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
smiling black guy who loves his mom on a boat full of white women in bikinis boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest.
(
Photo of Dunn as the first winner of the Home Depot Neighborhood MVP award in January. Photo Credit: Scott Halleran, Getty Images).
After the Bears made the announcement of their franchise-shattering acquisition of Jay Cutler, they didn't rest. Within a few hours, they announced they had also agreed to terms with venerable left tackle Orlando Pace. I'll admit, I was overly excited about the two new Bears, as were all my Bears fans friends -- which is weird, usually at least one of us disagrees about player movement. Make no mistake about it, though. We aren't delusional. This team is far from complete and the die-hards know it. 
