The Seahawks did draft Curry, but he doesn't want two dogs, he wants seven

Published on April 28, 2009 by Seahawk Fanatic     

“A few weeks ago in Sports Illustrated, I came across a McDonald’s ad that featured a “Time Out with Aaron Curry.”

In the interview, the now-former Wake Forest linebacker said the first thing he would do after signing a pro contract was to get another dog. Curry already had one, and talked about Ali, his black lab, as if he were the greatest dog in the world.

“(He’s) just awesome to be around,” Curry said.

At the time, I thought, how cool would it be if the Seahawks drafted a guy who loves dogs so much that he wants two?

Turns out I was wrong. The Seahawks did draft Curry, but he doesn’t want two dogs, he wants seven. That’s what he once told his mom, Chris Curry.

“When I get older, I’m going to get dogs, and they’ll be my dogs, and nobody will tell me what to do with them,” a teenaged Curry said to his mom.

He used to bring home strays — his mom remembers a dalmatian and a cocker spaniel in particular — and give them a temporary place to stay while permanent homes were found.

“He just loves dogs,” his mom said.

Curry was introduced to the Seattle media Monday in an auditorium at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, while his mom and fiancee, Jamila, watched the news conference from the front row.

He said he named his black lab Ali in honor of Muhammad Ali, his all-time favorite athlete. Curry saw the champ on ESPN Classic and was so taken with him that he shadow-boxed and danced like Ali before Wake Forest games.

Curry got his second dog last month. Laila, a blue-eyed yellow lab and Chesapeake Bay retriever mix, was a birthday present from Jamila. She’s named after Muhammad Ali’s daughter.

To get a better idea of how crazy her future husband is about his own dogs, ask Jamila how he proposed.

They were leaving her apartment last month when a small package arrived. Curry took the package and went back inside. He came out and asked Jamila to check Laila’s kennel, telling her it was her turn to clean up the pup’s mess.

“In my mind, I was thinking: ‘Why can’t you do it? It’s your puppy,’” Jamila said.

She checked and there was nothing to clean up.

“Are you sure?” Curry asked. “Check in the back.”

So she did. And there in the back of the kennel was an open box with her engagement ring.

Curry dropped to one knee and proposed. Then he apologized to her, saying, “Sorry it wasn’t more romantic like all the people on TV.”

But she thought it was perfect because it included their dogs.

“I’m a dog lover, too,” Jamila said. “It was unique to us both.”

His mom doesn’t know how this whole canine infatuation started, because she likes cats. Maybe it had something to do with Curry’s being the youngest of three sons, and a dog was like a little brother to him.

“All he’s ever wanted is a dog and a truck for both of them to ride around in,” Chris said.”

Tags: Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Chris Curry, Cocker Spaniel, Dalmatian, ESPN, Fiancee, Forest Games, Jamila, Linebacker, Mom Chris, Muhammad Ali, News Conference, Pup, Seahawks, Seattle Media, Spaniel, Strays, Two Dogs, Virginia Mason, Wake Forest