Athletes for Causes

Every day we turn on television and radio our airwaves are filled with the negativity of our multimillion dollar athletes and their penchant for getting into trouble. Whether it’s Terrell Owens “ruining” another team, Michael Vick and his cruelty to dogs, Plaxico Burress carrying an unlicensed gun to a nightclub, Adam Jones making it rain as if he was trying to cultivate the Sahara Desert, or the steroid episodes involving Barry Bonds, Manny Ramirez and Rafael Palmeiro, our athletes get as much publicity for their negative actions on and off the field as they get for the gaudy stats that made them famous.

But is this fair that we as the media only glamorize the athlete’s ills? Why do we only show the negative side of the athlete? It’s simple. Negativity draws, its sells, it keeps our eyes glued to the tube and our ears close to the speaker box. We look for any ways to dehumanize the superstar athlete because we tend to forget that they are just that—humans; humans who are prone to the very mistakes that we “regular people” have often committed.

What many of us fail to realize is that these very athletes we so often see in a negative light are the same athletes raising millions of dollars for various causes. I am in no shape or form condoning any disruptive and ignorant actions of some of our beloved sports superstars, but let’s, for one moment, pay attention to some of the positive things they do off the field. Let’s pay attention to some of the lives they have touched, money raised and the constant actions of giving, instead of always looking to condemn. Here are a few players whose giving ways are rarely noticed.

Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens, yes he is the NFL’s poster boy for being spoiled and “divalicious.” But Terrell is one of those athletes who supports various causes and has always given back to his community. In 2002, during Super Bowl weekend, Terrell produced a celebrity basketball game to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s, the disease that afflicts his beloved grandmother, Alice Walker. He donated proceeds from the game to a local New Orleans Alzheimer’s chapter and, eventually, was able to speak to a congressional committee in Washington about research and funding to find a cure.

His annual star-studded birthday party is produced to give 81 needy families much needed support for the holidays and his Catch a Dream Foundation has produced football camps for many kids in Dallas for the past three years. Terrell goes all out on the field when it comes to the game of football and he does the same for the many causes he believes in and tackles these causes with the same hard work and dedication. For more information on the T.O. foundation, visit his website at www.terrellowens.com.

Orlando Hudson

This Dodgers star is one of the best outfielders in the game, but aside from his spectacular catches on the field, Orlando Hudson goes over the fences with his foundation C.A.T.C.H. (Curing Autism Through Change and Hope). Orlando was always drawn to the plight of autistic children as a child and promised his mother that should he ever be in position to provide assistance to the cause, he would vehemently do so. His foundation has produced events, sponsored trips and also provided means for kids with autism to attend Dodgers game to see him play. He vows to continue his efforts in helping kids and plans events year-round to do so through his foundation. Orlando understands the challenges that these kids face and wants to help in every way possible.

Attacking the issue and putting himself at the forefront of the fight is something that’s highly commendable, same as winning three gold gloves for his spectacular defensive work on the field. Orlando is not stopping there, though. He has taken yet another great challenge. Through his foundation, he has created the “Around the Mound Tour,” a nine city program aimed at recruiting more minority youth to the sport of baseball. For more on C.A.T.C.H. and the “Around the Mound” tour log onto www.orlandohudson1.com.

Alonzo Mourning

“Fierce competitor.” “Warrior.” “Aggressive.” “Dedicated.” These are all adjectives used to describe one of the greatest basketball players over the past 15 years. A man, whose screams after a great play are a trademark of his all-out efforts on the basketball court, always puts on the full court press when it comes to giving back to the community. Ever since he stepped foot on the beautiful sands of South Beach, Alonzo has been endeared to the South Florida community for his charity work. His event, ZO’s Summer Grove, has been one of the most attended and longest running athlete charity events in the country. Held in Miami every July, the five-day event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various charities, through his very own foundation, Alonzo Mourning Charities.

Alonzo Mourning attacks various children’s programs the very same way he attacked the backboards during his illustrious career. His initiatives includes mentoring programs for young girls, youth summits for teens, food drives during Thanksgiving and holiday parties for children during Christmas. For more information on the Alonzo Mourning Charities, please visit the Web site at www.amcharities.org.

There are many more athletes whose giving, caring and dedications to the greater good are rarely noticed. We should take notice of them sometimes, applaud their contributions to society, heap praise for their generosity and cherish this rare commodity of unselfishness. We always seem to condemn them for their negative actions, but let’s look a little deeper sometimes and publicize the positive efforts of those who really care about the world outside of sports.