Blue White Illustrated

2 0 1 9 K I C K O F F S P E C I A L did two days later. I had to go back on the field, and then I became a disruption be- cause he put me down with the scrubs. So I had to practice against the first-team of- fense. I just mauled them. They couldn't do anything. He made me get out. "Here's what people don't understand: Joe loved a good argument. We had this thing between the two of us for years. I'd see him on the road or at a dinner and he was always trying to dig me all the time. He'd see me and he would start and I would have to charge right back. "One day I had to meet with him in Philly for an event. On the way down, I decided that no matter what he says, I'm not going to get in it today. I get down there and as soon as he sees me, he took a shot right away and I let it go. I said, 'That's funny, Coach. How have you been?' We talked a little bit and he took another shot and I let it go again. And he says, 'What's wrong with you?' I said, 'Coach, I said to myself I'm not going to do this anymore. It's time to put it aside.' And he says, 'Oh, great. Even you are growing up. This is terrible.' " Keeping the faith Millen realizes his recovery from the heart transplant will go on for the rest of his life. He may never reach the 270 to 290 pounds he weighed before the transplant. He is up to 240 pounds and is now dealing with neuropathy in his feet because of the medication. Millen is a religious man with a deep be- lief in God, but he doesn't wear his religion on his sleeve. The former Catholic altar boy is now a deacon at the Cornerstone Church in Easton. He's also involved with a weekly Bible study group with friends who are mostly wrestling people, includ- ing coaches. "Once or twice, my wife has asked if we talked about anything spiritual that night," he said, laughing again. However, Mullen turns serious to thank God for the transplant that saved his life and enabled him to resume his daily ac- tivities. "As far as my faith is concerned, that's the bottom line on this whole story," he said. "When they said, 'You could die here,' I said, 'OK, whatever. If I die, I die.' The reason I'm OK with it is be- cause I'm straight with the guy who cre- ated me. I'm a believer that Christ rose from the dead and there's life on the other side. So I'm good with it." Reflecting on his life, Millen said he never expected to be a household name in sports broadcasting. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in marketing and fi- nance, he figured he would play pro foot- ball and then pursue a career in business. Having faced the harsh reality of his mor- tality both before and after the transplant, he said he has only one regret about his life. "I wish I would have wrestled," Millen said. "I love that sport. I've been going to the NCAA finals for about 20 years and I watch Penn State [on television]. They're phenomenal. The first time I saw real wrestling was in my senior year in high school." HUB-Robeson Center, On-Campus

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