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Sports

One-On-One with QO's Bani Gbadyu

Fomer Cougar reflects on his journey to the NFL.

Upon hearing the news that Quince Orchard grad and Penn State alum , Patch.com caught up with the former QO great to hear his thoughts and gauge his expectations for the future.

Gaithersburg Patch: What was the first thing that went through your mind when you got the call from the Oakland Raiders?

Bani Gbadyu: The first thing I was thinking was just how my dream came true. This is something I've dreamed about since I was little and to have the opportunity to play with and against people you grew up watching...I just felt overwhelmed and completely blessed. I feel like God has a plan for me.

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Patch: Walk us through, if you can, the process you went through to sign with Oakland.

Gbadyu:  It all happened so rapidly. They called me at 11 p.m. on Monday and told me they wanted me to be a Raider. I then called my agent. The next morning I called them and said 'I'd love to be a Raider.'

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So they put me on the first plane Tuesday morning, I showed up that afternoon and signed my contract that Tuesday night at 10 p.m. Pacific time.

Patch: What are the immediate next steps for you now?

Gbadyu: Training Camp is obviously the biggest step now. It's the only thing keeping me from everything I've ever wanted in life and I intend to take full advantage of everything and take advantage of every opportunity I get.

Patch: What are your expectations of the future?

Gbadyu: My ultimate goal is to have a long career in the NFL and change the lives of people close to me. It's my dream and I plan on doing everything I can to make that happen.

Patch: What has the reaction been from former teammates at QO and the Quince Orchard community?

Gbadyu: It's been awesome. I couldn't be more appreciative and feel more blessed to have so many people supporting me. So many people wrote on my [Facebook] wall called and the love and blessings I've received from the community is just overwhelming and has meant so much to me.

Patch: Is there anything else you want to share with us or with your fans and supporters?

Gbadyu: I just want to say thank you to everybody that has had something to do with my success. From my high school teammates that helped me get to this point to Dave Mencarini, my high school coach...to the Mancuso family, who always looked out for me and the Chimera family. And my brother and friends that supported me the whole way. I couldn't feel more blessed and thankful to have so many supporters who have helped me along the way.

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