In the fall of 1985, the Chicago Bears were ripping up the NFL on their way to Super Bowl XX, led by tough, fearsome players like Mike Singletary, the late Walter Payton and William "The Refrigerator" Perry. Their hardnose, determined style of play inspired many young boys growing up in Chicago to throw off their Cubs gear and put on the pads.

One of those boys was senior defensive end Mike Sands. He epitomizes "tough"--over his four years, he's strained his medial collateral ligament, separated his shoulder and broken a thumb. But he hasn't missed a game.

"Actually, the injuries have helped me in some way," Sands said. "They make me focus more."

That focus has turned Sands into one of the best all-around defensive players on this year's squad. Whether it's stuffing the run, sacking the quarterback or taking out a running back in the backfield, Sands demonstrates the type of agility that makes him well-suited to play different roles on defense. In fact, he started his Harvard career at outside linebacker.

"I wish we had ten Mike Sands," Harvard Coach Tim Murphy said. "Because he could just play about any position on our defense."

Sands' ascent to the top of the defensive hierarchy started in the spring following his freshman year. His strong play in spring ball earned him the Don Chiofaro '68 Award for Most Improved Linebacker and a starting job the next year. In that championship 1997 season, Sands earned an Ivy League Player of the Week award, but he didn't feel as much a part of the team.

"We may have won in 1997, but I really wasn't in the leadership," Sands said. "As a senior, I try to be the same type of leader as those seniors were back then."

Unfortunately for Sands, his senior year hasn't turned out to be all the glamour and glory he hoped it would be. In addition to the personal pain of injuring his thumb, the team's devastating losses and dismal record make Sands frustrated.

"This team has a bunch of great guys," he said, "but we just haven't gotten all the breaks. We've been playing well as a defense, but we just haven't got the luck."

Sands came to Harvard on his first recruiting trip, and it turned out to be his last. He met the players and coaches, and heard exactly what he wanted to hear.

"I had lots of choices," Sands said. "Harvard was much better than I thought it was going to be. Football was very important in my decision to come here."

He credits linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski - "a great guy who brings a lot of enthusiasm" - and the coaching staff for bringing about a fundamental change in creating a defense that commands respect.

"Coach Murphy is bringing in good kids," Sands said. "And [defensive coordinator Bruce] Tall is an intense guy. Man, he puts in hours and hours of watching tape each weak to get us prepared."

The young boy from Chicago is all grown up now, a 6'4, 235-pound man who may still get a chance to play football after The Game. Sands is on the very short list of Crimson players who might be drafted next spring, but of course he isn't counting on it.

"Everything I do, I want to do it to the best that I can do it," Sands said, adding, in reference to the NFL, "It would be nice."