The Most Trust Worthy Sports Figures in America

Tony Dungy is the most trusted sports figure in the country.

Reader’s Digest just released its list of the top 100 Most Trusted People in America, and several notable sports figures were part of the list.

The most trusted sports figure is Tony Dungy, former football coach and current analyst for NBC Sunday Night Football.  Dungy comes in at number 21 on the list and I completely agree.  He has transcended the world of sports by offering his steadfast advice on life, keeping good habits and overcoming tragedy and obstacles.  I guarantee if Dungy said he wanted back in the coaching realm someone would find room quickly.

The next figure on the list is directly connected to Dungy is Denver Bronco’s QB Peyton Manning.  When you look up quarterback in the dictionary his picture has to be attached.  The reason why he is so trust worthy is that when he is on the field he figures out ways to win.  He is consistently good, and you never hear of bad behavior.  Look at the way he handled being released by the Colts- class, nothing but praise for the organization.  Brett Farve should have taken notes.

This next one shows that while the establishment doesn’t trust you the overall American public does. Tim Tebow (no 40) is the third most trusted sports figure on this list. I get it, you want your daughter dating him, he is all-american clean cut, but I wouldn’t trust my team’s performance on him being a pocket passer or effective leader.  Look at the chaos in the Jets organization- or course the Jets are the definition of chaos.  But in real life Tebow is a golden virgin with his bible verses and humongous following on social media.  While I don’t think he’s going to wind up being on an NFL this season I would trust him if we met in a dark alley.

Right after Tebow is Muhammed Ali (no 41), the most recognized face in professional boxing and perhaps the only practicing Muslim on the list.  Ali transcends sports: political and peace activist, showman- he is so many things.  I can’t believe he is behind Tebow- of course I wouldn’t have thought of Tebow for this list.  I need to stop acting like ESPN and drop my Tebow coverage.

The only golfer on the list, (No 55) Phil Mickelson has one four championships and swings left handed- even though he is a righty! Not sure how trusty that is but America said so.

Eli Manning (No 58)- I’m thinking that people thought the little brother of Peyton was in fact Peyton.  But again it’s like a combination of Peyton and Tebow- all American, can actually pass the ball in the NFL, and was probably a virgin before marriage

Finishing off the list is (No 91) Michael Straham- Wow a giant black man made the list! Straham is now more famous for being Kelly Ripa’s sidekick than for his footballing- but I do enjoy his gap tooth.

Now notice what is missing- no NBA, no MLB, and if Lance Armstrong hadn’t admitted doping he probably would have made the list.  Watch for the next few days for my own list of the personalities that I trust most in sports… it is an interesting topic.

Related articles

• Forbes: Tebow Most Influential Athlete (breitbart.com)
• Tim Tebow’s popularity works against him (espn.go.com)

Female kicker set for NFL regional combine tryout – Yahoo! News

Female kicker set for NFL regional combine tryout – Yahoo! News.

The first female kicker trying out is the biggest long shot to make a squad.  But still, you go girl!

Cowboys-Redskins Rivalry History

Cowboys vs. Redskins: Sibling Rivalry (Photo credit: Wayan Vota)

Since I live in an area with a large number of Redskins and Cowboys fans I understand this rivalry- these two clubs HATE EACH OTHER.

Sport Illustrated call this rivalry the top in the NFL and for good reason. As divisional rivals they see each other at least twice a season and both teams have won a combined eight Super Bowls.

But how did it all start and why? Well it’s really about a song and chicken feed.

Yep really.

A Texas oil tycoon Clint Murchison, Jr. wanted to bring an NFL team to Dallas and was having a hard time doing. In 1958 the owner of the Washington Redskins George Preston Marshall wanted to sell the team- and so the Redskins almost moved to Dallas until the last minute Marshall wanted a change in terms. Murchison wasn’t happy and the whole deal called off.

Then along came a man named Barnee Breeskin. Breeskin was the Redskin band director and the composer of “Hail to the Redskins.” Breeskin got into a disagreement with Marshall (see a pattern with this guy) and wanted revenge. Breeskin sold the rights to “Hail to the Redskins” for $2,500 to Murchison!

Murchison worked with the NFL to get an expansion team in Dallas and had every other owner’s approval- except you guessed Marshall. Even today in order to create an expanision team in the NFL you need unanimous owner’s approval and Marshall was the only hold out.

Until Marshall realized that Murchison owned the rights to a particular song. In order to get the rights back Marshall agreed to the expansion and the Dallas Cowboys were founded and began playing in 1960.

The fighting should be over right- no one more dig was needed. Back then there wasn’t free agency so in order to build a team Dallas was allowed to pick from certain players from other NFL teams– unless they were protected. Murchison picked Redskins’ Pro Bowl quarterback Eddie LeBaron as their starter. Marshall forgot to protect LeBaron.

How the Fans Got Involved

Back in the early days of the rivalry the fans acted like college fans do- crazy- and none better than the Cowboys Chicken Club.

December 1961 Cowboy fans sneaked into D.C. Stadium with bags of chicken feed. The idea was that during the Redskins’ half time show when Santa Claus would arrive by a sled the pranksters would release dozens of chickens on the field – 75 white and one black because the Marshall was the only owner in the league who wouldn’t put African-American players on the field.

The CCC actually got the chickens into the stadium the morning of the game and was unspotted until halftime when an official from the Redskins noticed the crates and sounds of chickens. The CCC tried to bribe the official but the official was actually Redskin general manager Dick McCann. The CCC members were arrested and the chicken confiscated.

The next year the CCC got into Marshall’s hotel room and put a large turkey in the bathroom the night before the game. Marshall fled the hotel room. Minutes before kickoff four banners reading “CHICKENS” in both end zones and on both sides of the 50 yard line were shown in the upper decks while “Hail to the Redskins” played in the stadium. Then acrobats hired by the CCC rushed onto the field in chicken costumes and started throwing eggs. One was caught but another one released a chicken during the National Anthem. By the time the players went onto the field the acrobat escaped.

The Cowboys would win that game 38-10 and the Dallas News reported that the attendance was 49,888 and one chicken.

Other memorable moments in the Rivalry

Jan 22, 1983- NFC Championship Game at RFK- Redskins defeated Cowboys to earn a trip to Super Bowl XVII and the Redskins first Super Bowl win.

The 1983 NFL season opener on MNF the Redskins were wining 23-3 at the half. Then Dallas came back and won 31-30.

December 9, 1984, down 21-6 at halftime Redskins scored 17 unanswered points on turnovers to get a 23-21 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Redskins won that game 30-28 and it was the first time in the rivalry when the Redskins swept the Cowboys.

September 9, 1985, Redskins QB Joe Thesimann celebrated his birthday at Texas Stadium with a performance including five interceptions and a benching by Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. The Dallas fans started to sing Happy Birthday to Thesimann and the Cowboys won 44-14.

1987 Scab Game- the Cowboys had more players cross the picket line during the 1987 strike than any other team. The Redskins had replacement players considered of less caliber but still pulled out a victory. This game is considered the inspiration for the 2000 movie The Replacements. The Redskins also won the Super Bowl that season.

1989 was not a good year for the Cowboys- except for the November 5 game against the Redskins- the one victory that whole season.

In the early 1990s both teams were at the top of the NFL ranks thanks largely to the Dallas big three of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irving.

1991- Redskins were undefeated going into the game and the Cowboys gave the Redskins their only loss for the season- the Redskins would win the Super Bowl that year.

1992- Emmitt Smith had a career performance with a 140 rushing yards in a win against the Super Bowl champs. The Cowboys won the Super Bowl that year but the Redskins got a bit of revenge with a win of their own.

1993- the Redskins embarrass the Cowboys- notice a pattern- with a win. This was only four wins for the Redskins that season that would add another Super Bowl win for the Cowboys.

1996- the Redskins would close out the home stand at RFK Stadium with a win against the Cowboys.

After 1996 the years have not been kind to either team- in fact in 2001 both teams came into their MNF game with an 0-4 record. Dallas won both games that year.

2002- the Redskins broke a 11-game losing streak to Dallas with a win 20-14 and both teams had losing records

2005- during the game when Aikman, Smith, and Irvin were inducted into the Cowboys “Ring of Honor” the Redskins won the game.

Despite the history the Cowboys have owned the rivalry- 62-40-2. Today they meet for the Thanksgiving game– and it is sure to be exciting.

Related articles

• Final Word: Redskins-Cowboys (espn.go.com)
• Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins rivalry (truebluenation.wordpress.com)
• Washington vs. Dallas: Cowboys Have Thanked Redskins for Giving in the Past (bleacherreport.com)

Why is Football such a Big Part of Thanksgiving?

Houston Texans’ Running back Arian Foster hurdles Dallas Cowboys’ defender Mike Jenkins. Reliant Stadium. Houston, Tx. Sept. 26 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Happy Thanksgiving to all my favorite Gals and Pals. Today is a great one for football fans because we get Thanksgiving games!

Since the league began in 1920 there have been Thanksgiving games. Currently three NFL games are played- there are always games in Dallas and Detroit and an additional game with a rotating roster of opponents was added in 2006.

As if you needed another reason to love Thanksgiving!

The Thanksgiving football tradition started for the NFL as a promotion gimmick by the first owner of the Detroit Lions and the idea grew to include many teams during the 1920s and 1930s. When World War II broke out the NFL didn’t schedule any Thanksgiving games between 1941-1945. After the war was over the tradition was renewed with just the Green Bay Packers vs. the Lions until 1963.

The Dallas Cowboys joined the tradition in 1966 and since the Lions and Cowboys have been the traditional home teams for the Thanksgiving NFL games. It is also considered the official kick off of the red kettle campaign for the Salvation Army as it is featured during half time in Cowboys stadium.

In 2006 the NFL added a third game for Thanksgiving played at night and airing on the NFL network. This year the game will be played on NBC.

Now let’s looks at the three games.

Houston vs Detroit

Kickoff is at 12:30est on CBS

The Lions are in an eight Thanksgiving game losing streak. I have a feeling meeting up with the awesome Texans isn’t going to help the cause.

Looking at the numbers offensively the Lions look slightly better. Averaging 402 yards per game the Lions have almost 60 more yards passing per game than the Texans. This is largely due to WR Calvin Johnson who has over 1,000 yards this season.

But the running game which eats up time and makes defenses tired goes to the Texans. Arian Foster has had 249 carries and 962 yards and 10 touchdowns. Since he is averaging 96 yards per game I fully expect him to get to over 1,000 yards this season against the Lions.

Don’t expect the Lions to run the ball- which they barely do anyway- against a Texans D that only allows on average 86 rushing yards per game. Both teams are equally matched in the secondary so I expect the QBs to throw the ball- a lot. But the Texans have Foster and since the Lions allow 114 rushing yards per game I expect the Texans to put up some points.

Texans win this one.

Redskins vs Cowboys- RIVARLY ALERT

Kickoff is at 4:25pm on FOX

Talking about these two teams is painful because I’m an Eagles fan and well the Eagles are a hot mess.

But the NFL powers that be have decided to put the Redskins down in Dallas.

Offensively these two teams are polar opposites.

	Redskins	Cowboys
Total Yards per Game	380	367
Passing Yards per Game	215	284
Rush Yards per Game	165	83
Points Per Game	26	21
Third Down Conversion %	30	40
Time of Possession	1844	1926

The Redskins with the combination of RG3 and Alfred Morris have over 1,400 yards rushing between the two. The Cowboys have no running game and must rely on throwing the ball- a lot. Probably too much- but this could work to the Cowboys advantage this game because the Redskins average 289 yards of passing per game.

But the Cowboys average 107 rushing yards per game.

See what I mean about both teams really being equally matched?

Whichever squad capitalizes on its strengths- RGIII and Morris get into a good groove for running or Tony Romo and crew get the ball down field will determine the win.

And since I personally do not like either team I’m going to give the win to the home team- Cowboys by 3.

Patriots vs. Jets- RIVARLY GAME ALERT

Kickoff 8:20est on NBC

On paper this is an easy game to discuss. The Jets are terrible- terrible, terrible, terrible.

Since the Jets allow 142 rushing yards per game and the Patriots average 143 rushing yards per game Tom Brady and crew should have this game in the bag on the ground. When you add in the Patriots 289 passing yards compared to anemic Jets of less than 200 passing yards per game there really shouldn’t be a concern.

But why do I have a bad feeling about this?

Perhaps it is because Rob Gronkowski who has 748 yards this season is out with a broken forearm that he never should have gotten because there was no reason for him to be on the field for the 59^th point. The Patriots were up 59 points against the Colts measly 24. No sense at all.

If the Patriots focus on the running game – especially Stevan Ridley who has 842 yards this season- and they will win the game.

Related articles

• Thanksgiving football schedule 2012: Texans get their own holiday spotlight (houston.sbnation.com)
• Football-predicting turkey picks Detroit over Houston (khou.com)
• The History Behind The Thanksgiving Day Game (slapioneer.wordpress.com)

Redskins Rule Bodes Well For Mitt Romney But World Series Result Favors Barack Obama | ThePostGame

Redskins Rule Bodes Well For Mitt Romney But World Series Result Favors Barack Obama | ThePostGame.

This is an interesting tidbit of trivia that combines the sports world and politics.

According to the article since 1940- which was the first presidential election when the Redskins were playing- if the Redskins win their home game before a presidential election then the incumbent will retain the White House.

Since the Redskins lost today history tells us that Mitt Romney will win the election.

I am not giving my opinion since this is a sports blog and enough of your friends are posting all kinds of things about the election.  But since I live in the battleground state of Virginia I can honestly say I am over the whole thing.

What I am not over though is the great game we saw in the District.  Cam Newton was 13 for 23 for 201 yards and a touchdown.  RG3 was okay with 215 yards but it felt like his coaching staff was leading him the wrong way.  Plus he was sacked four times.

The Redskins are now 3-6 and Panthers are 2-6 – not impressive records.

Related articles

• ‘Redskins Rule’ favors Romney (politico.com)
• Redskins loss could be good omen for Romney (thehill.com)
• Teams are bad, but Panthers-Redskins should be good (charlotteobserver.com)

The Two Great QB battles today

Eli Manning looks to add another win.(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Welcome to another NFL Sunday- and we get a whole extra hour to enjoy some hard hitting action! These are line ups I’m really look out for today!

Carolina at Washington- AKA RG3 vs Cam Newton!

All off season when people spoke about the large amount of rookie QBs starting in the NFL one comparison came- Cam Newton, who last year in his rookie year blew up and Robert Griffin, III who is also having an explosive rookie debut.

Both are Heisman Trophy winners and both brought excitement to the college game- and were team changers- just ask Auburn fans how much they wish Newton was playing right now for them.

Well maybe not this season’s Cam Newton.

Last season Newton had an incredible rookie year where he opened with a 400-yard passing game the first by a rookie QB in is NFL opener and then a week later did it again, won the Rookie of the Year award because of his 4,051 passing yards and an NFL rushing touchdown record.

This season Newton has kind of fizzed- only having 310 rushing yards in seven games. He also has thrown eight interceptions. To make matters worse his sideline attitude is atrocious. A fun game to play if you’re watching a Panther game is to see if you can spot Newton on the sideline- here’s a hint he’s often under a towel. If I led my team to an 1-6 season start I would probably hide under a towel too. Okay no, I would pull up my boot straps and get to work- but I’m not a Heisman winning quarterback so who am I to judge.

Newton’s job is to win football games- and he is paid very well to do that. So Newton suck it up buttercup stop the whining and start driving the ball down the field.

As for RG3 I really like him- he reminds me of that popular guy in high school who is friends with everyone. He makes it really easy to cheer for him and that is painful coming from someone who really dislikes the Redskins- RG3 makes the Redskins likeable.

Plus he is putting up some impressive numbers- already rushing for 476 yards, the most by a Redskins QB. Against Minnesota RG3 became the first rookie QB to rush for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

So today’s match up should be great- I’m taking the Skins at home.

Pittsburgh vs NY Giants– more than just football in this one

Perhaps the biggest game so far this season is due to a lady named Sandy.

After the super storm ravaged the East Coast many were suggesting postponing the game. But the game will happen and it should be a great one to watch.

First I pray that Pittsburgh will leave the bumblebee uniforms back in Pittsburgh- the great citizens of New York have suffered enough this past week.

Next another great quarterback battle Ben Rothesberger and Eli Manning – and these guys know each other pretty well as they were both part of the same draft class in 2003. Both have two superbowl rings and both can be the difference between a win and lost.

The Giants are coming off a great road win in Dallas where they held the Cowboys to only 19 rushing yards. Yet the Giants’ defense isn’t that great- as they have let 387 yards per game and 273 passing yards. Big Ben needs to find his receivers and tight end Heath Miller (please give him the ball lots cause the Sports Gal Pal needs fantasy points!). The Giants secondary is questionable at best and Big Ben knows how to take advantage of that.

But what about Eli- expect him to look for Victor Cruz– and maybe we’ll see some excellent salsa dancing in the end zone.

So what say you Gal Pal Nation? Are you looking forward to these games or one of the many others on the docket?

Related articles

• Michael Jordan Offers Some Advice to Struggling Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton (bleacherreport.com)
• Robert Griffin: Rookie Star Will Outplay Cam Newton in Dual-Threat QB Showdown (bleacherreport.com)

Water Cooler Talk: The Least You Need to Know

Well Gals and Pals with the addition of basketball, plus NFL and College Football makes a remote hand tired. Here is the least you need to know:

Chargers rally and keeps Turner in coach position- for a little while

Talk about two horrible teams meeting up for a primetime matchup- and both with serious issues that need to be addressed.

The often the bridesmaid never the bride of the AFC the San Diego Chargers faced a Kansas City Chiefs team last evening and pulled out an impressive win. But both teams remind me that there will be quite a few coaching and General Manager changes for this division. Romeo Crennel of the Chiefs who are 1-7 for the year and Norv Turner who in my opinion should never be the head coach of anything. He took an impressive Chargers team and turned them into a joke.

So if you run into any Chargers fans remind them that my four year-old could cover Matt Cassel in the pocket. This is not an impressive win Chargers fans- and it is still going to be a long season with Peyton Manning and the Broncos looking to win the division.

Hokies get hit by Hurricanes

Okay probably not the best head line after what Sandy has done to the East Coast- but for Hokie fans its true.

Now again I’m a blogger so I don’t have to be impartial- and I will not pretend to be. After last night’s win the Hurricanes are in control of the ACC Coastal Division- not impressive really but still doing better than a ton of teams. Could we finally get a Miami vs FSU championship game! That would be amazing- and the ACC folks are probably pleading please dear God let it happen. Because who wants to watch Duke play FSU for the ACC championship? Yeah from the crickets chirping I think y’all agree.

Here is the amazing thing about last night’s game- VT should have won. Yes, you read that correctly- they out gained the Hurricanes 421-347 and held the Hurricanes to only one third down conversion- and only 3 yards of offense on 12 plays in the third quarter. So the VT defense was doing it job- especially with Exum not getting called for pass interference penalties.

So how did Miami win the game? Thank you Logan Thomas and a terrible offensive effort from the Hokies. They fumbled in the end zone and Miami recovered. Interception. And a missed field goal.

This game is just a reminder that your team can have the best stats but unless they put up points it doesn’t matter. The Hokies now lose their 10 game win streak and their fans are starting to voice concerns that perhaps the offensive leadership is not doing its job- of course its been easy to hide behind a schedule and the ACC strength in football which is none. Hokies y’all got some boot strapping to do to figure out how to correct this course because you may not even being going to a bowl game to year.

Buzzer Beaters Put Spurs on Top

Finally the best game of the night was actually the NBA matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.

The Thunder have been in the news the past few days with the amazing trade of James Harden to Houston- hello 80 mil!

There were actually two cool buzzer beaters- at the end of the third quarter Thunder player Eric Maynor hit a game-tying buzzer beater from half court. And Tony Parker won the game with his last second 21-footer.

Spurs won 86-84

Thursday Night Football: Didn’t the Steelers Just Play?

Gal Pal thinks that the Steelers will be victorious over the Titans- do you agree?

Sorry it’s been quiet in the Gal Pal universe- I have been dealing with a major cold. I think my local area experienced a huge weather change so I’ve been in bed eating spicy Thai curry and watching terrible day time television. I am feeling better thank you so much now onto tonight’s game.

Is it just me or didn’t the Steelers and Titans just play- oh wait they did just play. Because of the popularity of the NFL there will be games on NFL Network every Thursday. The bad news is first that is usually a good night to watch college football– grr NFL for making me choose between my two loves of Autumn, plus Vampire Diaries starts tonight. The second is that every team at some point is going to have to go straight from a Sunday game to preparing for a Thursday night head to head. This means that players are not recovered from Sunday’s beat down and this could potentially lead to injury. Of course the NFL has claimed that its truly cares about player safety but the decision to have all 16 teams suffer this kind of schedule at least once in the season leads me to a different conclusion.

And with the addition of Thursday night game it does mean a national audience at least once for every NFL team- that is good for people who live in areas where their team doesn’t get air time.

The Steelers actually ran the ball last week to pull out a win over the Eagles. But they are still one of the worse teams for rushing yards in the league. Good news Steelers fans, the Titans are worse.

Looking at the numbers, and yes numbers matter Gals and Pal especially when we are mid season like, the Titans are a mess. They only average 65 yards of rushing per game and only have a 36% third down conversion for the year. On defense the Titans allow opponents 144 yards of rushing and over 279 yards of passing for the year.

So this is a no brainer for the Gal Pal- and it should be to you as well. The Steelers should win easily over the Titans this evening.

Related articles

• Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tennessee Titans: Preview and Predictions (bleacherreport.com)
• Steelers vs. Titans NFL Game Capsule (musiccitymiracles.com)
• Polamalu ruled out for Titans game (triblive.com)

NFL Week Five Preview

Will Mendhall’s return be the spark to light the Steeler’s season?

NFL games begin in a few hours and the Gal Pal household is excited to be going out to catch the action as the game they are most looking forward to is not playing on local tv thanks to the Redskins.

Here are the games I’m on the lookout for.

Eagles vs Steelers

This is the game Gals and Pals because I’m an Eagles fan and my lovely sister Shannon is a Pittsburgh fan (my other sister Rachael is a Cowboys fan FYI).

Despite my personal involvement with this game this is a great match up because every week we have to ask what sort of team will come out of Philly? While they are 3-1 at some point the turnovers and wasted opportunities are going to come back to haunt them.

The Steelers are coming off a bye week and are getting returning players Rashard Mendenhall and James Harrison could be the boost this team needs.

Key for victory for the Steelers- figure out a running game- right now they are averaging only 65 yards rushing per game- that is not enough for a solid offense and creates too much pressure on your receivers.

Since there are too many people I love involved in this game I’m not picking a winner but Fly Eagles Fly

Broncos vs Patriots aka Manning vs Brady

The Patriots are coming off a monster of a win against the Bills last week. Averaging 438 yards of offense per game they should be a favorite to win this home game.

But with the addition of Peyton Manning to the Broncos this season is the only reason people care.

This quarterback rivalry has been a favorite for years in the NFL. And given that Manning is still being questioned about his arm strength we have to wonder how many match ups between these two future hall of famers will we see?

I have a feeling that Brady is going to pull this out- the Pats have a great running game- averaging 144 yards per game. But like in recent years we have to question their defense- they allow over 367 yards per game this season. Give Manning those options and he’ll light up the red zone.

Get to either quarterback and you win the game- it really is that simple and yet so hard to do.

I’m taking the Patriots.

Falcons vs Redskins

The Falcons take their undefeated show on the road to DC.

Offensively these teams are well matched. Both average about 30 points per game, both average about 250 yards passing- though the Redskins are miles ahead of the running game.

The difference is the defense and the Falcons win that battle on paper at least.

So what about in the trenches?

Falcons normally play in a climate controlled dome. Today’s game is being played outdoors and the weather could be a factor. If Redskin QB RGIII were a little more season I might give the edge to the Skins.

But Matt Ryan and the Falcons are having a banner year- and I think experience is the one stat that really matters mid season.

I think the Falcons are going to remain undefeated.

Related articles

• Falcons vs. Redskins Preview (bloggingdirty.com)
• Fantasy Football Week 5: Last-Minute Top 15 Quarterback Rankings (bleacherreport.com)
• Steelers know limiting Vick will be tough task (triblive.com)
• Storylines: QB showdowns highlight Week 5 (nfl.si.com)

Cardinals WR Fitzgerald and his Personal Connection to his gear

These Nikes were designed with Fitzgerald’s mom in mind.

Tonight Arizona Cardinal‘s Pro Bowler Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald will be dressing in pink gear to support the NFL’s efforts to raise attention to Breast Cancer Awareness month.

But, like so many of us Fitzgerald has a personal connection to the disease- he lost his mother to the illness in 2003.

Nike has created special shoes with his mother’s name imprinted on them. I saw them on Rich Eisen‘s Twitter account this afternoon and wanted to share.

Fitzgerald’s Gear for Tonight (Photo courtesy of Rich Eisen)

Related articles

• Preview on Thursday Night Match UP Cardinals vs Rams (sportsgalpal.wordpress.com)