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CURRENT NEWS-Reported by F.R.O Staff
By Michael – Louis Ingram and Wendell P. Simpson
BASN/FRO
11/16/08
Editor’s Note: In BASN’s continuing series about the plight of the disposable heroes of the National Football League, we take a look at a former player’s vision for solving a problem the League will never admit to…
When Leonard Marshall speaks, everyone should listen.
As a defensive stalwart for the New York Giants, Leonard Marshall had assets which belied and defied most casual observers. Speed, power, fluidity of movement and overall technical skill as a defensive lineman that paved the way for his inevitable entrance and acceptance into pro football’s Hall of Fame.
Unlike many of his peers, however, as Marshall wrapped his arms around many an offensive player, he knew when to let go. And unlike even fewer of said peers, Marshall, while acknowledging the accolades, knew when and how to assimilate into the real world.
“That is without question the paradigm facing the player in his post – career phase of life,” reveals Marshall, speaking to us from Florida. “What do you do when the cheering stops? And, more importantly, are you prepared for life after you leave that locker room for the last time?
Marshall, who left Louisiana State University early for his football career, received his Master’s degree in Business Administration, and is now working on his doctorate while teaching sports management at Seton Hall University.
“When you come into the League, you are given a pad, a pencil and an itinerary – and you follow that itinerary knowing this is how it will be as long as you are there.
“But there is no pad or pencil or itinerary when you leave – and this is where so many young men – and older men – have fallen by the wayside.”
Implementing the Game Plan
While attaining his MBA, Marshall took mental notes of the situation regarding the class action suit against NFLPA and Players, Inc. as well as sharing his feelings and listening to other peers and current players in the League. “I observed what was going on around me and I could see there was a void in this transitory phase of these players’ lives.
“So I began working on a formula that would address some of the very issues everyone talked about –as well as some that didn’t merit as much immediate concern.
“I discussed this with some like – minded gentlemen, and from those conversations we created the Game Plan Foundation.”
Partnered with Corey Crowder, a 10 – year veteran of the National Basketball Association, and Andrew Neitlich, an MBA from Harvard, Marshall created the Game Plan Foundation (GPF); a non – profit organization designed expressly to provide medical and financial support for former players, most of who are unprepared for life after football.
Neitlich, a strategy consultant and author, reveals one truth that resonates from press box to locker room. “The sad reality with many of these kids we seek to reach is that in the three year span which encompasses most of their careers, they will make more money than they ever will again in life; but what they do with the money is the issue.
“But while many of them squander the cash on self – indulgence, they lose sight of the fact one day the phone will stop ringing – and the need for their services will have disappeared.”
Marshall also says one aspect not to be forgotten is this psychological effect to many a player once that phone does stop ringing. “There is a ‘midlife crisis’ many of these young men come to grips with years before they chronologically are in sync with their work life spans – which creates a disconnect.
“Most of these guys are feeling in their early 30s what other men in the workplace feel 10 or 15 years later, and that can create serious depression into a young man who just an eye blink ago was running for the end zone or making a game – saving stop.”
Education is the key, according to GPF – but that doesn’t always manifest itself in the world of pro football supply – and – demand. “You have guys going to school to play football, but many of them have little or no education when they leave,” said Marshall, “and the rate of success for guys like that in the NFL is very, very small – try one percent.
“Unless an epiphany or real – world situation hits that young man, they don’t realize until it’s too late that they need to find a job once they are out of sports.”
Neitlich feels that through GPF, many former players can restore their confidence by remembering what made them successful in the first place. “Many of the attributes these players brought to the table make them prime candidates to be successful in the corporate world.
“The commitment and discipline they used to make it in the league can be used in going back to school – or going into business. There is never a fear of failure when a cornerback gets beat on a long bomb; they just line up and go at it again.
“Sometimes it just takes a rekindling of that fire to get a young man’s head straight and apply it to his present situation – be it a new job or getting his degree.”
Marshall revealed how little regard the NFL has for its charges. “When I came into the league, I had to join the NFLPA – every player does. And you had to deal with (former NFLPA president Gene) Upshaw whether you wanted to or not.
“But one thing Upshaw encouraged players to do was to take advantage of the programs that were at our disposal. Unfortunately, that’s not the case now as the NFL sprinkles crumbs down to the players. Out of a multi - billion dollar conglomerate like the NFL, only $45,000 was squeezed out for a program to provide continuing education for players.
“There was a young man who was with me on the Giants, his name was Philippi Sparks. You might remember him even more now because his daughter, Jordan, was the winner on American Idol.
“Coming in the league as a young father, I told Sparks the same things that had been passed on to me – to keep focus on what life would be like after football. Because for every cat that makes it, too many others are broke or broken by the game.”
Gridiron Sham?
When asked about the organization Gridiron Greats, which was founded by former HOF member Mike Ditka and ideally supposed to do what GPF is already doing, Marshall paused before speaking frankly about its inability to follow through on its mission.
“The thing with Ditka was he and his people started Gridiron Greats with the intention to help with the disconnection ex –players feel -- but in truth, the organization hasn’t helped any one particular player.
“They raised money at golf events and such, but after their records show over $700,000 in donations, they have spent only $57,000 of it in a donation to a Catholic church, not any players. If you check their IRS 990 form, it shows the same.
“Two people that were with Gridiron Greats, my former teammate Harry Carson and Chris Visser (brother of sportscaster Leslie) resigned from the organization in large part because of this and a failure of management to grasp the concept behind those disconnected players. The person Ditka brought in to run it (Jennifer Smith) didn’t have a clue.”
(BASN & FRO attempted to contact Gridiron Greats Executive Director, Jennifer Smith to get her take on this, but as of press time, was unable to respond.)
“There are too many lives at stake, too many people we can help but no time to waste,” reminds Marshall. I made a point of creating this with others who would collectively bring forth a model which would work in providing a lifeline for former players that the League could utilize to generate a positive environment for those who play this game we love.
“While some may feel the League doesn’t owe them anything, improving their quality of life should be morally imperative to a League which wants to be seen as upright and a caretaker of the most popular spectator sport in the country.”
Rest assured this Game Plan will not be the last you hear from Leonard Marshall.
mike@footballreportersonline.com
Managing Partner's Note: We want to thank Wendell Simpson of Black Athlete Sports Network for his contribution to this article.
November 10th, 2008-12:45am
By Slavica Milosevska for Football Reporters Online
After signing a two year contract to the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, Dante Culpepper emerged from a short retirement at 31 years of age for an attempt to get today's statistically worst team of the NFL back on their feet.
Culpepper has expressed optimism in the team's potential and hoped to help bring their first victory, but only a miracle could help the Lions. “I can't say that I'm going to be the guy who changes everything, but I want to be the guy that helps," stated Culpepper. "No one person in football wins or loses the game."
The Lions were leading 7-3 at the end of the first quarter, but by half-time, the Jacksonville Jaguars gained the lead 24-7. In the fourth quarter, the Lions finally scored for the second time, and it ended the same way as it consistently has. The Lions lost 38-14.
The Lions rank 27th on offense, last in defense and are the only winless team this season. In 2001, the Lions lost their first 12 games and could very well make a new NFL record as the first 0-16 team.
On November 16th, the Lions will visit the Carolina Panthers who defeated the Oakland Raiders Sunday 17-6, are currently 7-2 and will be 8-2 after next Sunday's game.
APP. State Hangs 70 on Wofford-11/1/08
Last year's darlings of the FCS (division 1-AA)
Appalachain State proved they are still among the best teams in the country last night when they scored 70 points on Wofford University's Terrier's Squad. Qb Armanti Edwards tied a school record with 5 Touchdowns Passing in front of a record crowd of nearly 31,000 Stoked Holloween Fans.
| Mike Ingram talks about the Movie "The Express" on our College Football Page. |
I'm all for discipline. I'm all for strict enforcement of club policy. Let's not confuse the two though. Disciplining players who are acting up or appearing to be insubordinate through their comments to the press does not exonerate bad coaches and bad GM's for doing poor jobs. Period. The only way discipline holds weight is when it is doled out by clubs who do other things right as well. Like win games, and maximize their talent.
I'm not talking about Adam “Pacman” Jones and players who have already been suspended for behavior issues as well as legal troubles. I'm talking about Plaxico Burress, Larry Johnson, and now Kellen Winslow. These three have been put on the sidelines this season by their clubs for failing to follow team rules. Each case is unique yet all three deserve to fall under the same scrutiny. Were they attempts to divert attention away from poor decision making?
The Giants. OK, well they DID win the Super Bowl last year. Were undefeated at the time of their decision to leave Burress off the field against Seattle. As a result however, they were out of sync in Cleveland. The riff continues to this day, with Coughlin and Burress. No player is bigger than the team. And Plax SHOULD HAVE called in before choosing to miss the day. However, from the sounds of his answer a week later, it didn't appear that the Giants gave any credence to Burress' issues at home at all. Not everyone lives the Ward and June Cleaver lifestyle in his or her houses. A lot of these players have had it hard growing up, many repeating the behavior they saw as kids, now as adults. Again, not to wipe the Burrress situation under the rug, but maybe the club might have been better off keeping this one quiet, and in house, like they ask their own players to do after tough losses. Not run to the media to air it out in the way Jeremy Shockey used to do and still does in New Orleans. Had the Giants chose an alternative say, just a fine, they would not be trying to figure out why Eli Manning is starting to look like Eli Manning circa October of 2007. Confused and lacking confidence in his reads and throws, he needs Burress focused and happy. Burress was insulted and embarrassed by the suspension. He ought to take responsibility for letting his team down. Maybe he should apologize, since he never has. On the other hand the team ought to consider why they had to lay such a heavy hand in that situation. Was it worth it? Suspending Plax was not a cover up but may become a problem that could have been avoided with a softer punitive approach.
Larry Johnson acting like an idiot off the field deserves no comment. Starting up with a woman in a bar is inexcusable. Granted. But let's not take the GM or coach Herm Edwards off the hook in Kansas City as a result. Please. The Chiefs are so awful they are hard to watch. Of course letting your top pass rusher leave to Minnesota, going into the season with USFL quarterbacks and not knowing how to use a top five running back in Johnson is the primary cause for things going the way they have in KC. Blame the guy who couldn't wait to hire Edwards after legend Dick Vermeil stepped down. Why? Because Herm Edwards is the perfect example of the “Rich Kotite” theory. A coach who signs on to a club with a solid base then makes it progressively worse each season as he puts HIS OWN stamp on things. Edwards is a poor game planner, from what I remember in NY a pathetic clock management guy, and says, "You play to win the game" yet really coaches not to lose the game. GM Carl Peterson ought to step up to the mic and explain why he thought it was OK to go into the season with Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle before he or anyone tries to tell us the reasons why LJ will sit this Sunday in the Meadowlands. The Inmates are running the jailhouse in sports too much these days. I realize this. Yet are they running things any better than unqualified coaches are getting re hired over and over again?
Now to the Dawg Pound. First of all, what the hell is a staph infection? Sounds like something that keeps a kid home from school for two weeks. And why have a million Browns had this over the past year or so? Sounds like we're in medieval Ireland over there by lake Erie and the potato famine breakout is upon us. Maybe an Obama victory can help the Browns with a government subsidized health care plan they can afford to cover this madness. Anyway, Winslow gets sick, is told to keep the potato famine thing hush hush, gets mad after a loss, calls everyone out, and gets suspended. The team that threw the most talented receiving TE in years on special teams his rookie year for an onsides kick so his leg could get broken in a pileup, is now laying down the law. Great. Good for them. They're right. Players DO need to shut their mouths. Not arguing this point. What I will argue is that this should provide ZERO shelter to Romeo Crennel whose 2 and 5 team has been a shadow of their 2007 model. QB Derek Anderson is off. WR Braylon Edwards, other than the Giants game, can't get open. Crennel's work weeks ago before the end of both halves against Pittsburgh was proof that he himself enrolled in the Herm Edwards clock management school over the summer. Go ahead discipline Winslow, Romeo. You better start winning though. There will be no scapegoats for you if the Browns go 5-11.
There will be no scapegoats for Edwards either. The time to get LJ on track with a real QB has already come and gone. The time to get Winslow going was months ago. Coach Coughlin we'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but you ought to practice what you preach. Keep things that belong in house, well, in house. It's too bad we can’t discipline coaches for prolonged careers of mediocre coaching. We'd have to bring back Wayne Fontes then, just to suspend him for a game. In the end, Disciplining out of line players is fair. It should not cover up bad decision making on and off the field by teams looking to cover their you know what’s.
(Eds. Note) TJ Rosenthal is one of our newer writers at Football Reporters Online. To say that he is opinionated would be an understatement.
October 27, 2008
By Slavica Milosevska for Football Reporters Online
The Kansas City Chiefs have concluded that RB Larry Johnson will not participate in foreknown future after being charged with non-aggravated assault for spiting his drink in a 24-year old woman's face at The Blonde, a Kansas City nightclub, on October 10th. The woman claims Johnson repeatedly threatened to kill her boyfriend and spit at her three times again while being escorted out. This is the fourth case where Johnson allegedly assaulted a woman. Johnson was already out the last two games for breaking team rules and was teetering a suspension from the NFL. If suspended, the Chiefs may refuse to pay $5.5 million in guaranteed bonuses.
A serious issue is Johnson's past “reported” abuse towards woman, and remember, “reported” could mean more situations not on the record. In 2003, a felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor domestic battery for waving a gun in his home while arguing with his ex-girlfriend were dropped because of an agreement to enroll in a domestic violence program. Then in 2005, there was an accusation of throwing a woman to the ground, but again the case was dropped because on three separate hearings, the victim did not to appear in court. Then while awaiting his December 3rd court appearance for pushing a woman's head to the floor on February 24th, facing a six month maximum sentence and a $500 fine, he is now charged with a simple municipal assault charge.
Johnson stated in a recent public apology, “This is the first time in my life I actually had to stand up, I mean actually woke up and kind of be disgusted with myself and disgusted as far as the way my life and my career is heading right now. In times of darkness, you’ve got to look for the light and that’s what I plan on doing, regardless of what suspensions and fines are being handed down. I will take them as sincerely as they give them out.”
One would question, did this man have a rough childhood? According to the two-time Pro Bowl player, family has been very supportive. Academics and athletics were emphasized, and he believes his parents and two younger siblings helped him excel to attain his goals. Johnson has said that his father, Larry Sr., a Penn State Football Coach, is his best friend and that they are very close. His mother, Christine, an educator, is extraordinarily pleasant. Since her son's legal problems, she has been on his defense saying that he is not angry, just misunderstood and occasionally guarded.
In 2005, with the inspiration of his upbringing, Johnson founded the LJ’s Legacy & Growth Youth Foundation to create positive thinking, behavior and attitudes for self image and be a positive role model like his parents. Christine is part of the Professional Football Players Mothers' Association (PFPMA). She is hosting their donation event “Tackling Hunger” in State College, Pennsylvania on November 21st. Since her son's legal problems, she has been his defense saying that he is not angry, just misunderstood and occasionally guarded.
Johnson is not being the role model his parents were to him. It seems as if he hates women, but Johnson had a nurturing, caring mother and his father was not abusive. Where did he learn all these outlandish behaviors come from...aside from the boozing at the club? His actions are very disturbing with the frequency in violence against women. One would think that kicking the shit out of guys all day playing pro football is enough to release whatever frustrations one may have. I just don't get it.
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The View of the Stage at Radio City on Day two of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Lester, A long time Browns fan, shared his thoughts with us.
True Packers Fans who Braved the chill of New York City to be at the day 2 draft festivities.
All photos Above by Jon Wagner for Football Reporters Online. All Gallery Photos and the shots below
by A.F. Chachkes Or Dr Bill Chachkes for Football Reporters Online
Dr Bill Chachkes Speaks with "Bill Walsh"
Jon Wagner speaks with some Giants Fans waiting for their Wristbands
Bill has a good time with some Steelers fans
Jon has a calming moment with long time Giants fan"Blue Shrek"
As we Wrapped up outside on day one, Jon met this Broncos fan who came all the way from Colorado with his flag
Even the Last pick in the Draft deserves some Love
with just a few picks to go, Bill and ESPN's John Clayton talk it up....
(thanks to Yardbarker.com's Dewey Hammond for taking this shot)