Marshawn Lynch's move to Seattle has given him a chance to redefine himself--both as a player and as a person. After a series of run-ins with the law while at Buffalo, Marshawn seems to be staying out of trouble since he was traded.
But there never has been a question about Marshawn's running. The question, almost always, was about his conduct in society.
He always was a man on the field, in full gear, but could he become one off it?
That's the question Lynch is attempting to answer. And he's doing it with an attitude that's downright refreshing.
He still has his beloved braids, but on this day, at a gorgeous waterfront restaurant in San Francisco, they dangle above a silver-gray Brooks Brothers suit, which covers a black dress shirt and silver tie. Lynch and his cousin, Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Johnson, are unveiling their Fam 1st Family Foundation for underprivileged youth.
"We've been able to touch kids at certain times," Lynch says. "Like Thanksgiving, giving away turkeys, and Christmas, giving away toys, and at our summer camp.
"But this is about a youth center where we can touch 'em every day, all year round. And not just kids, but families, too. It's like Josh always says, 'We want to show kids in Oakland that there's more than what's between the 580 and the 880.' There's a lot more beyond that, but sometimes you can't see it."
After the jump Bryce Treggs commits to the Bears and Wilner outlines more details of the Pac-12 television network.
Football
- Bryce Treggs comitted to Cal yesterday. Zach Kline had a strong influence on Treggs' decision to join the Bears.
- Ted Miller names Keenan Allen as Cal's indispensable player. He must have had a look at our projected 2011 depth chart.
- Wilner has more on the state of the Pac-12 television network. This time he goes over the details of the conference's weekly "draft" to determine which networks will televise which games.