Sports

Life’s Playbook: NFL Schools Rookies on Being a Professional

Published

9 years ago

June 24, 2015

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota explains a football drill to students during the NFL Rookie Symposium in Berea, Ohio, Tuesday, June 23, 2015. (AP Photo/David Richard)

TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — To prepare rookies for life as professionals, the NFL is again providing a crash course filled with seminars, testimonials and advice on how to navigate the pitfalls of fame and fortune.

All the league really had to do was have the new players look at Commissioner Roger Goodell’s appointment book Tuesday.

If Tom Brady can step out of bounds, anyone can.

While New England’s superstar quarterback was in New York appealing a four-game suspension for using underinflated footballs in the AFC title game, the conference’s rookie draft class, including the Titans’ Marcus Mariota, continued a four-day symposium designed to get them ready for the NFL and beyond.

“That’s why we’re here,” said Mariota, the Heisman Trophy winner from Oregon taken with the No. 2 overall pick by Tennessee. “They provide us information that will help us not only on the financial side of stuff, but on the field and off the field. And as we go forward, we’ll take this information to hopefully help ourselves.”

Now in its 17th year, the symposium is viewed by the league as a vital first step for its players, a springboard toward success. Panel discussions feature current and former players, who talk candidly about their experiences, whether it’s being bilked by a financial adviser or a life-altering legal mistake.

Former wide receiver Donte Stallworth spoke to the group about the consequences of his DUI manslaughter conviction for hitting and killing a man in 2009.

“It just something that opens your eyes and makes you realize life it too important,” Browns offensive tackle Cameron Erving said. “It makes you realize that life it too short to cut it short off something that is easily fixed.”

With its red-white-and-blue shield stained last season by the Aaron Hernandez murder case and Ray Rice’s domestic abuse situation, the NFL is trying to be more proactive in supporting its players with programs meant to help them and policies that will weed out the biggest troublemakers.

Goodell has displayed a strong, swift hand with discipline, and the league has implemented a new conduct policy that calls for a six-game suspension for a first-time domestic violence offense and a lifetime ban for a second.

Charles Way, the league’s new vice president of player engagement, said the emphasis during this year’s symposium is on actions, not words.

“We tell them, you don’t have to learn from others’ mistakes, but you can learn from others’ successes,” said Way, a fullback with the New York Giants from 1995-99. “It’s just being more positive, saying you don’t have to be labeled as a bad guy because this isn’t what this league is, this league is about values, respect, integrity, responsibility, resiliency and how if you use those values how it can lead to a successful life not just on the field, but off the field.”

“It’s educating these guys and inspiring these guys and empowering these guys to be great men. Not just good football players, but great men.”

With their symposium winding down — the NFC rookies will be in later this week — the AFC players took a break Tuesday to play football with area school kids, some not much younger than the new pros.

Mariota and his Titans teammates, including wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, whose involvement in a domestic abuse case ultimately led to his dismissal at Missouri, broke a sweat running around inside the Browns’ indoor training facility. It was a welcome break from the serious discussions the past few days and a chance to process a lot of information.

For Ravens tight end Maxx Williams, much what he heard during the symposium was familiar. His father, Brian, played center for the Giants from 1989-99, and has briefed his son on what to expect in the NFL. Still, the younger Williams said it was good to have the lessons fortified.

“I tried to take away from all of it, from the financial stuff, knowing how to set yourself up for the future and learning from veterans on how I should prepare my body,” he said. “I’ve heard it from my dad, but it’s always better to hear it from someone in the league, a teammate. It reinforces everything he always said to me.”

Mariota seems to have a head start on some of the other rookies. Unlike many in his generation, he’s abstaining from social media, a new distraction for today’s players and a place where the misuse of a word or photo can have major repercussions.

“You’ve got to be careful,” Mariota said. “I like to keep my personal life private.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Bay Area

Love Life Organization Shows Love

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day. It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

Published

5 days ago

October 28, 2024

Oakland Post

Members of the 1975 NBA championship team, Charles Dudley (left) and Clifford Ray (right) embrace Love Life Foundation leader Donald Lacy for his antiviolence mission. Courtesy photo.

City of Oakland Celebrates 1975 NBA World Championship Team

By Donald Lacy

Special to The Post

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day.

It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

The 1975 NBA World Championship team were invited back to the City of Oakland last Friday, to be properly celebrated for their ground-breaking performance in 1975.

The heartwarming ceremony highlighted the recent passing of the legendary coach of that team, Al Attlles, and his former players Clifford Ray and Charles Dudley were on hand to represent the “Cardiac Kids” as they were called back then for their ability to make great comeback victories during their run for the title.

Warriors great Chris Mullin and former spiritual advisor Gary Reeves gave heartfelt testimonies of their experiences under Attles’ leadership and their relationship with the inspiration they received from the NBA 1975 World Champion Golden State Warriors.

The City of Oakland provided proclamations to all parties with speeches made by city leadership including Mayor Sheng Thao and Deputy Mayor Dr. Kimberly Mayfield and activity host Love Life non-profit founder and Executive Director Donald E. Lacy Jr..

There will be a celebration of life event Nov. 9 honoring Attles’ legacy at Alameda College.

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California Black Media

Several Black Californians Are Playing Key Roles in LA 28 Olympics Planning

From politicians and businesspeople to athletes and community leaders, a number of Black Californians are contributing to the thought leadership that is shaping the planning of LA28, the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. At the forefront is Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor, Karen Bass, who has, in many ways, become the face of the Games in the City of Angels.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

From left to right: IOC Member Hong Zhang, IOC Vice President Nicole Hoevertsz, Rex Richardson, Mayor of Long Beach, LA28 President Casey Wasserman, James T. Butts, Mayor of Inglewood, IOC President Thomas Bach, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, the President of the Los Angeles City Council (IOC/Greg Martin)

By Lila Brown, California Black Media

At the forefront is Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor, Karen Bass, who has, in many ways, become the face of the Games in the City of Angels.

“The 2028 Games present an incredible opportunity to unite our city and lift up every corner of Los Angeles,” said Bass during a historic event at Los Angeles City Hall on Sept. 13, when the Olympic and Paralympic flags were unveiled and installed.

The event marked the return of the Olympic flag to L.A. since 1984, when the city hosted the Olympics for the second time. It was the first time the Paralympic flag was raised in California’s largest city.

“From creating jobs to supporting small businesses, we are committed to ensuring that these Games benefit all Angelenos — not just for the summer of 2028, but for decades to come,” Bass added.

Nearly two months after the Olympic flag handover from Paris to Los Angeles, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach visited Los Angeles.

Bach toured several of the city’s newest world-class sporting venues, including the SoFi Stadium and the recently opened Intuit Dome, both located in Inglewood. At the stadiums, he was joined by two other Los Angeles County Black mayors, whose cities will be key to hosting LA28 events: Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts and Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.

SoFi Stadium, known as the home of NFL teams the LA Rams and LA Chargers, will host swimming competitions during the LA28 Games, with a temporary pool set to make it the largest swimming venue in Olympic history, boasting 38,000 seats. Intuit Dome, Inglewood’s newest state-of-the-art venue and home to the LA Clippers, will host the Olympic basketball tournament in the 18,000-seat arena.

In an interview with California Black Media ( CBM), Butts highlighted Inglewood’s central role in the upcoming Games, stating, “Inglewood will host the Opening and Closing ceremonies, basketball, and swimming competitions of the 2028 Olympic Games. This will be our second hosting of Olympic Basketball, the first in 1984.”

Marqueece Harris-Dawson, President of the Los Angeles City Council, also attended the tour.

Harris-Dawson is one of the leading backers of PlayLA, a parks development program that promises to provide sports programming to “young Angelenos of all abilities.” The initiative is funded by a $160 million investment from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the International Olympic Committee.

Black Californians serving on the LA28 Board include Businesswoman Mellody Hobson; decorated Paralympian Lex Gillette; former Netflix Executive Dana Smith; President of the LA County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Yvonne Wheeler; and television host, retired sprinter and four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson.

Rosalyn Brant Clark, a 1976 Olympic silver medalist and mother of three-time Paralympian Breanna Clark, said while the “Games for All” theme is promising, she is looking for more concrete action that impacts the lives of ordinary people, including Black Californians.

“They are going to need to show me more on that one before it gets my stamp of approval,” she added, challenging organizers to ensure genuine inclusivity.

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Bay Area

Ohemaa Nyanin Named GM of Valkyries WNBA Team

The Bay Area is filled with excitement, and much of the conversation is about the Bay Area’s newest WNBA team — the VALKYRIES! The Golden State Warriors were awarded the 13th team in the WNBA last October, and just four months ago, the team’s General Manager was announced — Ohemaa Nyanin.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Y’Anad Burrell

Nyanin’s parents are from Ghana, and she was born in Maryland. Nyanin’s experience in this industry precedes her both as a former college player and on the business side. Nyanin is an American University alumna who played on the Eagles’ women’s basketball team. In 2019, Nyanain joined the WNBA team, The New York Liberty, initially serving as the director of basketball operations before she became assistant general manager.

“No excuses,” Nyanin said. “We are here, first and foremost, as humans, and secondly to win basketball games. So how do we do that, and how do we do that in the most inclusive way?”

From viewing interviews that Nyanin has done since her arrival in the Bay Area, a constant theme in her conversations is talking about taking a “people first” approach. Nyanin talks about how she will be focused on the players, staff, and fans as she navigates and executes her role as general manager. Health, both mentally and physically, is important to Nyanin, as I’ve seen in her many interviews.

Just days ago, The Golden State Warriors announced the head coach for the Valkyries — Natalie Nakase.

Nakase has been the assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces for the past three seasons, where she was a part of the Aces’ back-to-back championship run in 2022 and 2023. Before joining the Aces’ coaching staff, Nakase spent ten seasons with her hometown team, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their G League.

The Valkyries will practice at downtown Oakland’s Golden State Warrior space and play games at Chase Center in San Francisco. This is an excellent opportunity to experience both sides of the water.

The Valkyries WNBA season opens May 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, and the Valkyries website shows over 18,000 season-ticket deposits. For clarity, if someone is ‘interested’ in purchasing season tickets, a $25 deposit is required. The Chase Center’s capacity is a little over 18,000, so you can imagine how electrifying the stadium will be during all home games.

Ohemaa, welcome to the Bay and The Town!