Amid the incessant, knee-jerk sanctimony of my profession's over-coverage of Michael Vick, Barry Bonds, Tim Donaghy and, now, Rafer Alston (I blame TV...what else is a print guy to do?), comes something positive that involves prominent professional athletes using their money and fame to make a real difference...in other words, a story that doesn't ever see the back pages:
Check out Macollvie Jean-Francois' story in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Cliffs Notes version is this: Alonzo Mourning and former Miami Dolphin Nat Moore have joined in a quest to find the killer of a Broward sheriff's deputy named Chris Reyka, 51, who was gunned down in a Walgreen's parking lot while he was checking license plates for stolen cars on Aug. 10. Mourning's foundation pledged $10,000 toward the reward money, which has ballooned from $106,000 to $267,000, according to the Sun-Sentinel, as a result of people in the community, including sports figures, stepping up.
"The community will find you," Mourning is quoted. "We're doing all that we can. If it takes money creating a reward system for somebody to step up to the plate, then so be it."
Waiting for Shaq to pull on his uniform and join the search, too. But it's an uplifting story.
Many athletes donate to charitable causes and most of the time it's motivated by caring about helping others and a civic duty to give back. But let's be honest, a lot of the time the tax benefits and image-building are as much in play here as the smiles on the children's faces.
This is one case where Zo is merely joining in a community effort to bring someone to justice. Good on ya, Zo.
Comments (16)
First baby.
How you like them apples!!!
Great post Alan,
Your correct about stories like this never seeing the day of light.
I think what Zo is doing is great. As many wars as we went through with this man back in the day, you would think we should hate him as much as PJ Brown.
However, every basketball fan has a very, very soft spot in their heart for this man....and he has one in mine also.
The way this cop was gunned down while he was doing his job is horrible. This is the first time I heard about this incident.
Anyway, I think Zo is a great man and he has 1st class character. Every Knick fan knows back in those days when we went to battle....all he wanted to do was win. He wasn't a dirty player like Brown and he came with the same intesity every single night.
Plus he's good friends with Ewing.
People won't realize how much Zo means to the NBA until he's retired. He is truly one of a kind.
Great stuff Alan!!
Um Alan....I don't know if you've been reading YOUR blog but in case you haven't noticed....
There has been news coming out about Artest and Josh Smith....
CAN YOU HELP US OUT A LITTLE?!?!?!?
Alan, I thank you and applaud you for taking the time to post this info and to do soon on this forum.
Fellas, NJ LIVES hit it on the head yesterday; when you strive to lift the level of conversation and exchange collectively, the results are an enviroment where honest and earnest intellectual exchanged can be fostered...Kudos to NJ LIVES...
Oh, back to you Alan, Outside of a few comments not fit for print (specifically,an indiviuals motivations should not be question based on supposition verese fact), the article reflects a professional athlete that is a concerned member of his community and interested in capturing the culprits that killed Sheriff Reyka;
Sports and sports figures are merely a microcosm of our society; Simply stated, A Mix Bag of Nuts...Athletes are not monolethic nor are the rest of us...
Any word in the Ether World regarding this proposed madness, sorry, rather excuse me, TRADE?
Zo has a plenty to do to make up for his actions as a basketball player. First for being a punk on the court, second for what he did to the Nets after they saved his career.
ugh....I just can't ever like him.
Kirilenko ain't going anywhere:He likes it in Utah
This definitely is a take that would not be in most of todays newsmedia. Kudos to AH for writing and to his editors for allowing it to run. Six weeks to camp can't wait. Its gonna be fun
Seems McInnis is staying with Charlotte.
Someone likes him? or more importantly, he likes someone?
Weird.
I thought he was a recluse.
BARF,
Josh would be exceptional!But I'm superglued to makeing amends in a NY fairy tale of haveing Artest back home. We would be hated through out the league, giving us an "EDGE"
CooleyHigh,
Before you repeat your comments on Artest's character, do me a solid. Go to youtube.com and Watch the replay of the malice in the Palace! Artest was just playing tough nose defense, Ben Wallace took acception and shoved Artest, who did not retailiate. He simply walked to the scorers table and layed down as he knew Wallace was gonna get a T! The next thing that happens is someone from the crowd threw a cup of Ice at him. I've seen people flip for a lot less!
Imagine if that was Barkley, Ewing, Oak or Mason? You don't think they would of went into the crowd to kick some ass?
Oak would of put someone in the hospital! All you true Knick fans know that Ewing and Oak would of seriously hurt some of those detroit fans! Hell, Ewing would of knocked Wallace's teeth out after Oak threw him in the 20th row! To hold that against Artest is bullshyt! Josh is a great player but Artest fits the Knicks like a glove! Once you come home, where do you go from there? It's a weak opinion that Artest would only come home for a year, then go.......WHERE? I believe in Redemption! I was the biggest supporter of Spree coming here, and all I heard was the same bullshyt people say about Artest! Spree proved them all wrong! Artest will do the same, except he will lead us to a title! No Doubt!
Alan, a nice reminder that the majority of players are decent guys
Randy Moss takes a lot of heat from the press, and some of it is justified. When he was with the Vikings, a local columnist did a story on him befriending a young boy who had spent much of his life in the hospital with life threatening conditions. Moss didn't want this to come out; he didn't want it to seem contrived. If you didn't read the Minneapolis paper, you wouldn't have known about this. The very next game, he scored 2 TD's, and gave both of them to a boy in a wheelchair on the sideline. The network announcers never mentioned a word about it during the game.
It was nice to see something positive written about an athlete today.
thats pretty funny, you write an article about Zo helping out the police, as an example of a pro athlete doing good. But, you have never really given any credit to Stephon Marbury for all the great things he's done. Yet, you are quick to jump on him along with others everytime he says something that gives you ammunition. Very interesting.
Alonzo has always been a stand-up cat who's about service to the community and "doing the right thing". This isn't the first time he's gone above and beyond the norm, as witnessed by his annual "mid-summer classic", an event that raises thousands of dollars for underprivileged kids in the Miami area.
Way to step up, Alonzo. Good job of getting that piece out, Alan.
RANDOM AMUSINGS!!!!
Thanks for the kudos CooleyHigh, but don’t step in here crap-shooting the crap-shooters. I was checking you out at the old KK corral and you are no “Newbie.” I read the street creds and you’re just an old head arriving at the KF party on CP Time (Cooleyhigh Time). What is it my boy Steady would say, “You’re King of the f.‘n Hill. Top of the heap.” Welcome man.
I heard some nice knowledge drop on here about the zone business. I can’t remember whether it was Steady or Willis (who some of us thought was Mr. Reed, poppin’ a GM collar). But any talk about the Knicks running a 2-3 should stay just talk. Their guards cannot cover the perimeter and the wings don’t move/adjust/cover fast enough to challenge those short tres from the side. Most of these NBA teams are perimeter shooting teams that line players up on the three point line. It’s amazing how often, you know the opp player is lounging on the short line just waiting for the pass. And he gets the open shot. KNICKS CAN’T RUN A ZONE. From my observation, it was at it’s best with Frye’s length in the frontcourt.
Mr. DJ way to play that music, or represent, in the press on the Vick issue. Good stuff. It is very important to have that alternative view point out there for consideration.
Is there any one thing that can be done in life that can satisfy everybody? I can’t think of it. But, Alan that was a good story to post and promote. We hope we can see more like it. There is plenty of good news going around. Note that those boys in black and grey who stuck with John Thompson for a while turned out to be pretty good community members.
Did you guys know that Patrick Ewing is a visual artist? I don’t know if he’s still painting, but he was supposed to be decent.
Steady, we are a covetous bunch aren’t we. Is HOZ the real deal? We’ll see. DVJ liked that bait. I’m going to act like African for a change and demand more proof of credibility before wasting my energy on OTP (Other Team’s Players).
Does Posey pose a threat? Well enough of one for me to change my analysis. I had the C’s in the lottery (yep, even with the big three) but now I think a lot rests on Doc’s shoulders in terms of how he manages his resources. His team defense improved a little and having Pierce, KG and Posey dedicated to defense might make a little bit of a difference. Still they need a point (Love the Glove, but I’m laughing at that one. On second thought, he might work well for 15 minutes in a half-court offense. Time for him and Magic to form that Senior League I’ve been waiting for) and a center. I might put them on the lottery cusp as opposed to next to the bottom.
Suns Up! Back at it and on my grind...
Peaceman, I hear you partner, and as I stated earlier, I'm just not comfortable with Artest's Character, but I believe anyone can change on your point on coming home could be the elixir he needs...I'm just not sold on the deal...And, the Melee played no part in my thinking...I sure know what I would have done...
NJ LIVES,
Man, you crack me up! You got style and subatance, and that is pretty formidable combination. But NJ Live, you're wrong about the zone...Stephon nor Jamal can stop penetration, which exposes Curry and Zach( their lateral movement is nonexistent), and will have this duo sitting on the pine. Trust me, Isiah will have them playing more zone when the first pound is in and teach them how to concentrate on the shooters...Lastly, Patrick is a pretty decent artist...Bouncing
CooleyHigh,
I'm feeling you on the guards inability to stop penetration and I think you are right, it will be hard to have both Curry and Zach out there unless they are dedicated on moving their asses. Curry can move laterally. His mind can't. Or doesn't.
WE tried the zone with absolute minimum success last season. I would favor a bit more pressure on the ball to force turnovers and errant passes. Unfortnately, you may be right about having to sit one of one of our bigs on the pines defeating the purpose of the trade -- if that is true (and I'm jumping ahead) Curry becomes trade bait. (WOWWWW. I said it. I didn't like it, but I said it.
let me go back to the videotapes Cooleyhigh, we've gotta avoid that zone. I'm positive that we can't cover that perimeter, which is one of the reasons we fell behind so fast. We did our best we we were man up on the other teams best shooter.
Let's see. I look forward to continuing this discussion while we're both screaming during the season.
Lives in NJ, Loves NYC, isn't that a oxymoron?...lol
Nevertheless, NJ LIVES, you are right on point about last years results, just incorporate into your thinking that JJ was hurt to start the season and their best defender was out, so the tenor and tone was the same ole, same ole...
IT, promised in an earlier interview, that defending the 3point shot was a priority for this season...No D lots of splinters...As it should be...He is in a must win siutation, and he will get it done, because he does not want someone else to take that talent he assembled and get to the promise land on his back...Watch!!! No D, No PLAY! ACCOUNTABLITY!
IT included...............