“From the Field to the Microphone” by Roman Oben

After twelve  years of the grid-iron I’ve decided to take a swing at media. Starting over 130 games, including Super Bowl XXXVII does validate my ability to have an “insider’s opinion”. I also spent my first four months after football working at a local news station, writing scripts for the sports cast as well as co-hosting a radio show. What I learned and later appreciated was that the media business is much more insecure and definitely more “fickle” than a career as a pro athlete.

It’s a fact that for every guy that has a substantial career in the FOUR major sports, there’s thousands of guys that never get a try-out. And YES I said 4 sports!! Please don’t even think about arguing  about  the popularity of NASCAR. I don’t recall any commercial where a race car driver is dripping the sweat of gatorade colors…. I digress sometimes– sorry!

In broadcast media, the ratio is probably worse. At least in sports, the rise to the top is a little more objective: highschool all-star, student athlete, pro athlete, former pro athlete, play golf for the rest of your life… it’s that simple: fame, stardom, financial stability…Or maybe not!

I forgot to mention: failed relationships, seeing the “ugly side of people” – including yourself, financial expectations from EVERYBODY, public scrutany, feeling like the weeds that grow through the cracks of the sidewalks one season & then feeling like a building block of an Egyptian pyramid the next season (or vice versa)… You know, all that kind of fun stuff!

*My first Love*

A lot of people don’t know this, but when I was a kid, learning the english language meant listening to a lot of radio, especially when I slept. I grew up listening to shock-jocks: an unapologetic oversexed Howard Stern & an embarrassingly controversial  guy named “Greaseman” probably at an age where I should have been trying to solve my rubix cube (I promissed to limit my 80’s references).

But I started reading homeroom annoucements in 10th grade, the same year that I started playing organized football- yes I didn’t play organized football until 10th grade.

I’ve  always loved the free form of radio, and I  believe that there’s a “purity” and “freedom” about listening. Radio (for the most part) is the only entertainment form that hasn’t been manipulated like 24-hour news.

* “Just the facts ma’am“
I say all of this to remind you folks that when you see the dunks, the game winning shots, the slow-motion replays, the touchdowns, the saves, the 10th round KO’s, birdie puts, and the photo-finishing races, remind.  yourself that there is someone driving in their car going home from an obligatory event and all they have is an AM radio station and the announcer who can only capture these moments with a passionately acurate delivery of the facts…

Jarvis Green’s Wine Tasting to Benefit Single Mothers

New England Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green will host his 2^nd Annual Wine Tasting at the Johnson & Wales Inn in Seekonk, MA this Saturday to benefit single mothers. The Louisiana native has made it his mission to help some of the victims affected by Hurricane Katrina. Green will be joined by his teammates, and other local celebrities to help raise money for the Jarvis Green Foundation. Green promises an unforgettable event, “filled with friends, fine hors d’ oeuvres, and of course fine wine”, he states.

 

I had the opportunity to sit down with Jarvis Green the other day and we discussed his philanthropic endeavors. We also discussed everything from his favorite wine to this week’s important game against the Jets. The defensive end had plenty to talk about.

 

So, tell me about your foundation and why you chose to have a Wine Tasting?

The foundation is the Jarvis Green Foundation and we help single mothers of Hurricane Katrina. We also help single mothers of any natural disaster. I live here in the Boston area so we look for single mothers who are struggling in the Boston and Providence area as well. We usually get the info. from the state because they help us find Recipients that needs the most help. I went with The Wine Tasting because I am into Fine Wine and also because I own a restaurant back home in Donaldsville LA. I love social gatherings, cocktail parties and events like that so I thought it would be something different and fun to do. Not to mention it’s for a good cause.

 

Do you have a goal of how much money you’d like to raise at this event?

Well we don’t have a set goal of how much money we want to raise at this particular event.  The Wine Tasting is the sixth event we had for the foundation this year. We are just trying to raise as much money as possible to help the people that really need it. Since we’ve started we’ve raised about $170,000. Personally, I don’t make anything from doing this; it’s not about me making money, it about helping someone in need. I don’t do it for popularity or to say that I have the biggest foundation. I do it to help people.

 

I commend you on your efforts and I think it is great what you are doing to help single mothers. Aside from the charitable work assisting single mothers, are you involved in any other charitable activities?

I do a few other things in the Boston area for low income families and for Network Health Group. I am actually the spokesperson for them this year. I also have a partnership with Dave’s supermarket a grocery store in the Boston area. They plan to match whatever amount we raise and that starts up in December.

 

You say you’re into Wine, so what’s your favorite?

Meritage is my favorite wine. I’ve never been too crazy about white wines before but recently I’ve been drinking Pinot Grigio. I just try different wines now because of my restaurant back home. I am really into wine and Wine Tastings. It’s a great way to raise money and also introduce people to different wines.

 

What wine companies sponsor your events?

 Right now we work with Chris Gasbarro’s Fine Wine & Spirits in Providence. They have taught me a lot about wines and what to look for when buying wine.

 

A lot of Athletes don’t give back as much as they can to their community. How important is it for you to give back, and do you feel obligated to do so?

I think so because God has blessed me with the tools that I have. The income we make as professional players we should be able to take some of what we earn and help those in need. I mean a player doesn’t have to have a foundation but he should at least go out and lend a hand. Whether it is a local church, YMCA, Boys & Girls clubs, whatever it is, we should help in some way. A lot of people need help out there so as players we should feel obligated to help those who are less fortunate.

 

What other Business Opportunities are you currently involved in outside of football?

Well like I said earlier, I own a restaurant in Donaldsonville, LA. I opened The Capitol Restaurant in my hometown a few months ago. It’s something that I’ve been putting together for about three years and it’s like a dream come true for me. I also own a liquor store on the outskirts of Louisiana. One day I’d like to open a franchise to both of those businesses.

 

What type of cuisine does your restaurant specialize in?

It’s more of a sports bar but very nice and elegant. We serve Po Boys, burgers, wings, and a lot of southern food. We serve a lot of different desserts. We usually have a choice of 20 different cheesecakes similar to the Cheesecake Factory. We have a martini bar also, so we have a lot to offer the locals in my hometown.

 

How is business thus far?

Business is great. We’ve only been open two months and when Hurricane Gustav came, we had to shut down for a few weeks but other than that business has been going pretty smooth. The restaurant business is one of the hardest businesses to run. I have learned a lot and I’m just taking my time with everything so it’s coming along. Hopefully in the near future I can branch out and open up another one in Baton Rouge.

 

When did you start thinking about lines of business outside of football and what advice would you give to younger players?

I thought about it right away. I started getting involved in different things to see what I really wanted to do around my second year in the league. My advice to guys is to start planning within the first and second year because a lot of times guys start on the back end when it’s really too late. I know the normal life span in football is only 6-7 years, so I started interning my second year to get involved in different things and to learn what it was I really wanted to do after football.

 

Why did you decide to do the Wine tasting during the middle of the season?

Well during the off season a lot of my teammates are gone. A lot of the fans come out and spend money on our events so they want to see my teammates and get to hang out, interact, and talk to them on a one on one basis and get to see how they really are. So that’s why I do it during the season. Yes it’s hard because we all have our hectic schedule but this year it worked out perfectly because we play the Jets on Thursday and then have the rest of the weekend off. So having all that time off will be great and more of the guys will come out and support.

 

Speaking of the Jets, Thursday’s game is a crucial win for both teams because you are tied for first place in the division. What do the Patriots need to do in order to come out with the win?

The biggest thing will be handling Brett Farve because he’s having such a great year and also stopping Running back Thomas Jones. If we can’t stop the run, it’s going to be a tough game. So we got to stop the run and make them one dimensional. We got to put the pressure on Brett Farve.

 

Matt Cassel is really proving himself as a young Quarterback. Did you expect him to have such an exceptional year?

Yeah, he’s been playing great and learning really fast. I mean he’s been coached by Tom Brady since he’s been there and watched that guy. So he’s very comfortable and is getting a swagger. And if anybody needs to have a swagger on a team, it needs to be the quarterback because that makes the whole team better.

 

Should Brady be concerned about having the number one spot next year?

(Laughing) No, not at all. 

 

How are you recovering from the ankle injury?

It’s doing well, it’s coming along. I can’t complain. A high ankle sprain, that’s a tough injury but I just take it one day at a time and try to get better.

 

Are you going to play on Thursday against the Jets?

Yeah, I’ll be ready on Thursday and will try to make some plays for the team.

 

How can people get information about this weekend’s event?

You can get more information and purchase tickets on the website at: www.jarvisgreen.com.  The tickets for the event are $100. Again the event is on Saturday November 15th at 7PM. It’s at Johnson & Wales Inn; 213 Taunton Ave; Seekonk, MA 02711