(laughter) >> there's some umass people in here. >> jon: some umass people. you get a free agent tryout for the giants. >> yes. >> jon: this is two years ago. >> two years ago. >> jon: now this is when i remember seeing you for the first time. there was a pre-season game against the new york jets who are trying. (laughter) you scored three touchdowns. you have 8,000 yards in receiving. you make them look amateurish. it was one of the most incredible games i'd ever seen. at that moment, did you think to yourself "i think i'm going to make this team." >> yeah, i think that's when i kind of flipped the switch and was like man, i think i turned that leaf over and i think i'm going to make this football team. and thes after surreal moment for me. especially scoring those touchdowns and i'm looking around and tons of people are chanting my name. it was probably one of the best feelings in the world. >> jon: it's crazy. >> crazy. >> jon: and now every time you get the ball the chants of "cruz" goes out. >> (laughs) >> jon: and if you weren't great it could be consid

. >> umass. >> victor cruz. umass, paterson, new jersey.was the story of the nfl last year and going to join us ahead on "morning joe." >> going to dance. >> remember the dance. >> author. >> ask him, harold. >> and author. >> a book coming out. >> another guy who likes to do the salsa, carl bern stein with must-read opinion pages. this is new york state. we built the first railway, the first trade route to the west, the greatest empires. then, some said, we lost our edge. well today, there's a new new york state. one that's working to attract businesses and create jobs. a place where innovation meets determination... and businesses lead the world. the new new york works for business. find out how it can work for yours at thenewny.com. >>> the obamas caught on the kiss cam during the usa women's basketball game versus brazil last night. michele obama looked shobd and the two smiled and waved. they got a second chance when the kiss cam found them again. this time he delivered. >> the kiss cam! the only thing that most powerful leaders in the

i want to read for you and this comes from a study from umass boston. 163 top level positions duringy administration in massachusetts, fewer than 11% were held by minorities. latino appointments made up 1.8% of the total number, even though they are 7% of the state's population. so how does he win over communities where there is this suggestion that they were not represented, not only in government but there were no blacks at bain when he was there. >> you have to consider the fact that mitt romney won the governorship of a state that has only 11% republicans registered. 11% of republican registration. a whole lot of democrats liked what he had to say and thought he was somebody that could lead that state well as he did. i think that the challenge for americans is to see mitt romney for who he is. somebody who will put americans back to work. if you look at past numbers, when he was governor of massachusetts, he hired a number of minority folks. i think the minority numbers are probably in line with the general population statistics for the state with regards to minorities. but going

to get to umass. you struggle academically. again, you keep the focus. that had to have been hard.tests weren't my thing. but i knew to achieve my goals, i had to get it done. i had to take the necessary tests to get it done. and my family was right behind me. they didn't point the finger and say, you have to take it six times. no matter how many times you have to take it. do what you got to do. i had the perseverance to keep after my goals and reach it. >> you never gave up. but did you ever have a backup plan? >> i did. i wanted to be a teacher. i wanted to be someone to go back into the community and teach kids about going to college and teach them -- a lot of kids don't know what it takes to get to college. they know about college. they don't know the necessary stuff to get there. i want to put them on the right path to getting there. >> influenced by your family. a few words of wisdom you got from your grandparents i want to read. your grandmother would say, nothing good happens after 5:00 p.m. and your grandfather would say, if your life is stable, everything will fall into p