What do you get when you have a person that was born in Ontario, thinks George Costanza is the best character on Seinfeld, likes to play practical jokes like Bugs Bunny, spends his free time on the sticks in FIFA for Playstation 3 and looks up to Warren Sapp more than anybody other than his mom?
The answer is Bulls senior defensive tackle and team captain Ronald Hilaire.
Hilaire, now in his final season with the Bulls, came to Buffalo in 2004 with the hopes of making a difference in a program that had a reputation of hanging around the basement in Division-I football.
Hilaire said that he tried to model his play style after former defensive tackle Warren Sapp.
"Sapp was just a beast," Hilaire said. "He was about my size, had incredible intensity, and I've always tried to emulate him as a player."
Hilaire started with his "Sapp-esque" play by winning three straight high school state championships before signing his letter of intent to attend the University at Buffalo. A natural-born winner, Hilaire hoped that he would be able to have an impact on starting a new era of football with pride in Buffalo at the collegiate level.
"I came here because there was an opportunity to start something really special," said Hilaire. "Coming from a winning program, you always feel like when you go to a losing program you have the power to turn it around and bring a winning aspect."
Hilaire and the Bulls started out slow but have shown huge improvement over the past few years, accrediting much of the team's success to head coach Turner Gill's framework and effect over the squad.
"It was rough the first couple of years, but now we're turning things around and we're going to keep moving with it," said Hilaire. "Coach Gill is just fantastic. He brings so much energy and intensity to the team. Since he came here, the team has developed a whole new mentality. He has made us believe and we've never looked back."
Growing up in Canada, Hilaire had a lot of exposure to the Canadian Football League. Earlier this year, he was drafted by the Calgary Stampeders.
When asked about his future in the CFL, Hilaire expressed that he is only concerned with his final season as a Bull at the current time.
"Right now I just really want to focus on this season and see how it goes and see how far we can get as a team," said Hilaire. "Just going to the Mid-American Conference Championship would be great. I've been here for five years, and to leave with a ring would be an amazing accomplishment."
Hilaire and the Bulls got off to a great start to getting that ring this year by winning two of their first three games, including a 1-0 start in the MAC. Hilaire's positive mentality, intensity, and drive to succeed have been a huge part of the Bulls' success. Hilaire plans on continuing with this approach and attitude throughout the rest of the Bulls' 2008 campaign.
"Ron is one of the better teammates I have ever had," said fellow junior defensive tackle Dane Robinson. "He is so balanced and brings such intensity with him to every play, both on and off the field. The way he helps keep the team together is incredible."
When traveling on the road, Hilaire and Robinson often can be found rooming together. Robinson said that Hilaire can sometimes be a handful due to the fact that he has a hard time sleeping before games, but this has yet to get in the way of their friendship.
Hilaire battles this hindrance by turning on the television to ease his excitement and anxiety, a method that most often doesn't affect Robinson as a "hard sleeper."
Hilaire says that he'll watch whatever is on when trying to fall asleep but finds sports and Seinfeld to be the most comforting things to watch in times of distress. Hilaire said that his favorite episode is "The Puffy Shirt," but he won't be found in one of these shirts anytime soon.
It would be less surprising to catch Hilaire in a grey rabbit costume, however. Hilaire said that if he could be any cartoon character, it would, without doubt, be the sly and cunning Bugs Bunny.
"He is crafty, smart, and you just can't get the rabbit and I like that about him," said Hilaire.
With his immense intensity, extreme motivation, and persistence to always keep pushing, it wouldn't be a surprise if Buffalo fans had a hard time seeing the difference in the two and start calling Hilaire, "Bugs" instead of Ron.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
