Garo Yepremian, Dolphins Kicker January 3, 1972

Sometimes 55-year-old Garo Yepremian can't believe his good
fortune: He's a bald, 5'7", former necktie maker from Cyprus
with little formal education, yet he's a former NFL star, and
such companies as IBM, Honda and Xerox pay him $10,000 an
appearance to give motivational speeches to their executives.
Yepremian loves telling audiences that he didn't know his chin
strap from his jockstrap when he entered the NFL in 1966. "If I
can be successful," he says, "anybody can."

In 1965 Yepremian was working in the basement of a London
warehouse and playing semipro soccer on weekends. When his older
brother, Krikor--captain of the Indiana soccer team--called with
the idea that kicking an American football could be Garo's
ticket out of the warehouse, Garo came to the U.S. for a visit.
Once the brothers realized that his soccer career made him
ineligible to play in college, they set up NFL tryouts. Garo was
signed by the Detroit Lions on a Thursday in October, got his
working papers on Friday and kicked against the Baltimore Colts
on Sunday. "I never saw a game until I was playing in one," he
says. "I had no idea how to put my uniform on."

When Yepremian missed the 1969 season while serving in the U.S.
Army Reserve, the Lions replaced him. Depressed, he returned to
his suburban Detroit home and lived by making neckties in the
basement. Then, in '70, the Miami Dolphins called. Although he
holds the Dolphins' career scoring record and played on two
Super Bowl-winning teams, Yepremian is best remembered for
comically trying to salvage a blocked field goal attempt in
Super Bowl VII, only to end up delivering the ball to Mike Bass
of the Washington Redskins, who returned it for a touchdown.
Miami went on to win 14-7 to cap its perfect season, but
Yepremian's gaffe left him shaken until he received an
off-season letter of encouragement from Dolphins coach Don
Shula. "I have great respect for Don and his ability to inspire
people," says Yepremian. "He's the reason I'm a motivational
speaker."

After retiring in 1981, Yepremian did commercials, TV and radio
before he began speaking full time. "I've always liked to make
people laugh," says gregarious Garo. Although he and Maritza,
his wife of 28 years, raised sons Garo Jr., 25, and Azad, 23, he
finds speaking to high school kids his toughest job. "If I can
get a standing ovation from 1,200 high school kids," says
Yepremian, "I know I've done something well."

--John O'Keefe

COLOR PHOTO: HERB SCHARFMAN (COVER) "I never saw a game until I wasplaying in one," says Yepremian. "I had no idea how to put my uniform on."

COLOR PHOTO: AL TIELEMANS [See caption above]