Disgraced African American Athletes

I am writing to you blog readers for advice. I am interested in knowing if you might know where I can find a list of disgraced African American athletes. If possible, I would like to put together a piece on these young men from the first African American athlete disgraced to those current, like Michael Vick and Plaxico Buress.

As an ordained minister, chaplain, community consultant, father, and sports fan, I am concerned about the lack of character development training given to our athletes, especially African American athletes. I thought the sports owners, managers, and coaches had a better understanding of African American history, African American social life, and the need to give African American athletes social skills, business sense, and wisdom they might not have had the opportunity to obtain.

I am also concerned about the loose-living style our African American athletes are bringing with them into the professional world of sports. Too many of them remind me of a prize bull that a owner has just allow to run amuck as long as the bull makes money for the owner.

Whether we blame racism, societal causes, urban poverty, weak or absent fathers, or whatever, dysfunction runs rampant through many inner city families. However, through a coach with a sharp eye; a friend that sees talent; or a teacher seeing an opportunity for a student to escape poverty, many African American young men have been developed for the sports world. But, when a young man, unaccustomed to big money and the glory it brings, is allowed to spend and live his life with few boundaries, the American public is stumped when they make horrific negative choices which adversely affect their future. No one told the public “These young men have been given a lot of money, but no one is really helping them with a lot of character.

t bothers me when I see or hear about sports figures like Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor being murdered, or the shooting of Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Richard Collier. Or, the questionable actions of Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson, Ray Lewis, Darryl Strawberry, Ron Artest, Rae Carruth, O.J. Simpson, and my friend (he doesn’t even know me!) Michael Vick. Instead of just getting angry at these mis-directed and/or un-directed wanna-be millionaire African American athletes, I wanted to do something.

I began by talking to some sports agents to try to understand what they do for their clients aside from just negotiating big contracts. I then had a long phone conversation with the director of a worldwide sports agency. I wanted to know what it would take for me to learn the sports agency game. I also wanted to see if there were any sports agents or sports attorneys who assisted their clients with positive behavior development, or strong character development. The short answer was “No!”

The sports agency owner then told me that there was a real need for some character development for many athletes. We discussed the major moral dilemmas facing African American athletes and their lack of training concerning how to use money without going through it like it would last forever. With my broad-based background and connections with lawyers, financial advisers, investors, and successful business people, I was told that I could help fill that void as a sports agent who would care more for my clients than just making a big paycheck.

Before I begin my training to become a sports agent, I wanted to do a piece on the unfulfilled potential of many of our African American athletes. Of course, I am also going to do a piece on those African American athletes who have made wise choices and/or lived fulfilling, if not wealthy, lives. I am thinking of Joe Louis, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Jesse Owens, George Foreman, and others.

Since the Michael Vick story is still pretty fresh, I want to contact him and offer him my services after I become his friend. If I can help him make better personal and business decisions, I will then move on to others. Eventually, I may become a sports agent who gets known for helping clients build strong character.

Thanks in advance for helping me!