Name: Malcom Floyd
Local ties: River City High School
The skinny: The former prep wide receiver standout, who jumped onto the NFL radar after a record-setting career at Wyoming, emerged Sunday as a San Diego Chargers playmaker. And it's been a long time coming for a fellow who had to earn a roster spot the hard way. He went from undrafted free agent in 2004 to being waived twice by the club and then re-signed. Filling in for Chris Chambers, who sat out with an ankle injury, the 6-foot-5 Floyd helped jump-start the Chargers' 30-10 rout of New England with a 49-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
In the family: Floyd's older brother, Malcolm (yes, with a second "L") Floyd, was an All-Metro two-sport star at McClatchy in 1989. He excelled at Fresno State and played receiver for three years for the Houston Oilers in the late 1990s. Neither brother is willing to concede who is better in the open field, however. The elder Floyd is now the McClatchy football coach.
He said it: "It was huge for me to be able to go out and contribute," Floyd told reporters after the Chargers' win. "I had some big shoes to fill and I knew I had to step it up. It was important for me to have a good performance in such a big game. I'm happy, but I'm not satisfied."
DO's Wyatt retired, happy
Name: Larry Wyatt
Local ties: Del Oro High
The skinny: He doesn't move as briskly as he once did, thanks to a troublesome hip, but Wyatt is still a social focal point for any Del Oro football game. And no wonder. The man who coached the Golden Eagles to a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II football title in 1997 and was a fixture on the sideline in some coaching capacity for more than 30 years is all about charm and reflection. Wyatt is retired from football and Del Oro teaching now, though his impact is still felt. Wyatt was on the hiring committee that landed current coach Casey Taylor, and Wyatt was one of several committee members who was inspired by Taylor's knowledge and energy – and how the man sweated through his shirt in excitement.
He said it: Wyatt explained with all sincerity that parents and boosters never got under his skin. "In all my years, I was lucky because I don't remember any real complaints," he said. "Great parents, or I just didn't hear it."
This Saint's happy at home
Name: Scott Morais
Local ties: Delta High
The skinny: Morais made a football school – known for producing NFL talent in Tony and Bo Eason in the 1970s – a basketball power in the early 1990s, leading the small-school Saints of Clarksburg to the NorCal playoffs in 1994. Lanky and smooth, Morais averaged 24 points before going to college in San Diego and working for several years in the corporate world. But home is where the heart is, and this time Morais is back on the river for good, specifically Giusti's – the restaurant/bar treasure in Walnut Grove. Morais, looking as if he could still average 15 a game, said he has always dreamed of helping run the place owned by his father, Mark, the grandson of the owner, Egisto Giusti, an Italian immigrant who opened the place in 1912.
He said it: "I've always wanted to come home; it's a great place to be," Morais said.
Former Falcon stars at Nevada
Name: Nicole Link
Local ties: Christian Brothers
The skinny: The former prep volleyball star now on scholarship at Nevada had the best match of her career Saturday. In a four-game victory over Fresno State, the sophomore had three service aces and 29 digs, with the digs marking the fourth-highest total in school history.
One more thing: Link led CBS to the 2006 NorCal Division IV championship and two Sac-Joaquin Section titles as the Falcons made the move from solid program to great one. She chose Nevada over Cornell, Fresno State and UNC Charlotte, among others.
In the family: Link's father, Ken, played volleyball at UC Davis and has won gold medals and MVP honors for men's 45-under national teams. Link's aunt, Katie Haler, played at USC, on the USA National Team and professionally in Belgium. And uncle Scott Metcalf played on the National Team and in Belgium.
Call The Bee's Joe Davidson, (916) 321-1280.
