add 1 more notch to the Donovan belt, he's just in a class by himself, he gives, he speaks, he's a gentelman and in the face of adversity, never bails on anyone!!! with all the violence goin on lately in the NFL or i should say "outside" the NFL, feel good stories are what we need more of!!
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb went back to his former high school Friday and implored Chicago students to stop killing each other.
''It bothers me to see that on TV, you guys killing yourselves,'' said McNabb, who was at Mount Carmel to be inducted into the South Side school's Hall of Fame.
A 1994 Mount Carmel graduate, McNabb was joined by '92 alumnus and longtime NFL defensive lineman Simeon Rice.
Speaking to a packed gym of students, faculty and parents, McNabb said no matter where he goes, he is a Chicagoan at heart, but watching national news coverage of the recent shootings of Chicago area schoolchildren is upsetting.
McNabb, a Dolton native, asked the Mount Carmel students why teenagers are shooting each other. Twenty-four Chicago Public Schools students have been killed by gunfire this year.
''You guys are killing yourselves, and for what?'' he said. ''To get a better pair of shoes? What are we doing? We're taking [life] away from each other.''
McNabb addressed the perils of living in gang-infested areas. He pointed out that when he and Rice, who lived in the Roseland neighborhood, were at Mount Carmel, they were approached to join gangs but refused.
''You got a guy trying to recruit you, and we had the same thing,'' McNabb said. ''We had no problem saying no. You need to do something with your lives. Get off the streets and stay at home. Do your homework and put the Sony PlayStation 2 joysticks down.''
Senior Steve Filer, who will play football at Notre Dame next fall, said McNabb's message hit home.
''In my AP government class, we talk about the violence and kids dying so early,'' Filer said.
McNabb said the speech wasn't planned or written out in advance.
''I thought about a couple of things and just went off the cuff,'' he said. ''I wanted to be real and relate to them and give them something to ponder.''
McNabb also emphasized to the Mount Carmel students how he went to Syracuse on a football scholarship and graduated in four years with a degree in communications and a double minor in African-American studies and business.
He will begin preparing for his 10th NFL season today when he reports to the Eagles' minicamp. He was the second pick in the 1999 draft and led the Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX.
Original Story:
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/preps/930....
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb went back to his former high school Friday and implored Chicago students to stop killing each other.
''It bothers me to see that on TV, you guys killing yourselves,'' said McNabb, who was at Mount Carmel to be inducted into the South Side school's Hall of Fame.
A 1994 Mount Carmel graduate, McNabb was joined by '92 alumnus and longtime NFL defensive lineman Simeon Rice.
Speaking to a packed gym of students, faculty and parents, McNabb said no matter where he goes, he is a Chicagoan at heart, but watching national news coverage of the recent shootings of Chicago area schoolchildren is upsetting.
McNabb, a Dolton native, asked the Mount Carmel students why teenagers are shooting each other. Twenty-four Chicago Public Schools students have been killed by gunfire this year.
''You guys are killing yourselves, and for what?'' he said. ''To get a better pair of shoes? What are we doing? We're taking [life] away from each other.''
McNabb addressed the perils of living in gang-infested areas. He pointed out that when he and Rice, who lived in the Roseland neighborhood, were at Mount Carmel, they were approached to join gangs but refused.
''You got a guy trying to recruit you, and we had the same thing,'' McNabb said. ''We had no problem saying no. You need to do something with your lives. Get off the streets and stay at home. Do your homework and put the Sony PlayStation 2 joysticks down.''
Senior Steve Filer, who will play football at Notre Dame next fall, said McNabb's message hit home.
''In my AP government class, we talk about the violence and kids dying so early,'' Filer said.
McNabb said the speech wasn't planned or written out in advance.
''I thought about a couple of things and just went off the cuff,'' he said. ''I wanted to be real and relate to them and give them something to ponder.''
McNabb also emphasized to the Mount Carmel students how he went to Syracuse on a football scholarship and graduated in four years with a degree in communications and a double minor in African-American studies and business.
He will begin preparing for his 10th NFL season today when he reports to the Eagles' minicamp. He was the second pick in the 1999 draft and led the Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX.
Original Story:
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/preps/930....
