The spirit of USA Football's Commemorative Ball lives inside Steve Mariucci. He knows it, feels it, speaks it and breathes it.
It pumps through his body at warp speed.
Spend two minutes talking football with this Iron Mountain, Mich., native (100 miles north of Green Bay, Wis.) and the life-long coach and NFL Network analyst is transformed into a 10-year-old on Christmas Eve.
"It's the ultimate team sport," he says with eyes growing wide. "It includes the most players, it involves a wide range of skill sets.
"Little guys can play it, big guys can play it, fast guys, slow guys, from everywhere in the country. That's not the case in tennis, lacrosse, wrestling, or some other sports. One position is dependent on the other and whether you play tackle football, flag football - whatever it may be - it's so beneficial for kids, whether they eventually play it in high school or college or not."
Mariucci, an NFL head coach for nine years, was quick to cradle the Commemorative Ball in New York City during NFL Draft Weekend. He spent six seasons as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and three more with the Detroit Lions, leading his teams to the playoffs four times, including an NFC Championship Game berth in 1997.
He earned an education degree from Northern Michigan University to become a school teacher, but first decided to try coaching his alma mater's quarterbacks and running backs in 1978 and a string of success ensued. Mariucci went on to hold college assistant positions at Cal State Fullerton (1980-82) and Louisville (1983-84). He eventually was hired as the head coach at Cal in 1996.
"Football is a sport you can play in the backyard," he said. "You don't need a municipal stadium to play it. You can play it in the street, which we all have.
"You remember - ‘Take a left at the car and the ball will be there' - that's why it's such a great sport because kids at every age at any athletic level, any size or shape, can participate."