The Jets' Curtis Martin, left, runs past the Giants' Antonio Pierce in the second quarter of their preseason game on Aug. 26, 2005. (David L. Pokress / KRT 2005)

Antonio Pierce was an honorable mention All-Pac-10 linebacker at UA in 2000 who went on to become a Pro Bowl linebacker for the New York Giants and is now an analyst for ESPN. He flies to Connecticut each Wednesday to film his ESPN work. The rest of the week he is the head coach at powerhouse Long Beach Poly High, which has had 55 players reach the NFL. Pierce, 35, is paid $6,000 to coach the Jackrabbits; he leaves the team to ex-NFL receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh on Wednesdays. So far it works; Poly is 7-1 and ranked No. 63 nationally by Maxpreps.com.


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