By Jordan Rubin

This Saturday, Ed Fingerling will once again step onto the field of James M. Shuart Stadium as he had done for four years of his football career. But this time around, Fingerling won’t be suiting up with his teammates preparing to take the win. Instead, he’ll be strapping on his guitar and taking the mic.

Fingerling, a native of Northport, Long Island, and a member of the Hofstra Class of 1989, was a member of the University football team for his four years and the team’s co-captain during the 1988 season. A journalism major, Fingerling spent his time as a sports writer for The Chronicle, a member of Hofstra Concerts and as a star football player.

By the time Fingerling graduated in 1989, he had been named an All-American and had an opportunity lined up to play in England for Kent’s Midway Mustangs. Overseas Fingerling helped propel the team into victory, winning the U.K.’s National Title.

During his time in England, Fingerling also devoted his time to his music, performing in venues in London and Manchester, an experience he still fondly recalls.

“The whole opportunity was just great,” he recalled. “I was getting paid to play football in the land of my musical gods.”

These said “gods” who still influence Fingerling’s music today range from The Clash and The Sex Pistols to The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.

“It was the perfect situation,” he said. “I could spend all my free time visiting the homes of The Beatles and The Clash.”

Fingerling is a man of many hats and helmets. After his time playing football across the Atlantic, he pursued a career in the corporate world, with his undergraduate degree from the University. He went on to attain his Masters in education at New York University. Fingerling spent time working in advertising, publishing and even took his hand at being a writer. All of these opportunities eventually led to Fingerling’s position at Scholastic Publishing as an advertising manager. But after much thought, Fingerling decided he would prefer to leave the corporate world for a job in the classroom.

Fingerling learned about the New York City Teaching Fellows Program, a seven-week intensive program in teaching, which also paid for his Masters. He went through the program, which set him up with his current job, a teacher at Pacific High School in downtown Brooklyn.

To this day, Fingerling is still pursuing his music career. He has made an impact on all those he meets with his music and his mind.

“Ed Fingerling is one of the most inspiring songwriters I have ever worked with,” said producer Rich Pagano of the Patti Smith Group. “He captures the essence of his influences without sounding contrived.”

Fingerling opened up Summer Stage in Central Park, with a performance he dedicated to Yoko Ono. Now, he has finally found a new and improved fit with his band The Wild Deer.

After his longtime friend, former teammate, and current Hofstra coach, David Cohen, contacted him to reconnect, it was clear to Cohen that the best person to open the game with patriotism and school pride was Fingerling, especially since Fingerling’s reworked version of the National Anthem has become famous among their circle of friends.

So this Saturday, Fingerling will step out on the field sans helmet or ball and will take center stage with his music. Just to be out on the field is an experience Fingerling can’t wait to relive.

“Hofstra Football is dear to me,” he said. “I left my heart on the field when I graduated, it’s something really important to me.”

With any luck, this year’s Homecoming game should give Fingerling a chance to pick up his heart and lift up the Hofstra Pride.