Shanda Sounds Off: NFL Draft Edition
Tweet of the Week:
With all of the media talk about NBA’s Jason Collins being the first pro athlete to announce to the world that he is gay, naturally he’s become the topic of conversation. However, there was a wave of support Monday over social media full of well wishes and I thought this was one of the most touching tweets via the Boston Red Sox:
We salute you, @jasoncollins34 for your courage and leadership. Any time you want to throw out a first pitch at Fenway Park, let us know.
— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) April 29, 2013
Video of the Week:
Once a year the NFL Draft comes around and it’s never surprising just how little people know about the prospects. This year the wonderful people from Pro Football Talk decided to find out exactly how little draft fans did know in their NFL Draft prank.
Chad Johnson Takes Homeless Man to Outing
Spent my whole day with Robert “PorkChop” he doesn’t know his last name, at Urban Outfitters, taking him to club Dream for an hour or so
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) April 28, 2013
There’s a lot out there in being said about Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. They say he’s a media whore, that he can’t catch (that’s debatable). One thing that can’t be said about him is that he’s unapproachable or that he doesn’t love his fans. I’ve read several stories about Chad and random acts of kindness that he’s displayed to complete strangers as well as out of the ordinary experiences and this week was no different.
This past weekend Johnson tweeted a pictures with a homeless man he met named Robert, a.k.a Porkchop. Instead of Johnson giving him some money and getting on with his day, Johnson took him on an Ochocinco experience and spent the day with him. The day started with the two grabbing a couple of beers and some smokes for Porkchop. To help Porkchop keep time, Johnson gave him his own G-shock watch. Later it was off to Urban Outfitters to get Porkchop dressed for a night on the town and after that, it was time to hit Miami’s Club Cameo.
Most of us don’t take the time to spare a dime for the homeless, nevermind spending the entire day with them. I give Chad major credit for going the extra mile. Oh and for those of you that think it was just a gimmick for the day, Porkchop and Chad headed out on the town again!
After … PePe and PorkChop twitter.com/ochocinco/stat…
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) April 28, 2013
I never go to clubs but tonight is worth it with “PorkChop” in V.I.P popping whatever the hell he drinks… twitter.com/ochocinco/stat…
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) April 28, 2013
Draft pick Tyler Wilson Gets Raiders Call While in Wal-Mart
When you think of the most important call that you could receive in your life career-wise, you might think that you’d be prepared at home quietly and waiting patiently with family. That wasn’t the case for Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson, who had hoped to be drafted by the NFL somewhere between the second and fourth round. In order to break away from all of the stress of getting “the call” and spending nerve racking hours watching the draft, however, Wilson decided to get out and run some errands … and maybe do a little shopping at an Arkansas Wal-Mart.
According to the Log Cabin Democrat, it was at Wal-Mart that Wilson answered a call from the Oakland Raiders, who had drafted him in the fourth round.
“I was fed up with watching so we just got out and then get the phone call there in Walmart, of all places, but that’s good being from Arkansas,” Wilson said. “Obviously, it’s been a long process, a long three days. You hope to get picked a little sooner going into it, but the right situation, I think, is the most important part. And I definitely think I found that situation with Oakland, being in the situation they’re in quarterback-wise. I think I have a chance to go in there and compete and have a chance at playing sometime soon.”
Will Taylor get a chance to shine in Oakland? Tom Brady got that opportunity when Drew Bledsoe couldn’t play and the rest is history. Anything is possible.
Joe Andruzzi Makes Appearance at Draft for Boston
Unlike most years in the NFL Draft, 2013 got off to a slow start for the New England Patriots. This year, the Patriots traded away their only pick of the first round.
The team still made a huge impact in the first round however with an emotional appearance by Super Bowl champion, former Patriot and cancer survivor Joe Andruzzi, who joined Roger Goodell on stage to pay respects and homage to the first responders and victims in the wake of the horrible tragedy that took place in Boston on Marathon Monday.
Andruzzi, who comes from a family of firefighters, was at the Marathon that Monday celebrating a charity event for his Andruzzi Foundation at The Forum Restaurant when the bombs went off. Instead of fleeing the scene, Andruzzi joined dozens of other good Samaritans in aiding injured victims before ambulances and EMS were able to arrive.
This hit home with me particularly because I was also there working at Forum that day and witnessed the actions of Andruzzi, all of my Forum co-workers and so many random individuals that came together at such a scary time. I send a salute to the entire city of Boston for coming together and uniting. Nothing was more fitting than Andruzzi’s speech at the draft.
“As our nation did after 9/11, we will return to normalcy,” Andruzzi said. “We will continue to enjoy the freedoms of our country. We will continue together in the hardest of times as we did at the Boston marathon and show the goodness of people in the face of adversity.”
Boston Strong, baby!
For more information on the Andruzzi Foundation: www.joeandruzzifoundation.org
