Okay, so we hear, day in and day out, about this athlete or that athlete blatantly breaking the law or doing something else that sheds a negative light on them. Of course, those stories are PLASTERED all over the paper and our TV screens. Well, here's a story that merited 3 paragraphs in the paper and not ONE mention on ESPN News this morning.
Did you see what Hampton Roads' native (and former NBA Star) Alonzo Mourning has done to help the Haitians? He and current NBA star Dewayne Wade established The Haitian Earthquake Relief Fund and, with the help of a number of athletes, raised $800,000 in a matter of a weekend. NBA stars Lebron James, Chris Paul and Wade all donated $100,000 or more. They, along with Alonzo are known for their philanthropy, but now check out the other names on the list: Gilbert Arenas of the NBA's Washington Wizards (for those who don't know, he's the NBA player who brought unloaded guns into his team's locker room recently); Donte Stallworth (Remember him? The NFL suspended him for the year for a DUI accident that killed a pedestrian); Michael Vick (Need I say more here!); Patriots' Receiver Randy Moss (Never considered a saint by anyone), Buffalo Bills' receiver Terrell Owens (he's the one who has a habit of wearing out his welcome everywhere he plays)and many more from both the NBA and the NFL. Okay, so some of the athletes, I have mentioned, are not angels BUT here's living proof that they are actual human beings who believe in improving the human condition but, since it wasn't negative news, we'll have to search to find it and that, to me, speaks volumes. So, let's cut these athletes a break and give them SOME credit for having a heart. This is one media guy who wants the world to know.
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