A number of you aren't going read this because as Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says, the public prefers to follow news of celebs and sports figures who are "[expletived] up." The rise of the sports blog generally hasn't be driven by fans' desire to read do-gooder stories. (Though I have to say, I think that would be an interesting niche sports blog).In any event, I want to highlight a few stories in the news this week that talk about NFL players doing good in the world.
The New York Times had a great article yesterday about four NFL players with ties to Nigeria visiting the country in March. They must have been an impressive display of defensive linemen big people: NY Giants' Osi Umenyiora, Houston Texans' Amobi Okoye, and Chicago Bears' Adewale Ogunleye and Israel Idonije.
It was Okoye's idea for them to all go to Nigeria as a group, figuring they could do more good works together than separately. They also could get scared together as the bus they were traveling in got broadsided by a truck on the first day of their trip. The article is certainly worth a read.
Another article worth checking out is the continuing help that Tampa Bay running back Warrick Dunn gives to single parents looking to purchase their first homes. He does this to honor his police officer mother who never owned a house. She was shot while working her off-duty security job, and a 17-year-old Dunn along with his grandmother found themselves taking care of his five siblings. To date, his foundation has helped 77 single parents buy their first homes by providing a down payment and home furnishings. (Here's the donation link).
The next time you feel like ragging on athletes for being a bunch of "turds", ask yourself what you are doing to make this world a better place. Athletes are like the rest of us imperfect people. Some do good, some do bad, and some get busted for being a
(Photo of Dunn as the first winner of the Home Depot Neighborhood MVP award in January. Photo Credit: Scott Halleran, Getty Images).
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Great post. I could've done without the last sentence though. All anyone can base their judgement of this whole Benson thing on right now is hearsay.
Posted at 4:41PM on May 9th 2008 by Peter
2. I've always admired Warrick Dunn as a player and as a person.
Posted at 10:26PM on May 9th 2008 by al coholic
3. Right on Warrick your a good man. Just curious, are any of those people you help white?
Posted at 9:35AM on May 10th 2008 by agranon
4. What yours truly does to make the world a better place is my personal domain. There are good sports and they are bad sports who screw up do to their fame and how they handle their off the field activites.
Posted at 9:35AM on May 10th 2008 by George B Vieto
5. Glad someone said something possitive about the good guys in sports which most of them are but it seems the jerks get all the headlines. These are grown men, who make more money in one year than most of us in a lifetime. And it makes me sick to hear the excuses and also the no brain idiots who stick up for them.
Posted at 9:36AM on May 10th 2008 by Don Wojcik
6. You're right. I wish I hadn't read it. Boring!
Posted at 10:11PM on May 10th 2008 by JG