I had a wonderful experience playing golf at the Hooptee Celebrity Tournament in Charlotte, NC at the beautiful Ballantyne Resort and Golf Club. The facilities were incredible and the event was run in a first class manner, but then again that was to be expected from Fred Whitfield and Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets organization. Our foursome, which was hosted by my friend's Roy and Jim, former real estate partners of mine, was special because it was a semi reunion, as we had not played golf together in perhaps ten years. Roy brought his son, 11 year old Sam and it was great to see them interact.
Ron Rivera, Moses Malone, Dell Curry, Jay Bilas, Warren Sapp, Charles Barkley, Thomas Davis, Dre Bly, and Gerald Henderson were all there. We were paired with Ed "Too Tall" Jones, the legendary Dallas Cowboy defensive end who was one of the most recognizable athletes in the world back in his day. Ed is a huge man, but had surprisingly soft hands and a good short game around the greens. I also invited my pastor friend Brian Duley, who recently relocated to Charlotte and started Nikao Church in the University Area, to spend the day with us in fellowship.
We had a terrific time together, and as the group loosened up, the conversation became more flowing about family and telling old sports stories and business deals. What was so rewarding to hear was how each man had something; a cause or a ministry that they believed in and were supporting financially to help those less fortunate. We talked about my new book THE QB MENTOR, and Brians new church, NIKAO, and about ZOWEH Ministries and my friend Michael Thompson’s new book THE HEART OF A WARRIOR. "Too Tall" shared his involvement in Minneapolis with a foundation that provides hearing aids for young children that were deaf. He said "when you see a child hear for the first time, it is something really special." I can’t imagine how magical a moment that must be to witness.
We talked about the efforts that the golf tournament was making to support under-privileged Charlotte youth and point them in the right direction both athletically and academically, which is something that native North Carolinian Fred Whitfield has been doing for the last 31 years through his foundation.
I have been involved in celebrity events since I was in college. It’s funny the role I have played, sometimes the celebrity, sometimes the fan. I can recall an event I attended in Charlotte many years ago and I went into a suite in the hotel and was recognized for having been the UNC quarterback on some very successful college teams and so I was asked for autographs. That was flattering, but then later in the evening, I went to a suite on another floor where Carolina’s most beloved son Michael Jordan was hosting a party. But as I got to the door, the "bouncer" stopped me and asked me who I knew to get into the party. I chuckled and said that I was a friend of Michael's and we had gone to school together at UNC. I think he thought something like "yea, that’s what everyone says" and didn’t appear that he was going to let me in. About that moment, MJ saw me at the door and yelled out to waive me into the room. I always remember that contrasting experience, to be recognized as a celebrity in one place, and then moments later having to be validated to enter in another. I laugh with my wife in describing my athletic prowess when I tell her, "I was a star among the lesser, and lesser among the stars."
That required me to be comfortable in my own skin no matter what environment I found myself in. If I wasn’t, my self-image and self-worth would fluctuate based on who recognized me, or what value they placed on me from my athletic accomplishments. It was an incredible lesson to have learned, and needed to learn after I finished playing football. Spiritually I have become stronger and deeper in my faith walk and I realize that I AM WHO THE LORD SAYS I AM, not who anyone else says or thinks I am!
As I thought about those two days of golf with friends, I realized we were all so much older than my first celebrity experience. I noticed that the celebrities were all more approachable, more amicable, friendlier and conversational. They seemed to walk slower, drink more water, laugh deeper with strangers and smile a lot more than when we were all younger. I wouldn’t say they were more humble, it was something else. Perhaps they were mellowed with age and perspective, glad to be able to still bring joy to fans from their glory days as athletes, but also happy to fellowship and talk about the similarities they had in life with everyone, instead of just talk about the accomplishments that made them different and a celebrity in the first place.
It was so rewarding to see so many of our athletic heroes from growing up, now aging, and still giving back and using the platform of their fame to endorse and help kingdom causes. An athlete is naturally self-centered and driven by self- improvement and being dominant in competition. When a player retires, it takes a while for that heavy dose of perspective to soften and change. It never totally goes away, but it was so refreshing to see so many of these men now in their 50’s and 60’s, standing atop the platform of their name recognition, but using it not for their own benefit, but rather leveraging it for the benefit of others less fortunate, folks they don’t even know, and will never meet.
I call that planting shade trees. Saplings that will grow big and tall and provide shade to future generations, but trees whose shade we ourselves will never actually enjoy. But that’s ok.
We plant them anyway.
Amen and amen.