J.J. Flannigan Is His Name, but He Runs Like Magic

In 1982, a player named Flannigan began the football season at wide receiver for the freshman team at Pomona High School. No one was calling him Black Magic then. No one was predicting stardom.

J.J. was just a nickname that stood for James Junior, even though he is actually James III, and was not yet two staccato syllables that now sound so smooth to college coaches.

He might have stayed a wide receiver, too, because he had no plans to try running back if he couldn’t start.

“I was afraid of being second team,” he recalled. “I don’t want to be second team to anyone. But the guy who was starting got hurt, and I got the chance.

“His name was George Phillips. I haven’t heard about him in a long time. I don’t even know where he is now.”

To be sure, no one is saying that about J.J. Flannigan, one of the most sought-after football players of this recruiting season. After rushing for 3,267 yards and 39 touchdowns in the last two seasons, and being named All-State by Cal-Hi Sports for 1985, the only question now is where he will spend the next four years. It’s down to Colorado, Michigan, USC, California or Oklahoma.

Tonight, however, he will be at the Sports Arena, competing in the high school portion of the Sunkist Invitational track meet. He will be in a special 60-yard dash with some of the other top prep football players in Southern California--Mike Ford of San Pedro, Gary Wellman of Westlake, Calvin Holmes of Carson, Ricky Ervins of Pasadena Muir and Ellis Bradford of Santa Ana Valley.

Expect the Flannigan who doesn’t want to be second best to show up.

“I can’t let all the people around here down,” he said. “Pomona is finally competing with the best names in California. It’s something everyone in the area has wanted for a long time.”

Confidence and determination run deep in Flannigan. After his gliding strides and ability to dart through the smallest gap in the offensive line, those qualities impress people most.

“Everything about him spells success,” said Oliver Lucas, who coached Flannigan as a sophomore and junior and is now recruiting him at Colorado. “You can just tell he’s full of greatness.”

Flannigan went undefeated last season in the 100 meters in Baseline League competition and, running with his legs wrapped because of a hamstring injury, finished fifth in the Southern Section 3-A. This season, he will compete in only two or three races a meet, compared to four last year, in hopes of staying uninjured. The goal is to reach the state final.

As for football, Flannigan said he has no college preference at this point, what with his USC visit coming up this weekend, and California and Oklahoma still to come. But at the same time, he can “foresee” the final decision coming down to USC and Colorado.

Playing for Lucas again would be nice. And so would staying close to home. But what about Aaron Emanuel, Ryan Knight and Steve Webster and the log jam the Trojans already have at tailback? It could mean the bench for Flannigan.

“If anybody is scared, it should be them when I’m coming in,” he said. “They should be saying, ‘Uh-oh, here comes Flannigan.’ ”

That’s confidence. It seems the only place Flannigan doesn’t mind being No. 2 is on the back of his football uniform.

“But you can make any number great,” he said. “What matters is who’s inside the jersey.”

Prep Notes The football 60 is just one of several good matchups in the high school part of today’s track meet. Five runners have a good shot at winning the girls’ seeded mile: Melissa Sutton of Newbury Park, Tracey Williams of El Monte Mountain View, Laura Chapman of San Jose Gunderson, Rebecca Chamberlain of San Jose Leigh and Shannon Clark of Mountain View in Northern California. In race No. 1 of the boys’ 880, Vincent Thompson of Locke, a transfer from Pomona Ganesha, and Neil Fitzgerald of San Francisco St. Ignatius are the favorites. The pole vault figures to come down to a pair of out-of-town entrants, Brent Burns of Lafayette Acalanes and Steve Toney of Atherton Menlo-Atherton. . . . Two All-City selections, Ayesha Brooks and Yolanda Kelley, lead Washington and Crenshaw, respectively, into an important Mid-City League girls’ basketball game today at 4 p.m. at Crenshaw. Brooks went over the 1,000-point mark for her career Wednesday with 23 against Dorsey. Washington is 14-2 overall and 2-0 in league competition, Crenshaw 11-2 and 1-1.