cajuns in the Pros (get a sponsor, show videos online, write articles) for each sport. It needs to get more modern than Ron Guidry. 17 year olds don´t care about Yankee pitchers from the 70s.

2. Tickets must be available for purchase online.

3. There must be a Spanish version of RaginCajuns.com. There are far too many Latinos in Louisiana who are not being cultivated as a buying market. Remember, only Texas Austin has information in Spanish. The Cajuns need to be the second university in the country.

4. Video footage of every athletic event must be available. Record track and field events because it lets recruits of that sport know the university does care.

The website will never be perfect, but when a former Ragin Cajun signs a huge contract for a former Super Bowl contender and RaginCajuns.com completely drops the ball, it reflects poorly on the university, the athletic department, and runs counter to the goal of the football program: win games and create pro athletes.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2947774