The Oben's are no stranger to giving back and helping people!

Since the Earthquake that came and devastated the Country of Haiti, the Oben family knew it had to act. It had to join the fight and once again throw in a helping hand when times seem their most dire. Linda Claude-Oben has deep ties to the country being a first generation Haitian-American. Her and and husband recently founded CORE (Claude Oben Recovery Effort) which has organized to once again head to Haiti and help. Roman was kind enough to email this press release that gives us some more insight into Linda’s trip.

July 28, 2010 – NEW YORK, NY – Linda Claude-Oben, wife of Super Bowl XXXVII champion and retired NFL lineman Roman Oben, leaves this Friday, July 30, on her second mission trip to Haiti, her first as co-founder of the Claude-Oben Recovery Effort (CORE).

“We were saddened by the devastation experienced by the Haitian people due to this terrible tragedy,” said Oben. “We’re fortunate to be able to contribute in any way possible and by establishing CORE, we have opened the door for both short and long-term recovery assistance.”

As a first generation Haitian-American, Linda Claude-Oben was particularly moved by the January 12, 2010 earthquake and resulting devastation, including the loss of an estimated 200,000 lives. As a recent graduate of Benjamin Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, Claude-Oben spent her 2010 spring break in Grand Goâve, Haiti with the Haitian American Nurses Association of Rockland County (H.A.N.A.) on their mission trip. During the trip, she witnessed firsthand the trail of destruction left by this earthquake. Amidst piles of rubble, they provided a three-day medical clinic and distributed food and clothing to survivors.

After making a commitment to return to Grand Goâve to assist in the rebuilding process, Claude-Oben and her husband, through the Roman Oben Foundation, developed CORE. CORE was established to adopt the community of Grand Goâve and assist in their short-term goals of providing free medical care and food to those affected by the earthquake, with the long-term goal to build a standalone orphanage and permanent structure for a free medical clinic. On the upcoming 14-day trip, CORE will have two four-day missions; the first to establish a free medical clinic and the second to distribute food and clothing to local residents.

For more information on CORE, the Roman Oben Foundation or for updates on
this and upcoming mission trips, please call the Roman Oben Foundation at
800-717-0337 or visit www.romanoben.com.

Cleveland Browns D-Lineman “Big BaBy” Shaun Rogers called 911 last Thursday night as he was driving south on Interstate 71 in Middleburg Heights when he saw an erratic driver.

Rogers had a conversation with the dispatcher, Rogers said,

“The occupants appear to be either very sleepy or drunk, he’s run off the road several times swerving across, they’re driving on a flat tire right now.”

Rogers proceeded to stay on the phone with the dispatcher and proceded to follow the car which he described as driving on a blown front tire. When the driver finally pulled over near the exit to Pearl Road, Rogers told the dispatcher that the driver turned off his lights. The back end of the car was sitting partially in the fast lanes and in danger of being hit by someone. Rogers pulled up behind them in his pickup truck and put his emergency flashing lights on to warn other drivers on the highway

“Mr. Rogers positioned himself behind that vehicle and turned his emergency flashers on to notify other drivers that there was an emergency on the road, and I don’t know what would’ve happened had he not done that,” Middleburg Heights Police Chief John Maddox said.

John Nykiel 20, was arrested by Maddox police. kiel, and was charged with driving under the influence and operating an unsafe vehicle.

Maddox firmly believes that Shaun Rogers actions on that Thursday night saved lives. He also put together a letter to send to Rogers and his bosses at the Browns organization.

“I thought his actions were above and beyond and I wanted to express to him as chief of police how much we appreciate what he did that night he helped keep Middleburg Heights safe,” Maddox said.

Maddox said they usually get calls from drivers spotting erratic driving behavior on the road, but he said Shaun Rogers took it a step further than most.

Skinnypost.com would like to take our hats off to Shaun Rogers for his act of bravery and quick thinking!

By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter

ESPN’s “My Wish” series returns with the heart felt story of 10-year-old boy named Jailen Cooper. After he survived brain surgery, Jailen hoped to meet the Oakland Raiders and tackle his favorite player, Darren McFadden. With a little help from Raiders head coach Tom Cable, his wish became reality.

Jailen Cooper’s last couple of years have been tough. In 2006, his grandfather, Linwood May, suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. Jailen, who grew up without a father, Linwood May made up for that male role model in his life. Linwood inspired Jailen everyday through his love of football.

“They’d give each other a pound before they’d leave each other and [May] would say, ‘Raiders forever,’” [Jessie] Cooper said. “That was the last thing he said to him.”

Only a year later, doctors found that Jailen had a brain tumor. At first, they weren’t worried however by December, 2008, Jailen was in need of brain surgery. Jailen had to undergo a strict regimen of chemotherapy after the tumor was removed.

Now that its a year and a half later, things are on the up and up for Jailen who has finished his cancer treatment. Without shame Jailen says that he enjoys the sympathy his scar gets him from the female classmates of his.

“I told my mom that I was going take my chemo medication for my granddaddy,” Jailen said. “That was the only reason I was taking it. It was for him.”

With the Help of The Make A Wish Foundation, who are a national nonprofit that brings dreams alive for kids battling serious illnesses, they gave Jailen the opportunity of a lifetime. Jailen was flown out from his home in North Carolina to California to play football with his favorite team, the Oakland Raiders.

The 10-year-old was able to attend practice with McFadden and the rest of the Raiders. As the practice came to a end, finally the team gathered around for the moment Jailen had been waiting for…Jailen’s chance to tackle his hero.

If you would like to Support or Make a Donation to Make a Wish Foundation “click” the links below:
Make a Donation to Make A Wish
Become a supporter of Make A Wish

By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter

Almost a year ago, the cameras surrounded quarterback Drew Brees in an emotional moment as he held his son in his arms after an amazing Super Bowl win.

For the man who had a near career-ending injury to now being named the MVP of the Super Bowl, his storybook ending could only be seen as something inspiring.

The New Orleans Saints QB talks about his football journey in his new book, “Coming Back Stronger” which Brees plans to inspire people who face adversity.

Read an excerpt of Brees book below:

Super Bowl MVP New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees Writes an Inspiring Story About His Comeback

Chapter 1: Mark of Champion
When I held up my son, Baylen, after the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV, with confetti streaming down all around us, it was the fulfillment of a dream. But what I’ve discovered along the way is that the road to success is usually a pretty bumpy one. And there are no shortcuts.

They say you need three skills to be a great quarterback: toughness, intelligence, and heart. Although I didn’t officially start training to become a quarterback until I was in high school, in a way, I guess God has been preparing me for that role all my life. I had a great childhood, but it wasn’t always easy. Then again, neither is life. And neither is football. As a kid, I got teased a lot because of a distinguishing birthmark on my right cheek. My mom and dad used to tell me that was where an angel had kissed me, but the kids at school didn’t quite see it that way. They used to tease me and take jabs at me in the classroom and on the playground, saying things like “What happened to your face?” or “Wipe that stuff off your face.” I couldn’t help but get in a few scraps over it.

When I was little, the pediatrician gave my parents the option of having it removed because there was a chance it could become cancerous, but in spite of all the harassment I took at school, I decided to keep it. Instead of seeing it as a bad thing, I chose to see it as something that made me unique and special. It set me apart from everyone else. In a way, it became my trademark.

Looking back, I guess it might have been smarter to remove it, because why take a chance on it becoming cancerous? I even had it biopsied a few years ago, and I still see the derma¬tologist every once in a while to make sure it’s okay, but now it’s just a part of who I am. I wouldn’t consider cutting off my arm. Neither would I cut off my birthmark. If I had ever been forced to remove it, I would have been devastated. My good friends who have known me a long time say they don’t even see it anymore. If I had it removed, they would notice, but now they don’t see it at all. They just see me.

In some ways, I guess you could say it was a character builder that helped me develop an inner toughness and an ability to shake off jabs and criticism. Not a bad trait to have as a quarterback in the NFL—or in any job, for that matter. A Lineage of Competition

If you look at pictures of me as a child, you’ll see the birthmark, but you’ll also almost always see me holding a football or a baseball. As far back as I can remember, football has been a part of my life.

When I was growing up, my father would throw to me in the yard, but my constant playmate was my brother, Reid. He’s two and a half years younger than I am, and we played all the time in our little yard in Austin, Texas. Our “field” was a patch of grass that was about as big as a good-size living room. Trees bordered the yard, and those were our sidelines. The invisible goal lines were clearly defined in our minds, so we knew when we scored.

There’s a big gap when a fifth grader plays against a second grader or when a sixth grader plays against a third grader, so to make it fair, I would get down on my knees and Reid would try to run around me. And it wasn’t touch football—we were really tackling each other, and I would try anything I could to take him down. Even though I was scrambling on my knees, Reid still got beat up on quite a bit. Sometimes my dad would come out, and he’d play all-time quarterback, but most of the time it was just Reid and me.

I grew up in a very sports-minded family. My mother, Mina, was very athletic. In the late 1960s she was all-state in high school track, volleyball, and basketball. If she were playing today, she’d have gotten an athletic scholarship to just about any school in the country for any of those sports. But at that time women weren’t given many of those opportunities. She decided to attend Texas A&M, which had been an all-male military school. My mother was in one of the first classes of women to attend Texas A&M. It was there that she met my dad, an athlete himself who played freshman basketball.

My mom’s brother, Marty Akins, was an All-American quarterback at the University of Texas. Marty was part of the Longhorns team that beat Alabama and Bear Bryant in the 1973 Cotton Bowl.

My mom’s father, Ray Akins, was a Marine and served in World War II. After the war he coached high school football for thirty-eight years, winning 302 games in his career. He was a legend in the state of Texas, and best of all, he was my grandfather. He coached at Gregory-Portland High School in Portland, Texas, just outside Corpus Christi. He used to let Reid and me attend his summer two-a-day practices. From the time I was about seven years old, right around my parents’ divorce, until my grandfather stopped coaching in 1988, Reid and I would stand on the sidelines and hand out this green water to the players during breaks. It was something like Gatorade—green because of the electrolytes mixed in. I always felt like my grandpa was ahead of his time with that kind of stuff. It didn’t matter what Reid and I were doing—it was a thrill just to be that close to the game and the players. I never would have guessed back then that I’d be on the other side someday.

That’s my lineage. We have always been a very athletic and competitive family. Our get-togethers when I was growing up were all about sports. That’s what we all loved. On Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, the Fourth of July, or any other time we got to-gether, we’d eat a big meal and then end up in the yard playing something. We played basketball, football, Wiffle ball, washers, you name it. At the end of the day there was always a winner and a loser. The winner went away happy and the loser was mad, and you wouldn’t talk to each other for a while. That’s just the way it was, and we looked forward to those get-togethers like you wouldn’t believe.

When I say we were competitive, that didn’t just encompass sports. For example, there were times we’d be sitting on the porch at my grandparents’ house eating plums from my grandmother’s plum trees. After we ate them, we would see who could spit their pit farthest into the yard. Somebody would mark the longest spit, and we’d eat more plums just so we could have another chance to beat whoever was in first place. It was crazy, but it was so much fun. I usually won, by the way!

Anything we could find for competition, we were all over it. One of my favorites was pitching washers. Also called Texas horseshoes, this game involves two- to three-inch metal ¬washers and PVC cups that are sunk into the ground. You pitch the washer toward the cup and get points for being closest to the cup and more points for having it actually go in. Some people play on sandpits, but my grandfather made a court out of turf. That was a big game for us as kids, and it taught me control and accuracy.

I have no doubt all those backyard games played a huge part in stoking my competitive fire. And they’re also some of my best memories.

The Split
One of the most difficult things I experienced as a child was the divorce of my mom and dad. But it was that adversity that brought Reid and me so close. I was seven and Reid was about five when Mom and Dad divorced. At that age you don’t quite understand how the world works. We were so young and had so many unanswered questions: Why are Mommy and Daddy not together anymore? Was it something we did? Could we have stopped it somehow? That is why when I met my wife, I knew divorce was not an option and I never wanted to put my children through that.

I remember seeing my parents sit down many times to talk, and I figured it was only a matter of time before we would be a family again. That is, until the day my dad sat Reid and me down on the couch to explain the situation. I remember it like it was yesterday. There are certain moments in your life you just don’t forget. When he sat us down, I had no idea what was coming at first, although whenever he took off his glasses to talk to us, I knew it was not going to be good. The only time I have ever seen my dad take off his glasses, besides to clean them, is when he is about to get emotional. He made it clear that day that things would never be the same again. To this day, I still get teary-eyed when I think about how painful that moment was for all of us.

Reid and I spent many nights awake long after lights-out, hoping and praying that our parents would get back together. We cried ourselves to sleep a lot during that time. The split wasn’t an amicable one, and there was bitterness between the two sides. In fact, Reid and I were caught in the middle from the time we were kids until my mom passed away in August 2009. When you’re a kid, normal is whatever is happening at the time. Reid and I basically had two homes. I’d spend two days at my mom’s house, then two days at my dad’s house, and we’d switch off every other weekend.

My brother and I really leaned on each other during that time. Our escape from everything was to take a bucket and a net down to the creek that ran through our neighborhood in central Austin to catch minnows and crawdaddies. That same creek ran through a local nine-hole golf course about six blocks away from our duplex. Reid and I even started a business as kids by fishing out the orange and yellow golf balls from the creek, shining them up, and selling them to the golfers. We weren’t going to get rich off that deal, but it was enough to buy us baseball cards and Big League Chew at the local convenience store. As good as those times with my brother were, when we got back home every evening after one of our ad-ventures, we would have to face the reality of a broken family.

We were inseparable, best friends. We did have conflict, though. I know it was tough on Reid to have me as an older brother. As much as we both assumed our futures were aligned, we were destined to travel different roads. He excelled in sports, but he didn’t want to do the exact same things I did. He wanted to find his own way. Since he didn’t play quarterback, people would ask, “Why don’t you play quarterback like Drew? Why don’t you follow your brother?” He heard that a lot, and it made him mentally tough—that and all the whuppings he took from me. The truth is, I always felt like Reid was tougher than me. Of course, that was my plan all along: I was preparing him.

When Reid went to college, he partied a little too hard, got a couple of tattoos, probably because he knew our parents would not approve. He was rebellious like that. It was his way of separating, becoming his own person.

We’re both supercompetitive; we work really hard at things, and when we set our minds to something, we will accomplish it. I’m so proud of him for walking on to play baseball at Baylor. His goal was to earn a scholarship and help lead his team to the College World Series, and that’s what he did. The funny thing is, if you’d asked either one of us our dream when we were growing up, neither of us would have mentioned anything about football. We wanted to play in the College World Series. So watching my brother play in Omaha at Rosenblatt Stadium in 2005 ranks up there as one of the proudest moments in my life. My brother was living out a childhood dream for both of us.

In a way, my brother used the pressure people put on him to excel in different areas, like baseball and business. He now lives in Denver and works in sales.

Some things in my life have made me step back and say, “Man, how did my family end up with so many problems?” But I’ve found that when you start talking to people, everybody’s family has something they’ve dealt with. Every family has issues and is a little dysfunctional. It’s not whether you will have problems within your family; it’s how you handle those difficulties when they come your way.

Westlake High School
In spite of the divorce, I really didn’t have a bad childhood. In fact, in my mind, my life was the greatest I could have asked for. Some things weren’t easy to go through, but I wouldn’t trade any of it. All the negative and positive mixed together to make me who I am.
For example, when I was a freshman in high school, I changed school districts. Mom felt that of all the public schools in the area, Westlake High School in Austin had the best combination of aca-demics and athletics. She valued high academic standards as well as a good sports program, and Westlake had both.

I remember some conflict between my mom and dad about the school decision. My dad’s a real easygoing guy, kind of a -go-with-the-flow type, whereas my mom was super¬competitive, probably overly competitive, if there is such a thing. When she and Dad would argue, she’d refuse to back down. Whenever she’d get in that bulldog mode, my dad would have no other choice than to agree with her decision.
My mom was the reason I went to St. Andrew’s Episcopal School for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. She wanted me to get a solid education as well as have a great athletic experience. Dad would say, “Why do we have to pay for private school? The public school’s just fine.”
But Mom wouldn’t budge.
When I moved into the Westlake district, I didn’t know many people. I remember the first set of two-a-days as a freshman. This was Texas 5A football. It was Friday Night Lights. There was a sea of guys, probably 150 to 200 kids, all ready to play. The coach said, “Okay, who thinks they can be quarterback?”

I raised my hand and looked around to see forty other hands in the air. I thought, I am never going to see the field. I was the new guy. All these guys had been part of the same program at the two middle schools in the district. They’d had real game preparation and full-contact experience. I’d been playing flag football the past three years because our small Christian school didn’t have enough players to field a tackle football team. The season hadn’t even started yet, and already I was at a disadvantage.

There was a positive side, though: playing flag football had kept me from getting hurt early on. Plus, I’d learned a lot of the funda-mentals without wearing pads. Flag football is all about throwing, catching, and running as opposed to blocking and contact. The movement is very athletic and fluid, and it forces you to have a solid grasp of the basics.
I ended up as the fourth quarterback of six my freshman year. The first three went to the freshman A team, and the next three went to the freshman B team. In effect, I was the starter on the freshman B team. Not bad, but I felt lost in a swarm of players. During my sophomore year, when I was in the middle of two-a-days, my mom picked me up from practice. She could tell something was up because I was unusually quiet. After she pulled into the garage, she turned off the car and we sat there for a minute.

I looked at her and used a word that normally didn’t come out of my mouth. “Mom, I think I might want to quit football.” She didn’t freak out. She just squinted her eyes with concern and said, “Why?”
“Because I don’t feel like I’m ever going to get an opportunity to play.”
Jay Rodgers was the quarterback for the varsity team, and his younger brother Johnny was the quarterback on junior varsity.

This was a football family. Their middle brother was the starting center on varsity, and their dad, Randy Rodgers, was the recruiting coor-dinator at the University of Texas. Johnny Rodgers was destined to be the next starting quarterback for Westlake High School, and I was sure I’d get lost in the shuffle.

“You know, my real sport is baseball,” I told my mom. “I want to get a baseball scholarship. I play football because I like it, but I don’t want to sit on the bench. I don’t feel like I’m going to get an opportunity, and maybe I’d be better off playing fall baseball and trying to get a baseball scholarship.”
My mom took a deep breath. “That’s a valid point. I wouldn’t want to sit the bench any more than you do. So if you don’t want to play, you don’t have to play. But remember this: when you least expect it, that opportunity will present itself. You never know when it’s going to come, but all it takes is one play.”

I sat there and thought about what she’d said. My mother was an athlete and a competitor, and I valued her opinion. Besides, with a grandfather who was a coach and an uncle who’d played for the University of Texas, I didn’t want to feel like I was missing out on some experiences. This might be something I’ll regret for the rest of my life if I don’t at least follow through with this year.
“You know what?” I said. “I think I’ll stick it out for a little bit longer, and we’ll see how it goes. I’m not going to quit midway through two-a-days.”

Mom nodded and smiled. In retrospect, I think the fact that she didn’t push me one way or the other freed me up to think clearly for myself. As it turned out, her words rang true the very next week.

One JV quarterback had decided to play baseball and the other moved to defense, so I was second in line to Johnny Rodgers. It was the last scrimmage of the year against Killeen, a tough team com-prised mostly of kids whose parents were in the military, stationed at nearby Fort Hood. With the season just one week away, this was the final dress rehearsal. Near the end of the game, when there was only one series left, Johnny dropped back to pass, hoping to end the scrimmage on a high note. In a split second, everything changed for me. Johnny got sacked in the backfield, and in the process he tore his ACL, putting him out for the entire year. One minute I was the guy who would ride the bench all season, and the next I was thrust into the role of starting JV quarterback.

Our JV team went 10–0 my sophomore year. In my junior year, I was the varsity starter. We were undefeated going into the third round of the playoffs.

That’s when I tore my ACL.

An injury like that can change your life. I had no doubt about that—after all, that was the reason I was the starting quarterback. Johnny Rodgers had returned, but he was now our starting free safety. I had seen other players who tore their ACLs either recover really slowly or not come back at all. I was sure this was the worst thing that could have happened to me. It was the third round of the playoffs. We were going to state, and we were going to win the championship. Suddenly my season was over. Our team lost in the next round.

I had been getting recruiting letters from some good schools, but when I blew out my knee, all the letters stopped. No school wanted to touch me. The worst part about it was that I would also miss the entire basketball and baseball seasons. And in my mind, my number one priority was still to get a baseball scholarship. I was only a junior in high school, and it felt like my life was over.

I had a six-month rehabilitation process, and I had to make a decision: Was I going to quit or come back stronger? I chose to come back.
It was grueling. For three or four hours every day after school, I’d go in the training room and just grind, grind, grind. The pain of the injury was intense, and every day I had to fight to regain flexibility and mobility. But in the process, I was building up my strength and resolve.
The doctor told me that my ability to recover from this injury was totally dependent on my commitment to the rehab. I was bound and determined to come back—not just to where I was before, but better. My goal has always been to take a negative and turn it into a positive. I want to be a problem solver, not a problem creator. The glass is always half full for me. Make the best of every situation.
The ACL injury was a defining moment in my life. I made a decision not to let something negative control my emotions. And the interesting thing is that decision led to another that would also follow me the rest of my life.

By Steve O’Reilly

Bradenton, Florida is much like any city in the US. This small community, like many others, has been effected by the recent downturn in the economy and as businesses have had to cutback and layoff… big time Bradenton residents stepped up!

The Cornerback Connection consists of Domininque Rodgers-Cromartie, Mike Jenkins and Fabian Washington. Together Fabian and Mike have joined to create the Franchise Kids Foundation and Dominique has his Foundation individually. They have united their fame and celebrity to make a difference in the town of Bradenton, Florida and it’s neighboring communities. Bradenton is a small community but has some big industrial giants in it’s midst. Tropicana Products for example, is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of orange juice. At one point Tropicana called Bradenton home where they used to haul their famous juice trains, a relationship in effect since 1971.

Rod Harper of the Saints shows off his SuperBowl Ring!!

In some area’s poverty is a reality. The good people that work with these NFL players recently took a tour of their neighborhoods to see the living conditions and Jonathan Styles of the Cornerback Connection told me he was “surprised to see how bad they actually were, here in our own backyard.” So the men that once called Bradenton home decided it’s time to do something about it, it’s time to give back! Fabian, Dominique and Mike all come from this town and all feel the need to do something in an effort to help out.

Throughout the week the two Charities teamed up and in their efforts they provided a Basketball camp, a Football camp, a Food Drive and the culmination was Saturday’s Celebrity Basketball Game. The people of these Foundations felt it was high time for the community to come together and all pitch in to make a difference. They told me that it was important to get the community involved in giving back. The tickets and turnout from the events all week were going directly back to the community. We sat down with Fabian and Mike to discuss when and why they became involved with their hometown…

The local businesses were urged to advertise and the people in the community were enticed with the chance to see some great NFL players like Daunte Culpepper, Rod Harper, Dominique Byrd and others play a little basketball. The benefits go to the charities who help the children and people in the community. Helping parents feed their families and helping the people of Bradenton get through during some hard times!

Please check out the CornerbackConnection to see what you can do to help!

By Gayle Saunders
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John Thornton created Jockbiz.com as a proactive way to reach out to professional athletes with ways to create a game plan for off-the-field success. Through his personal and professional experience, John helps athletes present themselves to the public in a positive way. His focus is on helping athletes develop their own valuable brand through involvement in the community and by being an asset to the team.

This Saturday, on June 12th you can come out and join many NFL players, coaches and media members for Jock Biz’s 8th Annual Bowling for Autism event.

Over the past 8 years Bowling for Autism Charity Events have raised over $150,000 for those affected by autism. There will be two events that day. The first will take place at Princeton Bowl. There will be a number of current and former Bengals players and coaches in attendance. There will also be local media members bowling as celebrities. New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis will be in attendance and will bowl at his “Revis Island” lane, and will take on anyone who thinks they can beat him.

Proceeds from this event will be used to benefit the families affected by autism in the Tri State area. This is a family friendly event, complete with food, silent auction items, and face painting for kids.

Bowling for Autism
Saturday June 12 12pm-2pm
Princeton Bowl
11711 Princeton Pike Cincinnati, OH

The second event, Bowling for Autism VIP Reception will start at 9:30 and will be held at the Tonic Lounge in Cincinnati. There will be drink specials all night long and will be sponsored by Patron.

A $10 cover will be collected at the door and all proceeds of this event will go towards programs aimed at bettering the lives of those affected by autism. Many NFL players, coaches and media members will be present including Bengals players Johnathan Joseph, Frostee Rucker, Antwan Odom, Robert Geathers and NFL Coach of the Year Marvin Lewis!!

Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 9:30pm End Time:
Sunday, June 13, 2010 at 2:00am Location:
Tonic Lounge Street:
127 West 4th Street City/Town:
Cincinnati, OH

For more information please visit http://jockbiz.com/

Skinnypost.com caught up with John Thornton to talk about his Charitable giving, the state of the Bengals, Chad Ochocinco and much more!!

John Thornton Interview – Bowling for Autism!! from Skinnypost on Vimeo.

By Gayle Saunders
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The New Orleans Saints and Gov. Bobby Jindal have decided to head down together to coastal Plaquemines Parish on Tuesday to visit areas affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The Saints initially planned to attend a lunchtime event at the governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge that day, but Jindal and the Super Bowl champions decided it would be more appropriate to meet in an area that is now suffering the adverse affects of the worst oil spill in the nation’s history.

Oil has washed ashore in Plaquemines Parish, just southeast of New Orleans, killing and injuring wildlife and polluting waters where fishermen work.

“I think the idea of switching gears and having that lunch down there is appropriate,” Payton said after practice on Sunday. “I know the players — all of us — are looking forward to being down there and spending some time with those people that are going through so much.”

Payton he will bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy along and hopes that his players and his coaching staff can bring some moral support and help keep the focus on the residents whose way of life have been endangered by the spill.

Jeremy Shockey,Tight End for the Saints is also a diving enthusiast. He has been following the news about the spill and was eager to step in and help.

“It’s just a tragedy. I know the people in that area are devastated,” Shockey said. “It’s hard for them because there are a lot of local fishermen and oystermen and everything. As far as the environment, it’s sad to see.”

“We want to offer hope, ask questions,” Shockey continued. “This trip is going to be us out there interacting with everyone from that area, with the governor, the fishermen. Hopefully we can give a little bit more awareness. I know it’s been publicized around the nation and the world already, but hopefully we can give people in that area a little more hope.”

New Orleans Saints Players Lynell Hamilton, Tracey Porter, Demario Pressley and Usama Young raised awarness for the Oil Spill at the Gulf Aid Benefit Relief Concert on May 16th 2010 featuring Lenny Kravitz & Mos Def:

By Gayle Saunders
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On June 10th, Philadelphia Eagles’ Stewart Bradley will host Korto Momolus’ fashion show at Union Trust. The fashion show will be held at Union Trust Steakhouse at 717 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, PA.

This incredible runway show will feature models from America’s Next Top Model! Most importantly, proceeds from the event will benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. To read more about this cause please visit http://ww5.komen.org/

Purchase tickets at http://thenouveauimage.eventbrite.com for more information please email info@thenouveauimage.com or call 267-507-5385

If you would like to know more about the event or to become a fan of Stewart Bradley on Facebook Please follow the link http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=124033047629574

By Gayle Saunders
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Chad Ochocinco is a man with a huge heart with an appreciation for his fans that is second to none. He showed his true colors when he attended the gala fund-raiser for the Children Mending Hearts organization in Hollywood, CA last weekend.

Last year. 9-year-old Ruben St. Hilaire Jr., who lives in a homeless shelter in New York City with his mom, sent Ochocinco a letter telling him how much he liked him.

In response, Ochocinco sent him an autographed jersey. The little boy was so thankful he sent the Cincinnati Bengals receiver a second letter that read, in part:

Mr. Johnson
You really make me happy. One of my goals in my future life is to be just like you when I grow up. I wonder who was your role model when you were little? I have three role models in my life that’s my mom, Mr. President Barack Obama and my favorite football player Mr. Chad Johnson. To me you are the best football player in the NFL. May God bless you and your family happy holidays

Ruben Hilaire was invited to the gala and with host Rich Eisen of NFL Network at his side he read the letter to the crowd.

When Ruben said that his big dream was to one day go to a football camp , Eisen informed that he not only would be going to Football camp sponsored by Deion Sanders, but there was one other surprise for him.

To Ruben’s surprise, out came Ochocinco, who embraced Ruben and then, noting it was the boy’s birthday, led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday.”

A stunned Ruben — as the following video attests —called it “the best day of my life.”

Three years ago Nelson Stokley was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. It is a disease that affects brain function and its most common form is dementia. Dementia is when a person has severe memory loss and affected intellectual abilities that hinder one’s everyday life. Loving someone with Alzheimer’s Disease can be very trying as they may not remember you or the past that you have experienced. It is a very hard and trying thing to witness and anyone who has had a family member go through this disease understands the patience and care that is needed. Alzheimer’s Disease has no cure as of yet but there are things that can be done and that’s exactly what Brandon Stokley is out to do!

Brandon is the son of Nelson Stokley and is commonly known for his career as a Professional Football player currently with the Denver Broncos. Brandon has taken on the task of bringing awareness by partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association. Brandon’s story is like the story of so many Americans and people around the world. As of today, Alzheimer’s affects 5.3 Million people across the country and with people like Brandon partnering up the cause, maybe one day soon we will find a cure.

Nelson Stokley was a Collegiate Football coach for 27 years and for all of Brandon’s college days at the University of Southern Louisiana.

Brandon recalls “That was wonderful because being a coach’s kid, they work a lot of hours, so growing up he wasn’t around as much as my mom. My mom was there all the time, so being able to spend those five years with him in college is something I’ll never forget,” Stokley told CBS4 in Denver.

The game of football is difficult for Nelson to understand now, his dementia has effected his mental abilities and for Brandon it’s difficult to watch his father deteriorate so quickly. The pain of watching your loved ones is very hard,

“I want them to know how much this disease not only affects this person but also affects the family members around them. I think that is one of the main things that people don’t realize is how much effort and work has to be involved,” Stokley explained to CBS4.

Brandon credits his sisters for being there and taking care of his father and Brandon is doing his part as well. He has teamed up with the Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to raise funds and bring awareness to this disease.

This disease has made Brandon put life into perspective and appreciate all that he has now, knowing how fast it can be gone but still enjoy the times that you still have left…

“You just knew that his life was going to be coming to an end pretty quick. The life that he’s known and the person we’ve come accustomed to knowing was going to be coming to an end. You just try to enjoy that year or two years that we had where he was still functioning at a pretty high level. And you just try to enjoy that the best you can.”

Brandon Stokley is leader who has had to face life’s lessons the hard way. He and his family have had to endure the pain and hardship that goes hand in hand with Alzheimer’s. He has decided however to do something about it, to make a difference. Perhaps not for only Nelson’s life but for the Millions of others that are facing the same hardship.

Brandon is a leader that anyone would be proud to follow and here at Skinnypost.com we wish the Stokley family comfort during this difficult time.

If you would like to help make a difference in Alzheimer’s awareness please visit the Alzheimer’s Association