'Sunshine' in forecast: Sidaras back in game
Former Floyd star Joe Sidaras has decided to end his football career after playing one season at Hofstra. (File photo, 2006) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
It's as if there were a total eclipse of the playing career for the quarterback whose nickname was Joey Sunshine.
Three autumns had come and gone since heralded Floyd star Joe Sidaras, with his trademark long blond hair that gave him his moniker - from the quarterback character in the movie "Remember the Titans" - had earned a headline. Footballwise, he had disappeared from the horizon.
Then, on the night of Nov. 13, Sidaras - a junior varsity assistant for North Shore helping out the varsity before its Nassau Conference IV playoff game at Hofstra - looked into the excited eyes of the Vikings' players. It was like looking into his own soul . . . the soul of a football player.
"I saw it in their faces. They were ready to go," Sidaras said. "They had those pregame jitters. Then I got that feeling. There's no greater feeling, just being out there before a game, nervous but excited. I had to start playing again. It's the greatest game in the world and I realized I missed playing it so much."
This past week, Sidaras officially transferred from Hofstra to Wagner and accepted a full football scholarship to play tight end at the Staten Island school. He has two years of college eligibility and will petition the NCAA for a third year because of his injury-shortened sophomore season.
Sidaras was a junior at Hofstra at the time of last fall's epiphany, majoring in elementary education. After a distinguished career at Floyd, where he went 22-0 in 2006 and '07 as a two-time Newsday All-Long Island quarterback and led the Colonials to consecutive Long Island championships, Sidaras accepted a football scholarship to play for the Pride.
He was redshirted in 2008 and played only three games as a backup in 2009 before getting injured. He completed one pass for 8 yards and ran for 31 yards.
After the school dropped football in the spring of 2010, Sidaras elected to stay at Hofstra on scholarship and pursue his degree rather than join many of his Pride teammates who transferred to continue their football careers.
"I worked so hard for two years for nothing. I had a bad taste in my mouth," Sidaras said. "I wanted to take some time off and think about things."
Once he decided to try coaching, he met with Floyd coach Paul Longo, with whom he maintains a close relationship, and watched tape from the perspective of a coach. After Sidaras decided to return to the playing field, he again consulted with Longo, who noticed a difference in his former player's demeanor.
"I can see he's very much re-energized," Longo said. "He'll make a good tight end. He could have played any position on the field [at Floyd]; he's that good an athlete. He was big and he was a tough runner. He'd run people over. I'd tell him, 'Joey, you're my quarterback. You can't lower your shoulder and take on everybody.' "
Sidaras was 6-2, 200 when he passed for 2,796 yards and 40 touchdowns at Floyd. Now he's 6-4, 240 and has shaved his golden locks. He's a new man in every way.
"I'm definitely a tight end now," Sidaras said. "I don't care what position I play, offense or defense. I just want to be back on the field again. When I was a high school quarterback, I never slid and I didn't run out of bounds. Tight end fits me well. I'm a big guy and I'm physical.
"Tight end is much more demanding, physically but not mentally. I had to know what everyone on offense was doing when I played quarterback. Now I just worry about my assignment. It's pretty cool trying to adapt to something new."
His friends have offered encouragement but also have expressed concern because of his inactivity the last three years.
"People say I'll be rusty," Sidaras said. Then, with a practiced laugh, he added, "But I just say I'll be well-rested."
