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''I tell the little kids I used to pick on him. Now he's 6-foot-4, 325. I know my limitations,'' said Clyde offensive line coach Ryan Greenslade, who was a senior when Anderson was a team manager as a sixth grader in 1992.
Anderson and Greenslade's sister were only a year apart and still friends. Both families also attend the same church, which opened the opportunity for Greenslade to ask Anderson back.
''I get home a lot more than I would if I was with a team a lot further away,'' said Anderson, who was able to address his old Clyde team before its playoff run last year. ''I like getting home, and this type of stuff gives me a real good excuse to come home.''
It just so happened his break from Bills minicamp, his older brother Bob's wedding and Clyde's three-day camp coincided in the same week.
Well the first two did, but Greenslade and Clyde's coaching staff planned this year's camp around Anderson's return.
Couple his presence with Clyde's advancement to last year's state final four, and the turnout improved immensely. About 103 kids signed up for this year's camp, which concluded yesterday. In previous years that number was in the 40s.
This was Anderson's first time at the camp, since he was in it himself. Practically anyone involved with Clyde football gets involved, either when they were growing up or helping out while on the varsity team. Even Greenslade remembers playing in the camp.
''How many other programs in the area can have a guy like Tim come back? He won't take anything for it,'' said Greenslade, who was coaching at Bellevue while Anderson played. ''He says ÔThis is the program that got me to where I'm at.'''
To get back, Anderson simply got in his truck last Thursday for a week at home.
Once his attention was directed toward this week's camp, it started with a stack of pictures to autograph. Greenslade said it was a big stack, although Anderson says ''actually I've signed a lot less than you think.''
To him, not much has changed.
''It was funny. I was a dork back then,'' he said. ''People picked on me.''
At least the offensive line coach wouldn't dare now, but Anderson admitted some of his old friends still wouldn't hesitate. What's 300 pounds of retaliation, anyway?
He does recognize his stature can leave some of Clyde's current players a little star struck.
''It's very inspirational for us,'' said Andrew Conners, a senior lineman who started all 14 games last year. ''They tell you that your chances of playing college football, let alone professional football is slim to none. To see somebody from our town do that is a pretty big deal.''
That's why Anderson's message for them was simple: Enjoy the game now and don't take it too seriously.
''I have to take it seriously because it's what I'm getting paid to do,'' he said, ''but it's all about having fun, especially at high school.''
Add off Anderson went, after signing an autograph for any kid who asked and catching up with anyone who stopped to talk. Now it's back to Buffalo in his black truck. As he did on the neighboring football field, it dwarfed every other vehicle in the parking lot.
Massive, but modest.
mgoul@morningjournal.com
