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My seven year old son was assigned a non-fiction book report. He chose to do his book report on NFL Great, Emmitt Smith. Well, since this site is about sports, I thought it would be cool to post it as sort of a “player highlight”.

Excerpt from my son’s 2nd grade book report:

1. This non-fiction book report is about Emmitt Smith
2. Emmitt Smith was born May 15, 1969
3. Emmitt Smith is still living.
4. Emmitt Smith was the all time leading rusher in the NFL, running for 17,162 yards.

Most of Emmitt Smith’s football career was spent playing for the Dallas Cowboys. He may have not been the fastest of running backs but he had all the right moves that made him a star offensive player. He was such an incredible player to his teammates and his coaches. Coach Joe Bordsky said, “He’s magnificent. He’ll take your breath away, and you won’t get it back until he scores.”

Five Facts I learned about Emmitt Smith in this book:
1. In 1990 Emmitt Smith signed to play football with the Dallas Cowboys.
2. He played for 15 seasons and most running backs usually don’t make it past playing for 5 seasons.
3. He received the honor of Most Valuable Player in Super Bowl 28 while playing for the Dallas Cowboys in a 30 to 13 win over the Buffalo Bills.
4. He last played for the Arizona Cardinals but retired in 2005 as a Dallas Cowboy.
5. Emmitt Smith is currently a sports commentator on ESPN.

Tidbit of Info:
Emmitt Smith won the 2006 Dancing of the Stars Title with dance partner, professional dancer, Cheryl Burke.

According to The Associated Press on Sunday, records released to them through the Freedom of Information Act, showed the FBI had investigated Max McGee, famed Green Bay Packers wide receiver for illegal gambling.  This occurred for several months from the end of 1972 through September of 1973.

It was alleged that after his football career had ended, he became a bookmaker. The records showed McGee kept company with people who were connected with the 1963 NFL gambling scandal, one of which being Packer half back and McGee’s roommate for ten seasons, Paul Hornung.  The NFL suspended Hornung in 1963 for gambling on his own games.  Hornung has always maintained although the two of them enjoyed playing poker together, he never placed a bet with him.

Although the ostentatious McGee loved to party, play poker and bet on horse races, there was never enough evidence to prove he did anything illegal and the FBI dropped the case against McGee.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello was reported as saying he was unaware of the FBI’s investigation of McGee. Denise McGee, his widow, was also unaware of the investigation even though she didn’t meet McGee until after the investigation would have ended. She commented, “I was with him for 26 years, and he is the most honest and loyal person I ever met. Did he like to bet on football games? Yeah, a lot of people do.”

Max McGee scored the first touchdown in the first-ever NFL Super Bowl; Super Bowl I was played on January 15, 1967 at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Originally he wasn’t even supposed to play in the game, but in the end, he caught seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Vince Lombardi was head coach of the Green Bay Packers and they claimed victory over the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 35-10.

McGee died in October, 2007 at the age of seventy-five when he fell to his death from raking leaves off of the roof of his Minneapolis home.  Interestingly enough, the song “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers was played during his funeral.

Tidbits of Info:

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was signed into federal law on July 4, 1966 by the 36th president of the United States, President Lyndon B. Johnson without fanfare on his Texas Ranch. The act is based upon people having the right to know what our federal government is up to. This act applies to all departments and federal agencies in the executive branch of the government. It excludes our President, Congress and courts as well as state governments. Files held on citizens being investigated by federal agencies become a matter of public record after the citizen has died.

The Super Bowl trophy aka, the Lombardi Trophy, was named after legendary coach Vince Lombardi.

The name for the Super Bowl was devised after Kansas City Chiefs former owner Lamar Hunt was inspired by the name Super Ball on one of his daughter’s balls one day.

Tony Gonzalez is not your average NFL Player – touted as one of the most highly skilled tight ends in NFL history, this Kansas City Chiefs’ player was also named one of ESPN’s sexiest athletes in the world.

His role on the field takes a back seat to his innate spirit as a humanitarian; he chairs The Tony Gonzalez Foundation which helps to further emotional and educational support of medically challenged children. This is done through his two sub-foundations; Shadow Buddies Foundation and The Boys and Girls Club. Among his accomplishments, he has published an autobiographical book for children titled, Catch and Connect; he also hosts a youth football camp during his off season from the NFL and on MVPSpot.com he provides information on nutrition and health.

With 99 catches for 1,172 yards and five touchdowns, Gonzales completed the 2007 NFL season in a big way. His career has spanned over eleven years and he has gained five team records along with four NFL records including most career receiving touchdowns by a tight end with sixty-six touchdowns and most career receptions by a tight end with 816 receptions.

Tony began on Friday participating in ESPN The Weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The show will feature live and taped segments on stage of sports stars and celebrities being interviewed sharing their memorable moments and their favorite segments on ESPN. Sunday, March 2^nd, he will be premiering as one of three judge’s in Oprah Winfrey’s new prime-time show “The Big Give” which will allow Gonzalez to let his humanitarian side shine.

Tony Gonzalez had this to say about his new gig with Oprah, “Competition can bring out the best in people. What I love about Oprah’s Big Give is people are using that competitive edge to help others. I think that’s cool, very cool.”

With so many negative connotations related to professional athletes these days, it’s really heartwarming to see an athlete like Tony Gonzalez who is a genuine role model in every sense.

Tidbits of Info:

A Tight End is the last player on the offensive line who not only blocks, but also passes, catches and makes touchdowns.

Career Receiving - How many catches an offensive player has made from a forward pass*

*Forward Pass - a player throws the ball close to the opposing team’s goal line in which only one is allowed per day from that team’s line of scrimmage*

*Line of Scrimmage - starting point of where the quarterback first hikes the football

The popular Madden NFL 08 football videogame by Electronic Arts Games (EA) has just announced their Super Bowl winner pick for this Sunday.  In a simulation of this Sunday’s upcoming game, The New England Patriots beat the New York Giants with a score of 38-30.  In a statement made by EA, this shadowing foretell of the game had Running Back, Laurence Maroney scoring two touchdowns sparking an early lead and; Quarterback, Tom Brady making a pass to Receiver, Randy Moss that basically cinched the Super Bowl win plus a perfect 19-0 season.  For the past five years running according to EA, Madden NFL 08 has successfully picked the Super Bowl winner. 

Tidbit:  The game’s namesake is John Madden of Pro Football Hall of Fame.  During his Oakland Raiders coaching reign in the 1970’s, he led his team to the Super Bowl three times along with seven division titles. Not only was Madden the youngest coach in former American Football League (AFL) history and coached for nine seasons but he became the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl with a 32-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the 1977 Super Bowl XI.  After retiring in 1979 he went on to become a NBC Sports commentator.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock and even if you’re a girl who knows nothing about football, you’ve got to know that this year’s Super Bowl is being held this Sunday in Arizona.  That’s right, February 3rd,  The New England Patriots are going up against The New York Giants (the underdogs) at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.