Rookie OG Finds New Home Via Blockbuster Trade

Author: Trey Feagles, Sporting News
Date: July 7, 1990

Rookie Offensive Guard Mike McAlister, 23, was drafted in the first round as the 19th pick by the St. Louis Pioneers and even before he was able to suit up for an official professional football game, he found himself in the Windy City, as part of the second trade of the season for the trade-hungry Chicago Fire. The Fire sent their 1991 2nd Round Draft Pick, 1992 4th and 5th Round Draft Picks, WR Erik Jenkins and CB Cedrick Taylor for McAlister and DT Drew Strayhorn.

Chicago welcomed their new acquisitions with open arms on their first day of practice together.

He will join veteran and potential all-star Offensive Guard Zachary Warner, 33, in the starting lineup, providing much-needed protection for star Quarterback Nolan Maynard, 37, who has been rumored by some to be in his last year of playing professional football.

Said Warner, “The kid’s fresh, and he’s learning the blocking schemes pretty quickly. He really got the stuff to be something special someday.”

With McAlister on board, Warner, who is in his last year of his contract, is expected to explore the Free Agent market come the ’92 offseason. Already, he has been the center of trade talks, but claims that he won’t let petty rumors affect his performance. The likelihood of Warner being traded is slim, but that’s not to say that if the right offer comes along, that Chicago GM and Head Coach Jerrell Sanchez will turn a blind eye to it.

Keeping Warner will allow Sanchez to have more salary cap options to resign their younger star players with (league sources claim that their top priorities are extending the contracts of OLB Steve Vigorito, TE Clayton Daufeldt, RB Dennis Zimmerman, P Jerry Boso, and CB Jim Martin).

McAlister, despite his raw talent, has long been waiting to be a part of a winning program. McAlister was a top scouting target for his home state of Virginia in high school, when he attended Dowagiac Union in Dowagiac, MI. McAlister was offered full athletic scholarships by Michigan and Michigan State, but attended Richmond to support his ailing grandmother who was suffering from lung cancer.

He started his first game as a Sophomore, and that year the Spiders went 7-5. Late in the season, he suffered a broken leg and missed 9 games of the ’88 regular season. The Spiders were 4-7 that year. In his final year of college football, McAlister made his remarkable return to football, dominating defensive lines with ease. He became a starter in the Senior Bowl in 1989. But as dominant as McAlister was, the Spiders suffered their worst season in seven years, finishing 1-10.

Now he joins a talented Chicago team that he is sure to learn a lot from.

“The only thing I’m having trouble learning is how to do the ‘Fire Bird’ (celebration dance). Once I get that down, watch out AFL!” chuckled an overjoyed McAlister.