"They wanted a role model in my life," Rodriguez explained. "I'm so thankful to them for putting me in the Big Brother program. Without Tom, I don't know where I'd be right now.
"But chances are it might not be good."
Tom would be Tom Schoenewald, a guy with Philadelphia and South Jersey shore roots who at that time was looking for something himself. He didn't have any children of his own, but a friend was involved with Big Brothers. So Schoenewald thought it might be right for him too. He was 32, working in promotions for the NBA at the time. Evan was 8. Schoenewald is Caucasian. Rodriguez isn't. They've stayed connected ever since, through better times and not, even though that North Jersey branch of the organization closed 2 years later due to budgetary issues.
"He's family," Evan insisted.
To the point that Schoenewald is now trying to exert that same influence upon Rodriguez's younger brother, 13-year-old Louie, who unlike Evan isn't into sports but rather music.
"It's just about trying to to be there for them," said Schoenewald, who's now a professional tour director, a job that takes him all over the country. "I wanted to help them break the circle."
Evan is a senior tight end at Temple who leads the team with nine receptions heading into Saturday afternoon's game against Penn State at Lincoln Financial Field. He figures to be an NFL draft pick next spring, maybe even a fairly high one.
"I'm so excited to see him close to his dream," Schoenewald said.
Yet it extends well beyond that.
"An average [pro] career lasts close to 4 years," Schoenewald said. "So you have to have more going for you. You have to make something of yourself. It took some time, but Evan really gets that."
In many ways because of their relationship.
