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by Ullysses Tucker Jr.
In having a sense of social respon
o f the positive elem ents in life. To put it
frankly, I introduced him to the gang I
" h a n g ” out with at a Trailblazer gam es as
a writer and as a producer for KATU-TV 2.
Talk about role models? I introduced
him to “ A ir" Michael Jordan. “ A ir"
encouraged this young to join an educa
tional gang and do something positive with
his life. He met Clyde Drexler, Terry Por
ter, Byron Irvin, W ayne Cooper, Rick
Adelman, and C liff Robinson left him
courtside tickets. He met Blazer VP/Spe-
cial Events Wally Scales, Oregonian w rit
ers Dwight Jaynes and Kerry Eggers. He
also met Blazer President Harry Glickman,
his son Marshall, PR men John Lashway
and John Christensen, All offer construc
tive advice and their help in the future.
What more can a youngster ask for? All the
elem ents dreams are made o f were pre
sented to him!
sibility as a Black male/professional role
m odel, I feel obligated to give something
back to the community in which I gained so
much wisdom, insight, and direction. The
Black community.
Not long ago, I was asked to speak at
the Portland Opportunities Industrailiza-
tion Center, a non-profit operation helping
young students who failed, for one reason
or another, to do the ''rig h t thin g ” in the
Public School System. Before a small group,
I lectured about my corporate experiences,
life in the streets o f W ashington, D.C., the
joy of being a college athlete, and a host of
other topics.
In particular, one young man was very
rude and disruptive, several times, I asked
him to shut up or leave the room. I de
m anded my respect and right to speak with
those who wanted to listen and learn. Even-
o
How to get home
for the holidays.
When a young athlete signs a contract with a professional sports
team, the big question is always, “ how much will he or she be
getting.’“ While everyone wonders what salary the athlete will make,
the other thing that comes with that contract often is ignored. That’s the
responsibility of being a role model.
Countless professional athletes say, “ I don’t think of myself as a role
model," or "I don’t want that responsibility.”
I in sorry, but it’s not that easy. Kids have many role models in life,
most importantly their parents; but professional sports is such big busi
ness today that it seems every kid looks up to the professional athlete.
All anyone has to do is take a ride down to a park to see kids wearing the
jersey and number of a favorite football, baseball or basketball player.
They are wearing that jersey because of their admiration for the person
who really wears it and their desire to be like that athlete.
Players have to realize that if they get caught doing something wrong,
kids who look up to them will be crushed, or worse, think they should
do the same things. Whether they like it or not, society places them on a
pedestal. Rather than deny their position, athletes should realize their
chance to be good examples and positive forces.
This is not to say that athletes should be treated any differently than
the regular public. They are still human, and those who cannot act
decently should be knocked off the pedestal. That's why I am at odds
with the current NFL drug policy. A football player who gets caught by
the league with drugs is given a 30-day suspension for his first offense.
That's not dealing with reality. If he were John Q. Public, he'd be
thrown in jail for the same offense!
We also have seen the great things professional athletes can do for the
J community through programs like the NFL’s United Way program. But
there is still a lot of room for involvement.
What can be done to get more athletes to take their positions as role
models more seriously? First, I wish each one would take that ride down
to the park and look at the kids who look up to them. Professional sports
organizations also might take more time to teach rookies about their role
in the community. Teams should lay down ground rules for player con
duct. Athletes must realize that making a bundle of money does not give
them the right to do anything they feel like doing.
Professional sports teams and their supporters give these players the
opportunity to get a great start on life. They in turn should be respon
sible to their community. The professional athlete who doesn’t believe
that he or she is a role model might as well not eat or breathe, because it
is inherent in what the athlete is doing. Ill
1. If you’re planning to drive, plan not to drink.
2 . If your friends drink too much, take their keys and drive them home.
3. When you decide to go out, decide on a designated driver.
4 . If you drink more than you planned to, take a taxi or phone a friend for a ride.
5 . If the party’s at your house and your friends drink too much, don’t
let them drive. If you can’t take them home or can’t call a cab, have them
stay overnight.
If you drink too much and drive,
the least you'll lose is your license. Guaranteed.
Oregon Traffic Safety Commission
Report drinking drivers to the police. C all 1-800-24-D RU N K .
THE FRIENDLIEST STORES IN TOWN SINCE 1908
SPECIALS EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 17th thru 22nd, 1989
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Gale Sayers is considered one of the greatest running backs o f all time. The
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1989 PM Editorial Services
> FARMS
tually, he sat and listened. He had attempted
and failed to gain control o f the classroom
or situation like he had done so many times.
As the class progressed, I learned that
the great majority o f the students were
kicked out of school because of gang re
lated activity; among them , the little sister
of " R a y ” W inston, and my little disruptive
friend, the ring leader. For a m om ent, I
ceased and stepped into their world.
In taking the tim e to listen, I learned
that the gang has replaced the traditional
family structure. It offers bonding, nurtur
ing, love, support, com m radery, ac
knowledgement, and protection. All of th
every same elem ents that family use to
offer.
W hen you consider that 43% o f the
prison population are Black males and that,
63% of Black females head households and
how 98% of all Blacks killed last year were
by other Blacks, one can understand but not
accept the reasons for joining a gang. No
one is in the home to direct the children
before " m o m ” is working and " d a d ,” is
potentially absent.
At one point, I felt this young man
reaching out to me for help and resisting
what I said only m om ents later. Behavior
science specialist suggest that these “ type”
of young youngsters need role m odels,
positive reinforcement, and more im por
tantly, they need to see bright and new
environments.
With this in mind, I took it upon m yself
to make this young “ gang leader” my
special project and perhaps provide some
His reaction: “ W here are these folks
going to be when I ’m getting jum ped on the
com er or shot at in the streets . . . ” I then
suggested that you eliminate those types of
possibilities by eliminating the lifestyle.
His reaction: “ I d o n ’t want to punk out
on my homeboys by going square. I taught
them how to bang. How would it look m e
leaving them . . . " A t that point, I realized
that it was not about changing him, it was
about showing him that he had other choices
besides the streets and gang activ ities-D id
pride hide his joy, excitement, did the posi
tive messages from my “ gang” get through,
or did he really care? These questions roamed
around over and over in my head.
W hen I dropped him off at his house
after the game, I told him a favorite story
from my childhood that my grandm other
(Carrie B . Tucker) once told me. She would
say, “ Junior, I c an ’t put nothing in your
hand if it is close. It will just keeping falling
on the floor . .
Perhaps, the young man did pick up
more than he indicated. I can only hope that
he did. It is with this hope that I can find
simple pleasure in life and keep reaching
out to help someone. Each one should teach
one . . .
Hey shorty, yo! I'm reaching out again.
D o n 't let it fall to the floor, open your hand
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UUysses Tucker Jr. did not receive
credit fo r writing the “A ir” Michael Jor
dan story last week. It was ommitted in
error.
If you didn’t have a chance to give through your
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