"Until (I was) just reminded, I forgot that I'm hearing impaired," Cousins said. "I don't really think about that. ... I take all the challenges the same way, and overcome them."

Cousins, a starting safety for the 6-0 Port Huron Pirates, is deaf in his left ear and hearing impaired in his right, where he wears a hearing aid.

The St. Louis native has had a sizeable impact in the success of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League's most dominating defense.

Cousins is fourth on the team with 21 tackles, and is part of a unit that has allowed a league-low 117 points.

He also has three tackles for a loss and six passes defended. Cousins is among the league leaders in both categories.

"He's got what I call California speed, he's fast when he wants to be," Pirates Coach Brian Hug said. "He does a good job of baiting quarterbacks. He makes it look like he's out of position, so that he can make the play."

Gambling on plays is nothing new to Cousins, who after missing opportunities at some college out of high school, packed up and traveled to Los Angeles to play junior college football at West Los Angeles College.

"I knew that as far as good football goes, you have Texas, Florida and California ball," he said. "I knew that was somewhere I needed to go to get where I wanted to be."

Two All-American seasons later, Cousins headed to the University of Southern California to play for the storied Trojan program.

His highlights included an 89-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown against California, and playing at Notre Dame Stadium against the Fighting Irish.

"I felt like I was on the set of Rudy," Cousins said of the fabled movie.

All the while, he has shrugged off any inherent disadvantages with his hearing issues. Hug said it hasn't affected his play in Port Huron one bit.

"Honestly, it's really no big deal," Hug said. "You just tell him what the hand signs mean and play."

Hug coached a legally deaf player while coaching at St. Clair Shores Lakeview in the past. He also has had training dealing with a deaf individual since he was born. His father, Harold, who attends all of the Pirates practices and games, is deaf.

"It's never been a problem," said Hug, who knows sign language but doesn't use it with Cousins. "When I do talk to him, all I do is I make sure I'm facing him so he can read my lips.

"Actually it's a little nice, because you don't get the distractions. It's just if we change the coverage, we have to make sure that John gets the change."

Cousins and the Pirates have been getting everything so far this season, and appear to have a shot at going undefeated.

"Everybody is working together and doing their job," Cousins said. "If you love to play ball, you can fit in on our defense. As long you play together, good things will happen."

By Matt Schoch
http://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060529/SPORTS03/605290324/1006/SPORTS