Considering his current situation, that's rather fitting.

Punch: Curtis "Boonah" Brink-ley took one right to the gut last year in the eighth game of Syracuse University's football season, suffering a broken right leg on a second-quarter carry vs. Buffalo.

Counterpunch: That'll come this season in rock-the-jaw fashion. Promise . . . Well, he promises.

"I know for sure, for a fact, I'm gonna break out this year," Brink-ley said pleasantly by phone last week. "I'm gonna do what I do. Tell the people in Philly to get ready. I feel like they've forgotten me. I need love from my city."

You remember West Catholic's Curtis "Boonah" Brinkley . . .

At the conclusion of the 2003 scholastic season, he owned city rushing-yardage records for game (399 vs. North Catholic in '03), season (2,813 in '02) and career (7,413) and the 'Cuse came callin'.

He first needed a prep-school year at Hargrave Military, in Virginia, and since then, as he readily admits, there hasn't been much of a need to monitor his Orange progress.

Oh, there were impressive, kick-returning moments in '05 and '06, but for a guy who lives to be a running back, the kick-return thing is more of a hobby. The '07 season? Did you have to ask?

Yes, Brinkley led the Orange in rushing after undergoing a preseason procedure to clean lingering damage in his left knee. Yet, his 111 carries produced just 371 yards (3.3 average) and the season was quite the disaster (2-10).

Boonah got bopped during a cutback.

"In the beginning of that game," he said, "I was finally feeling like myself. But the Buffalo guys kept grabbing at my ankles. I kept telling the refs. Then, one of their defensive linemen fell on my ankle. I heard it snap. Getting carried off that field. Being told you're done for the year . . . "

Devastation was then. Perspective is now.

"It worked out for the best," he said. "I can't say I was happy getting hurt, but . . . I'm glad it happened.

"The left-knee thing went back to West Catholic. Then it got worse at Hargrave. I never did anything about it. I've been working so hard. I'm in the best shape of my life.

"I had everything easy in high school. This showed me the flip side. This is giving me a whole different look at things. With the struggles, now I appreciate what it takes to be No. 1."

Or maybe 1-A. Or even 1-B.

As Syracuse prepares for its opener Saturday at Northwestern, Brinkley's pecking-order status remains uncertain. Also in the star-rusher mix are sophomore Delone Carter, who missed all of '07 with hip miseries after a break-out '06 campaign, and another quality sophomore, Doug Hogue.

When asked where he stood, the 5-9, 203-pound Brinkley laughed and shot back, "I'm anxious to find out myself."

He continued, referring to Carter: "We've been battling all camp. One thing's for sure. I'm playin.' He's doing good. I'm doing good. We're going at it. We have a new look on offense. Kind of a spread thing. So we'll both be out there on some plays.

"When I get my turn, I'm going to make it happen for myself, my family, my team and Philadelphia. That's who I play for. I didn't have the success I was hoping for as a freshman, sophomore or junior, but this year? Don't even worry about it. It's gonna be nice."

Despite his ever-present confidence, Brinkley, scheduled to graduate this January with a degree in communications, couldn't help but feel some uneasiness during the offseason. Work, work, work, work . . . Is all of this leading me somewhere?

Just as vivid as the broken-leg play in his memory is his first carry in training camp. As he stood in the backfield, anticipating the handoff, all kinds of thoughts raced through his mind. Most good. At least a couple bad.

"I wanted to get hit. I was looking forward to it. I wanted to see how I'd react," he said, in rapid-fire fashion. "I broke off a pretty long run. Got tackled. No problems. It was a big weight off my shoulder. I'm still good. No aches. No pains."

The personable Brinkley, who grew up in the Abbotsford Homes on the fringe of East Falls, said he often reflects on his West Catholic days, and even watches the tapes.

To be otherwise reminded of Philly, he must only look across the huddle. The center is redshirt sophomore Jim McKenzie, a product of St. Joseph's Prep.

"Jim McKenzie is a beast," Brink-ley gushed. "He's got that Philly mentality. I'd put anything on the line for Jim McKenzie and I know he'd do the same for me. Even at his young age, he's a leader. He's one of the guys giving me confidence."

As rabid followers of Philly high school football know, there were other spectacular rushers in Brinkley's era. One of them, Conwell-Egan's Steve Slaton ('04), is experiencing exhibition-game success with the Houston Texans after starring at West Virginia.

"I've got respect for all of Steve's accomplishments," Brinkley said. "Seeing what he's doing, that pushes me. If I didn't think making the NFL was still possible for me, I wouldn't be playing anymore. This is hard work. It's what pushes me."

One last time, the boxer talk was oozing out. Now, some third-person would be mixed in . . .

"If Steve Slaton can make the NFL, Curtis 'Boonah' Brinkley can do it, too," he said. "There ain't no doubt in my mind. Anyone who knows me knows that." *