ITEM ONE:

JETS’ EDWARDS GETS BROTHERHOOD – AND MOTIVATION – AWARDS

It was a busy – and rewarding – week for New York Jets head coach HERMAN EDWARDS.  The team’s inspirational leader, who has captured playoff berths in each of his two years as head coach, was honored for his brotherhood on February 27, and then pulled out some of his best motivational tricks three days later to boost a struggling college basketball team.  In New York City, Edwards received the 26th annual Brotherhood Award from One Hundred Black Men, Inc. and the Association for a Better New York.  He was recognized for “exemplifying an outstanding and consistent commitment to brotherhood.”  Then last Sunday at Madison Square Garden, Edwards was invited by St. John’s University basketball coach MIKE JARVIS to speak to his .500 team before it took on mighty Duke, ranked sixth in the nation.  In a “hypnotic pregame sermon,” as the New York Times described it, Edwards regaled the collegians with stories of how the Jets turned their 2002 season around by vowing to stick together.  “Everybody wanted to play football after the speech,” said St. John’s forward ERIC KING.  They stuck to basketball, and rallied from an 11-point deficit with 4:05 left to pull out the win with a no-time-left free throw.     

ITEM TWO:

A REAL DOSE OF “REALITY”?  THE NFL!

“Reality” may be all the rage, but the NFL takes all the ratings.  Television viewership since last September proves that when Americans want a real dose of reality TV, they tune to NFL games.  Four of the five most-viewed TV sports or “reality” programs since September were NFL games.   First was Super Bowl XXXVII – the most-watched TV program in history with 138.9 million viewers.  Second was the AFC Championship Game, fourth the NFC Championship, and fifth the Jets-Raiders Divisional Playoff game.  The only “reality” series to crack the top five was the finale of “Joe Millionaire.”  Of the 18 sports/reality programs to average at least 25 million viewers, NFL games took 10 of the spots.     

ITEM THREE:

BROOKS JOINS MC NABB ON COLLEGE BOARDS OF TRUSTEES

One is a tough linebacker, the other a fleet quarterback.  LB DERRICK BROOKS of the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and QB DONOVAN MC NABB of the Philadelphia Eagles do have one thing in common – they both are on the Board of Trustees of their alma mater.  McNabb was appointed to the position at Syracuse last November.  Brooks was named to the spot this week at Florida State by Florida Gov. JEB BUSH.  The board governs the school, sets policy and hires the people who enforce that policy.  “Derrick’s experience with Florida State as an honor student and member of the football team has given him an understanding of the students who attend FSU,” said Bush.  Brooks, the 2002 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business communications from FSU.

ITEM FOUR:

STATES HONOR NFL STARS IN FEBRUARY

Three NFL stars, three states saluting them.  That was the quorum recently, as California, Texas and Virginia honored NFLers for their achievements.    Recently retired Washington Redskin DARRELL GREEN was cited by the Virginia General Assembly on February 19 for his programs to help children and families through his Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation.  The assembly also named a section of Virginia’s Route 28 (Green’s uniform number) as “Loudoun County Darrell Green Boulevard.”  On February 24, wide receiver KEYSHAWN JOHNSON of the Buccaneers was saluted on the floor of the California Assembly with a proclamation honoring his community service and various economic development activities in California.  Two days later, former Dallas Cowboy EMMITT SMITH was honored by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate separately for becoming the NFL’s all-time rushing leader in 2002 and for his charitable endeavors.