July 2, 2003

'Good Guy' Vincent Tops List

By David Spadaro, Philadelphia Eagles.com

It's an honor, and Troy Vincent is flattered, and he understands just how important it is again to be recognized for his tireless work in the community.

When it comes right down to it, though, everything Vincent does goes back to his kids.

"I live for my children," said Vincent, who has been named the No. 1 Good Guy in pro sports by the Sporting News. "I mean, that's why I'm here. I'm here to be an example to my children through what I say and what I do.

"I don't need to stand up and be recognized. It's nice and I feel proud about it, but it's really because of my family. It's not just me. We're a very humble family and we're very grateful."

The Sporting News has named a list of "good guys" for the last five years. It's special recognition for the off-the-field work players from every league do, a special issue devoted to the ability the top "good guys" have at reaching out and touching and changing a community.

And, really, has there ever been an athlete who has changed more of his surrounding than Vincent has done? Has an athlete ever represented Philadelphia and the Eagles better than Vincent, who has, in the words of Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer, "rebuilt the city of Trenton."

In this year alone, Vincent has been showered with recognition, earning three of the most prestigious honors in all of sports:

·  NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award;

·  NFLPA Byron "Whizzer" White Humanitarian Award;

·  Sporting News "Good Guy" Award.

Why is it so important to him? Why doesn't he take his enormous wealth and go off and have a good time instead of investing his energy and his dollars and his time into the community.

"I love doing it," said Vincent, who will be officially honored on July 9. "Every athlete has his own agenda. Every athlete has those whom he loves and the causes he loves. Every athlete is different in how he approaches the game and the things off the field. Is there a right or wrong? No.

"This is just who I am, who I evolved into community. If there's an influence I want to make, it's on my children. And this next part is very important to me: I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, not even close. At the same time, I don't want people to look at my kindness as a weakness. My focus is to raise my children, to make my boys into great men. It's not what I say, it's what I do."

Vincent has been to the Pro Bowl. He's been to the playoffs. He's been in business ventures that have allowed him to live a fabulously wealthy lifestyle.

And yet he gives and gives and gives. Vincent was in Palm Beach, FL during this interview, preparing a talk for the league's annual rookie symposium. The topic: dealing with the media. Vincent was business as usual as he sat in on roundtable conversations and breakout sessions.

His message is that the media are going to be visible and are going to be important: respresent yourself well.

"I'm still a student. Going into my 12th season, I'm still learning every day," said Vincent, who is spending the majority of his one-on-one time with rookies from the Eagles, Lions, Vikings and Dolphins. "I'm still learning life skills. I can relate to these guys and that's a good thing. When I stop learning, it will be time for me to walk away."

That just can't happen. There is too much good to be done, too much of a message to spread from the platform that is the NFL. Vincent is making a difference. He's making life better for those around him. The "Good Guy" has stepped to the top of the list.