Real role models Many NFL offseason antics that draw the headlines are the tawdry ones. But not all players are getting into trouble. Former Sooner Clayton and other caring NFL players spend their offs Former Sooner Clayton and other caring NFL players spend their offseasons at charity events
He stepped toward it, then let his shot fly.
Bam.
The former Oklahoma wide receiver watched as it curved out to the right, then dove hard to the left. Farther and farther it went. There was no stopping it.
Gutter ball.
Clayton turned toward his team, a group that paid $5,000 or more to bowl with him Saturday night during the inaugural Mark Clayton Foundation Charity Weekend. A wide grin spread across his face, a hearty laugh rose from his belly, and everyone joined in.
This is how Clayton and dozens of other NFL players spend their offseason, doing charity events of all shapes and sizes. Charity events are much a part of the offseason as rest and relaxation. Weekdays are spent working out, but weekends are filled with charity events all over the country.
This weekend, about two dozen current NFL players were involved with Clayton's event.
There were former Sooner teammates, Tommie Harris, Jammal Brown, Brodney Pool and Clint Ingram among them.
There were current Baltimore teammates, including Steve McNair, Troy Smith and Corey Ivy.
And there were other players such as Wes Welker and Chad Pennington. They've never been on a team with Clayton but were quick to oblige when asked for help.
"What's really awesome ... is that there are a bunch of good guys that are willing to help each other and support each other,” Clayton said. "We understand that being a role model comes with the territory. We have a solid group of guys that take that responsibility on and do whatever they can to be that positive role model.”
Think the offseason is all about dog fighting and wife beating for NFL players? Think again.
For the first three years of his foundation, Clayton paid for just about everything out of his own pocket. He decided to start the celebrity weekend not because he wanted someone else to foot the bill, but because he wanted to do more.
His efforts center on children and families in the foster care system, and even though he's made some inroads, he wants to fund more scholarships and programs and supplies.
Steve McNair knows the feeling.
"Mark has accepted the responsibility that life is bigger than him,” the Baltimore quarterback said Friday night at the Winner's Circle VIP Reception, which kicked off Clayton's charity weekend. "He's fortunate to be in a position where he can go and help other people. When you have that sense of responsibility ... you're willing to do that.”
McNair has been willing for a decade. That's how long his foundation has been providing for different charities near and dear to his heart, including United Way and Special Olympics.
He won the NFL Players Association's top award for service to team and community in 2005.
"A lot of people see all the negative things that NFL players do ... but they don't see what we try to do positive,” McNair said.
Indeed, the offseason antics that draw the headlines are the tawdry ones. Chris Henry facing assault charges for punching a man in the face and breaking his car window with a beer bottle. Bryant McKinnie facing aggravated battery charges for brawling outside a Miami nightclub. Dwayne Jarrett pleading not guilty to driving while impaired.
And that's just the stuff that's happened in the past few weeks.
We know every last detail of those stories, but what about Michael Huff's celebrity basketball game last weekend? Or Larry Fitzgerald's cancer benefit over the weekend? Or Pennington's bowling tournament in a few weeks?
"Unfortunately, it's not catchy,” Pennington said of charity work. "It doesn't sell newspapers. It doesn't catch the listener's or viewer's attention.”
That hasn't deterred Pennington from his work with his 1st and 10 Foundation. The New York Jets quarterback started the foundation with wife, Robin, five years ago. Their mission was to fund programs and institutions seeking to improve the quality of life in Tennessee, where Pennington grew up; West Virginia, where he went to college; and New York, where he plays pro ball.
Over the past two years, the foundation has awarded more than $420,000 in grants.
That takes work.
And help.
Pennington called Clayton to see if he'd participate in his bowling weekend. Both players are represented by agents at Creative Artists Agency. Clayton agreed to help and asked if Pennington would do the same.
Same with former Texas Longhorn and current Oakland cornerback Michael Huff, who had his first celebrity basketball game last weekend in Austin.
"I dunked on him,” Huff said of Clayton. "You can ask him.”
He laughed.
"He's like 5-9, 140 pounds. I go over him.”
But players help out other players, doing each other's events, scratching each other's backs. Even though Troy Smith has been in the league less than a year, the former Heisman Trophy winner already understands the system.
"It's kind of like quid pro-quo — this for that,” the Baltimore quarterback said. "When (Mark) called, it was a no-brainer. Being a rookie, it's kind of what you have to do because when my events come up in the future, hopefully when I give the call, it'll be a no-brainer for them.”
Clayton has already agreed to play in Smith's golf tournament in June.
The offseason charity circuit is really only beginning. Even though plenty of work has already been done — Clayton, for example, did charity events each of the three weekends before his — the number of events will increase in the coming weeks. Many of the same faces that were seen in Norman will be at other charity shindigs all over the country.
"You get about five solid months that you can go help out, try to do a lot,” said Harris, the former Sooner turned All-Pro defensive tackle in Chicago. "It's your free time.”
And not every NFL player spends it sitting on his derriere.
No doubt the league has its lawbreakers and troublemakers, but it also has plenty of good guys making the most of their offseasons.
Why do they give?
"Somebody helped us along the way,” Pennington said. "None of us are here because we did it by ourselves. As NFL players, that's our passion to give back because we've been so blessed.”
Clayton said: "More than anything, I believe this — when you do for others in return there's a joy. It's unbelievable the kinds of fulfillment you get out of doing for somebody else.”
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I just appreciate the fact that this article lets people know that not all NFL players or professional athletes in general are out screwing up when they're not playing. People really need to understand that the players who make the headlines for doing bad things or using questionable judgement are the exception not the rule.
Yeah I wouldn't mind shelling out a few hundred bucks to hang, but not $5000. The first I heard about is was on the way to Norman Friday night, after it was too late. They also had a dinner Saturday night and they all went to a club in Norman later that evening. Not sure how much those cost though. Too bad they don't publicize things like that more. I think you'd have a lot of folks willing to give a couple hundred bucks to charity while hanging out with the guys.
Funny you say that Chris because I go to Mark Harmon's bowling event each year. I just think they could do more to raise money if they wouldn't make it so exclusive.
Scott, it wasn't publicized around here much either. Sounds like it was only open to a select few businesses or rich people. Kind of like Mark Harmon's bowling event in Edmond each year.
Chad Pennington signs a card for Vallan Burk of Edmond during a fund raising event for Mark Clayton's foundation in Norman. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
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