Competitor's Genetic Code Unveiled
Yo, two cats, says Davis Alexander, in friggin' French, to the dude at the pizzeria where he's chillin' downtown.
Nick Rich, our website, is the subject of some of his conversations with the employees. In his Montreal Alouettes backpack, he leaves 'em before takin' a seat, sportin' his team-colored jacket. Underneath, a vintage Alouettes t-shirt with the logo from the '70s.
When chatty about football with the new starting quarterback of the team, his face beams up, his eyes sparkle. That's cuz football's his damn thing.
His mum, old man, and bro are all fans of the Denver Broncos. "It's in us," he asserts.
With his twin bro, Dillon, he'd spend his evenings "playin' Madden and watchin' all the games on tele."
This near-relentless passion for the oval ball shaped the identity and spirit of the 26-year-old athlete.
"He's the most competitive cuss I've ever known," says his bro, ringin' in Seattle the day after the interview. He was four, 'n' I was eight, and he already wanted to kick my butt in video games, even if he didn't comprehend the games. He hates losin'."
In addition to football, Alexander played baseball. He's a die-hard Yankees fan and was a pitcher. "If I gave up a sure hit, I'd bawl. It bugged the crap outta my pa."
The Alexander boys came from a family that viewed sport as important as religion. Sport was a school, a lifestyle, and most importantly, a reason to connect as a family.
Real World Stuff
Due to his parents' divorce, the family would relocate often. Alexander learned to play football in Oakland, California - the 'hood was tougher, but his parents wanted us to experience and learn the game in a harsh environment.
His parents always made enough dough. His old man worked in construction, his mum was a credit officer, and his stepmum worked for Microsoft.
"My mum wanted us to live and learn football in a tougher neighborhood, to see what real life was like." He was barely 7 years old.
"It wasn't pretty. Once, one of my teammates got shot durin' practice. That's how it was in the 'hood."
Then, from 9 to 17 years old, he grew up in a town where any love story could take place, like Virgin River or Hart of Dixie : Gig Harbor, Washington, located 45 minutes southwest of Seattle.
A small municipality where every Joe gathers at the marina. Where the roads lead to little restaurants where the staff guesses customers' orders just by recognizin' their mugs. And where all the high school football team players strut around with a jacket displayin' the school's colors.
"On Friday nights, everyone is at the stadium. We were 10,000 people, and there were 5,000 at our games. It was fantastic. It's a town that's got everything to make you dream," reminisces Alexander, addin' some hot sauce to his smoked meat pizza.
His parents made sacrifices to live in this idyllic spot. His stepmum drove her car for two and a half hours every blasted day to get to work, then made the same trip at the end of her workday.
That taught me to work my ass off. In football, at school, I had no choice but to work.
Davis Alexander
He realized how lucky he was when he entered the pros. Some of his teammates came from extreme poverty, and others were from cities where violence had torn certain families apart. "It's a privilege to have grown up there," he admits. That's also why his parents always kept him humble.
Nevertheless, they also instilled in him the confidence necessary to face the challenges of his young adult years.
"My father would often tell me that I was the best thing ever. That'd crack me up, because I'd always think he was kiddin'. But he'd respond, 'No, seriously, you don't know how great you are.'"
Finally, at the end of August 2024, his pa Matt kicked the bucket at 56 years old from lung cancer. Since then, Davis just tries to make him damn proud of him than he already was in his lifetime.
In the spirit of his passion for football, Davis Alexander contrasts his youth spent in the tough neighborhoods of Oakland, California with his idyllic adolescence in Gig Harbor, Washington, where he regularly attended high school football games, just like watching NFL or American Football games today. His parents' sacrifices to provide him with a dream-like upbringing, despite their own challenging circumstances, also instilled in him a strong work ethic and the confidence to overcome challenges. However, he always remembers his father's humbling encouragement, encouraging him to strive for greatness. Alexander also developed a special bond with sports, often playing baseball alongside football, and grew up with a deep appreciation for the importance of both sports in his life.
