jour·ney·man/ˈjərnēmən/ – A worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding
Young men who grow up with aspirations of playing a professional sport are often advised to have something to fall back on–a “Plan B,” because the likelihood of making it as a pro is often a long shot. Like those young men before and after him, athlete-turned filmmaker Matthew Cherry grew up with those same dreams but was able to make his a reality; and when the time came, he put his “Plan B” into action. As an undrafted free agent from the University of Akron, Cherry was faced with long odds in making an NFL team, but his work ethic and ability landed him on the practice squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played one game for the Jaguars and then began an NFL odyssey not glamorized on ESPN or recognized in the eyes of young men growing up; he bounced around between teams, countries and continents, before finally deciding to walk away from the game after a run with the Baltimore Ravens at age 24.
The time to explore his options and establish a second professional career came much earlier than anticipated, but he approached it with the same discipline and drive as he did athletics. With his playing days behind him, Cherry set up shop in Los Angeles, working as a production assistant on the set of various television shows and absorbing the mechanics of directing.
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