Even in drought, Ags produce pros

It's hard not to feel sorry for the Utah State Aggies. They have little operating money and few fans. (I say welcome to the club.)

Then there's their image problem. It's tough to recruit when Sports Illustrated rates you the worst college football team in America. The Aggies are 0-2, having lost to UNLV (No. 101 in SI's poll) and nationally ranked Oregon. Next up is nationally ranked Utah.

USU's last winning season was 1996. Its last win over Utah was three coaches ago.

Is there no end to the suffering?

Actually, yes.

Downtrodden as the program is, it's still putting players in the NFL.

As Helen Keller said, "The world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it."

That may not happen anytime soon, but former Aggies have done respectably in the NFL ranks, even as their college team languishes. Take, for instance, Chris Cooley, who is the starting tight end for the Washington Redskins. He has 27 career touchdowns and is a one-time All-Pro selection.

Cooley made a stir with his popular Web site that includes commentary on such matters as his taboo first date with his wife (she was a team cheerleader) and a commercial where he punches his hand through a wall.

He's not a bad writer, mainly because he does something few athletes do: provides real insight. After registering just one catch on opening weekend against the Giants, he blogged, "If anyone wonders if players in the NFL care about how others at their position are doing, they do. This Sunday sucked for me, watching so many tight ends put up big games. I hate not being productive and I hate being so far down this list."

Then he posted the stats for tight ends around the league, with him at the bottom.

There goes the I-don't-pay-attention-to-what-others-are-doing excuse.

Cooley may command attention, but 305-pound Tampa Bay tackle Donald Penn, also a former Aggie, is doing well in his own right. He is beginning his second year as a starter.

Not bad, coming from a school that has won just six games in the last three years.

Kevin Curtis is one of USU's best success stories. A starting wideout for the Philadelphia Eagles — though currently out with a sports hernia — he was considered one of the top acquisitions of the 2007 free agent period. The Eagles' Web site labeled him "a terrific addition."