Rhodes scholarship or the NFL?

Florida State safety Myron Rolle was recently awarded a Rhodes scholarship.  He is the first major-college football player of his generation to win what is considered the world’s most prestigious postgraduate academic scholarship.

He became the most prominent student-athlete to win the award since Bill Bradley at Princeton in 1965. Bradley was later a Knicks star, a senator and a presidential candidate. Other winners have included Pat Haden (U.S.C. and the Rams) and Tom McMillen (Maryland and the N.B.A. and Congress).

Rolle, a preseason All-ACC and All-America candidate, is an astounding anomaly in a sport synonymous with low graduation rates and dumbed-down majors. He’s a 3.75 pre-med student who will finish his undergraduate degree in just two-and-a-half years; a National Leadership Honor Society inductee; the recipient of a $4,000 research grant for his work studying human mesenchymal stem cells and the facilitator of a health and living program at a charter school run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Rolle, an aspiring neurosurgeon, will now decide between the NFL and an all-expense paid scholarship for two or three years of study at Oxford University in England.

Rolle’s quest to the win the Rhodes had received heavy attention from the news media because he chose to risk missing all or part of Florida State’s pivotal game at Maryland to have the interview, which took place in Birmingham, Ala.

Don Lemon (CNN) profiles a college football player who has to choose between a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship and the NFL.

10,000th wish is on Parade

The Make-A-Wish Foundation and national sponsors International Union, UAW and General Motors Corporation are celebrating a momentous wish milestone this month – granting the 10,000th wish of their decade-long partnership.

To mark this achievement, the 10,000th wish recipient, Brandon, 10, of Rodney, Mich., and his family will ride on UAW-GM’s float in America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27.

“Thanks to their tremendous generosity during the past decade, UAW-GM and GM have made a real difference for the 10,000 children nationwide whose wishes have been granted and countless others who were a part of their wishes,” said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. “I want to express our gratitude for their commitment to children such as Brandon in helping make their heartfelt wishes come true.”

Brandon, who was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma and recently finished a difficult regime of chemotherapy, met his all-time favorite player, former Detroit Lions star Barry Sanders, during the Lions’ Nov. 9 home game. He was also the team’s guest at practice Nov. 7, where he received armfuls of autographed memorabilia from the Lions and met several current Lions players and coaches.

“My favorite part of the wish was watching Brandon’s face at his first Lions game – he was yelling and cheering, and you could just tell he was loving it,” said Brandon’s mother, Darlene. “Barry was just so nice. He talked with [Brandon and his dad] about hunting and what kinds of things Brandon likes to do for fun. I just sat back, smiling. I couldn’t believe it was happening.”

As part of the sponsorship, UAW-represented GM workers and GM dealers across the country have participated in fundraising on both national and local levels and committed their personal talents to wish granting – restoring vehicles, building playhouses, planning wish-granting parties and giving families a ride to the airport, among other activities.

“Making a commitment to community and these children, both personally and financially, is something that matters tremendously to UAW-GM people and GM dealers across the country,” said Diana Tremblay, vice president labor relations, GM North America.

“For those who have had the opportunity to share the power of a wish®, it’s a moving experience that will never be forgotten,” said Cal Rapson, UAW vice president and director, GM department. “I have heard it said more than once, you truly get back more than what you give, and it’s been our privilege.”

Some wishes granted through the sponsorship have been quite practical, such as an assistance dog or special equipment to help the child communicate or become more mobile. Other children’s imaginations have taken them to the moon and back, such as Johnny, 11, from Downey, Calif., who visited Kennedy Space Center and had lunch with an astronaut. The first wish granted in 1999 was to refurbish a Chevy truck for a 16-year-old Aliquippa, Pa., boy.

Does Tony Romo wear a cape at night?

The ‘Dallas Cowboys’ and ‘Media Coverage’ often means drama.  Let’s not review the many story lines that lead sports and entertainment pages such as Pacman and Jessica.

But, when the sun goes down in Texas the starting QB is quietly building a collection of Good Samaritan deeds.  Does Tony Romo put on a cape at night?

In September, Romo pulled over to help a stranded couple change a tire.  Most recently, Romo enjoyed a movie with a homeless gentleman.   Tim McMahon of the Dallas Morning News discovered the latest act of kindness.

A homeless man who goes by Doc was cashing in change at a Cinemark theater in Dallas when a guy walked up and offered to pay his way into the movie. Doc, who planned to spend his day passing out flyers for a few bucks, accepted a rain check before realizing that he recognized the generous gentleman.

“Was that Tony Romo?” Doc asked the kid behind the counter.

It sure was. Doc hustled across the street to the consignment store that paid him to occasionally pass out flyers and requested the day off.   By the time he got back to the theater, “Role Model” had already started.
Romo, who confirmed the story but didn’t want to elaborate, waved Doc over to sit by him and his buddy.

Doc sheepishly mentioned that he hadn’t showered in a few days. “Don’t worry about that,” Romo said. “I’m used to locker rooms.”

And so the $67 million quarterback and a man who doesn’t have $6.70 to his name sat next to each other and shared laughs for 90 minutes or so.

For Romo, who made news by changing a couple’s tire on the side of the road on the way home the night of the season opener, it was just another kind gesture to a random stranger. It meant the world to Doc.

“For me, it was a blessing,” Doc said. “It came at just the right time. It gave me some encouragement and faith in mankind. I just wanted to say thank you.”

Dallasnews.com, other sources

Championship ring to help save children

Former NFL player Je’Rod Cherry is raffling his SuperBowl championship ring in hopes of helping children.

Cherry, who played for New England, Philadelphia and New Orleans in a nine-year NFL career, is raffling his 2001 Patriots Super Bowl ring on Nov. 27 to raise money for children’s charities around the world. “I was moved by some pictures I saw of a child in Africa on his deathbed, and in the background waiting was a vulture, in essence, to consume him,” said Cherry, who lives in Ohio now. “What I saw there moved me to say, ‘What can I do to make a difference?’ What can I give sacrificially from myself to show I do have care and concern about this child’s predicament as well as other organizations that help people across the world?”

Cherry says he cherishes the ring, and played football 21 years to get to the pinnacle of the profession. “But using this ring to help children who are starving … and who have no hope will be a greater feeling than what I felt the day I actually won the ring.”

He’s raffling the ring instead of auctioning it so all fans would have a chance to win it, not just the richest ones. Five tickets cost $10, and can be purchased at netraffle.org. Deadline for purchase is Nov. 27 at 9 a.m.

“After the decision to do the raffle was made,” Cherry told me Saturday, “I said, ‘Wow. I’m actually going to relinquish this ring.’ It’s not going to be easy. Before that season, I’d played football all my life, but I never won a championship. My high school team won one league game in Berkeley [Calif.]. I went to Cal. I started my career with the Saints, and we never won there.”

He got to the Patriots with the middle-class free-agency class of 2001, and as I reminded Cherry, that first Super Bowl team was a bunch of Je’Rod Cherries. It’s fitting he won the ring with a bunch of blue-collar players like him.

Cherry’s disappointed with the raffle kitty so far — it’s approaching $75,000 — but he hopes even if the proceeds aren’t what he hopes for, “I may spur someone who hears about this or reads about a person giving up such a prized possession to do something for others.”

Purchase your raffle tickets at Netraffle.org (here)

Created by Jostens, the 14-karat white gold Super Bowl ring worn by the Super Bowl XXXVI champions, the New England Patriots, features 142 diamonds. Forty-two diamonds encircle the bezel, which is the edge of the ring’s face, and two larger football-shaped diamonds are on each side of the bezel. The face of the ring displays the Patriots logo made from red garnets and blue sapphires trimmed with diamonds. A figure of the Lombardi trophy is behind the logo and is made of platinum, a large marquis diamond, and two tapered baguette diamonds.)

Related Story -

• Cherry hopes hollow ring will save children - ESPN

From: SI.com (Peter King), Youtube, Netraffle.org

Roy Williams runs route to fight world hunger

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams announced today that he is joining Pizza Hut and Yum! Brands in a global Hunger Relief effort. Williams issued a challenge to players in three other cities to see who could raise the most money for hunger relief.

“Every six seconds a child dies from hunger somewhere in the world,” said Roy Williams, wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys. “Hearing this fact inspired me to get involved and do something. I’m proud to be a part of the ‘Hunger to Hope’ program and I want to do everything I can to help end hunger.”

“Each of us can make a difference and together we can really make a change,” Williams said. “That’s why I’m challenging three other players to put on a uniform in a Pizza Hut restaurant for just one day to collect donations and see who can collect the most. We’re all competitive guys, so this should get interesting.

Williams and three football opponents will race to accept the most donations on Tuesday, October 21. The players will collect tips and donations from generous patrons at participating Pizza Hut restaurants in their cities. Participating players include:

• Roy Williams, Dallas Cowboys (formerly of the Detroit Lions)
• Mark Clayton, Baltimore Ravens
• Davin Joseph, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Chris Spencer, Seattle Seahawks

“We’re honored that Williams has lead the charge with his fellow players to benefit this very worthwhile cause,” said Scott Bergren, Pizza Hut President. “Our goal is to double last year’s record by raising more than one million dollars at Pizza Hut restaurants by the end of this month, and we couldn’t reach it without the generous support of our customers and guys like Roy.”

The player whose city raises the most money as an average per participating restaurant will receive a catered pizza party for their team. All players are receiving pizza and pasta for a year as a thank you from Pizza Hut.

Last year, Williams raised $10,000 for the World Hunger Relief campaign after delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut in Detroit. The wide receiver publicly commented that he didn’t tip pizza delivery drivers as he was unsure of the protocol. Pizza Hut challenged him to walk in the shoes of a driver and Williams graciously obliged raising money for charity in the process.

Pizza Hut participates in World Hunger Relief as a Yum! brand. World Hunger Relief supports the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger relief agencies. Nearly 36,000 company and franchised restaurants located in more than 100 countries will be participating, including KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s and A&W All-American Food.

This year, Mariah Carey is the Hunger Relief Ambassador with the quote, “The change from hunger to hope starts with you.” Customers who donate to the World Hunger Relief campaign at participating restaurants around the globe will receive a free download of her song, “Love Story” from her newest CD E=MC2.

Funds raised for WFP go directly to the areas of greatest need, feeding poor school children in the developing world and helping villages become self-sustainable. Every U.S. dollar raised during World Hunger Relief 2008 will provide four meals for hungry children all over the world. The company’s employees and franchisees will be volunteering their time around the globe at hunger relief agencies, food banks, soup kitchens and launching fundraisers.

During this year’s World Hunger Relief campaign, Yum! plans to generate the equivalent of nearly $50 million in awareness of the hunger issue through television and print advertising, public service announcements, public relations, web-based communications and in-restaurant posters and signage. In addition, the company is leveraging the power of the internet to reach millions of people through the http://www.fromhungertohope.com website and other online activity.

Yum! and its brands have been committed to fighting hunger for more than a decade by donating more than $46 million of prepared food annually to the underprivileged in the United States. Since the company went public in 1997, it has donated more than $500 million of its food to hunger relief agencies in the U.S.

Snyder and Bulger to host army hero

Two small paragraphs at the end of a long NFL article today provide an exclamation point on the power of positive media.  On October 12 a returning, two-tour soldier will be hosted by Washington Redskin owner Dan Snyder and St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger when their teams meet at FedEx field.

Aren’t soldiers returning to hometown parades in many parts of the country?  Why is this story any different?  If you are a Peter King reader then you already know, but if you are not then enjoy this story.

This is a 3 year story in the making.  In what was one of the best and most inspiring articles I read in 2005 Peter King of SI.com detailed a chance encounter he had with Army Sergeant Mike McGuire at a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.  Please, read this story.

Over the past 3 years King has maintained an ongoing correspondence with McGuire which he shares with his readers as part of his weekly Monday Morning Quarterback article.  During this time period King has shared the fears, successes, tragedies, and gut wrenching decisions that a husband and platoon leader faces during his tours of duty.

Now Mike McGuire is returning home.  He is a huge NFL fan and his favorite team is his hometown St. Louis Rams.  The broader visibility that was provided through the Sports Illustrated website has yielded a heroes welcome that should be more standard than the exception.

Enjoy this excerpt from SI.com, Monday Morning Quaterback and Good Guys of the Week

I doubt many in our military deserve leave more than Army First Sgt. Mike McGuire, who is deep into his second long tour in Iraq, overseeing a platoon of men hunting Improvised Explosive Devices on the most dangerous roads in the country. I am so pleased he’ll be coming home to the States — to Missouri, his home, and then to a ceremony in western Pennsylvania honoring the memory of fallen comrade Allan Bevington, and then to Walter Reed Army Medical Center to visit a wounded man in his platoon, Nick Koulchar.

The Rams, Mike McGuire’s favorite team, aren’t home when McGuire will be in St. Louis, but [Washinton Redskin owner Dan] Snyder and [Rams Quarterback Marc] Bulger stepped up to take care of that. Snyder will host McGuire, wife Pam, and the brother of the wounded Koulchar at the Rams-Redskins game Oct. 12. And Bulger, whose foundation provides care and R&R for American troops, will host McGuire at Rams Park.

You think those things don’t mean a lot? McGuire, like so many of our soldiers, lives for the NFL, plans his week around it, talks endlessly about it out on patrol. And for the owner of the Redskins and the quarterback of his favorite team to take the time and effort to recognize him … it’s something McGuire will remember for the rest of his life.

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