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FOR USE AS DESIRED HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, MOM – FROM YOUR NFL SON Dinner and flowers are staples on Mother’s Day. But some NFL players have special celebration plans this year for the moms in their lives. They range from a veteran linebacker buying a fashionable Mother’s Day gift in Italy…to two linebackers hosting a luncheon for 50 mothers in their team’s city. Some of the ways NFL players plan to celebrate Mother’s Day (May 9) this weekend: HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY -- FROM EUROPE: Atlanta Falcons linebacker KEITH BROOKING may be miles away from his mother on Sunday, but she will remain in his thoughts as he travels throughout Europe. Brooking is spending this week on a USO tour of American military bases in Germany with Falcons teammate WARRICK DUNN, Baltimore Ravens tight end TODD HEAP and NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE. “Mother’s Day means a great deal to me,” says Brooking. “I can’t put it into words what my mom means to me. Mother’s Day is a special day to let our mothers know how important they are. I try my best to do that every year.” After visiting the troops in Germany, Brooking will hop over to Italy where he will shop for a fashionable Mother’s Day gift for mom BRENDA. “Italy is up-to-date with fashion, so I’m sure I will find something nice for her over there,” he says. TIME TO UPDATE THE FURNITURE: Jacksonville Jaguars running back FRED TAYLOR last bought his grandmother ROSSETTA new furniture in his rookie year of 1998. Nearly seven years later, Taylor feels it is time to update grandma’s surroundings. So he has bought her new furniture and an entertainment system, and is having her family room painted for Mother’s Day. “She has had the same set-up from when I first got to the NFL,” says Taylor. “So I think it’s time for a change.” Sounds like grandma will be taken care of, but what about mom SHARON? “I am going to send her roses, like I do every year,” the loyal son says. ROAD TRIP: Instead of celebrating Mother’s Day at home, Green Bay Packers wide receiver DONALD DRIVER decided to take his mother and mother-in-law on a trip to Las Vegas. Every May, Driver co-hosts a charity golf tournament in the city. This year, the tournament falls on Mother’s Day weekend, so he will treat his mother and mother-in-law to an all-expense-paid trip to the popular vacation destination. Driver’s teammate in Green Bay, safety DARREN SHARPER, will spend the weekend at his offseason home in Virginia. Sharper, along with his brother, Houston Texans linebacker JAMIE, and their sister MONICA will treat mother PAULINE to a family dinner. BACK ON THE HOMEFRONT: One year ago, Indianapolis Colts linebacker DAVID THORNTON bought his mother JANICE a house in their home state of North Carolina. This weekend, Thornton will arrive home with flowers in hand for his mother as they plan to celebrate the occasion with an old-fashioned cookout with the rest of the family. For Thornton, spending time with his mother -- particularly on this weekend -- is an important priority. “It shows our appreciation for the love, prayers and support our mothers have given us for years,” he says. CHEF DOUGLAS: Sunday will be an early morning for Jacksonville defensive end HUGH DOUGLAS. He plans to cook and serve breakfast-in-bed to wife SIMONA. “I’ll also have our little man (son HUGH, JR.) present her with a card or something nice,” says Douglas. MOTHER’S DAY – A WEEK EARLY: Atlanta linebacker CHRIS DRAFT knew prior commitments would keep him out of town on Mother’s Day. So last weekend Draft cooked dinner and set up massage appointments for his mother, grandmother and cousins who are mothers. “I have love for my mother, my grandmother and all my cousins,” he says. “Every day is Mother’s Day to me. We try to celebrate it all the time.” WHO NEEDS GIFTS?: According to Jacksonville fullback MARC EDWARDS, wife DARCI is known to like shopping, and treats every day like Mother’s Day. So instead of buying jewelry or clothes for Darci, Edwards will give her the gift of peace and quiet by taking care of their three daughters while mom takes a relaxing trip to a spa. “She already has all of her gifts, because she goes shopping every day,” says Marc jokingly. “Every day is Mother’s Day. I’ll make sure to take the kids off her hands and let her go to the spa.” MOM MISC.: Chicago Bears second-year cornerback CHARLES TILLMAN plans on taking his grandmothers out for a nice dinner in the city……The Pittsburgh Steelers will host a Mother’s Day brunch at Heinz Field with former Steelers CRAIG BINGHAM and LOUIS LIPPS on hand to sign autographs for 600 guests. The Steelers also will serve as a sponsor for Sunday’s Pittsburgh Race for the Cure benefiting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Former Steelers linebacker ROBIN COLE and his daughters will lead a contingent of 18 team staffers and their families in the 3.1- mile race……Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebackers RYAN NECE and SHELTON QUARLES will honor the Top 50 Moms of the Bay Area at a special luncheon at Raymond James Stadium on Friday, May 7. Nece and Quarles picked the honorees after reviewing 1,000 nominations submitted by children, husbands and friends in the greater Tampa Bay area. The players will be accompanied by their own mothers at the luncheon…….For the third consecutive year, DIANA TICE, wife of Minnesota Vikings head coach MIKE TICE, will lead a group of coaches’ wives in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure…… Cleveland Browns linebacker – and new father – ANDRA DAVIS will visit the birthing center at the Cleveland Clinic this Friday to distribute baby calendars to new and expectant mothers. Davis is representing a collaboration among the Cleveland Clinic Health System, Giant Eagle, Inc. and the Browns that was formed to provide educational information and programs that support nutrition and healthy living, as well as prenatal, post-delivery, and newborn care. |