P. Manning was very similar when he was in Indy.
Wilson has the heart of a stallion, and is a natural leader. Plus, he played for Wisconsin!
FROM THE ARTICLE:
Eve Kopp was skeptical when she first heard about the Seahawks rookie who called Seattle Children’s Hospital, unsolicited, asking if there was anything he could do to help. Could he and his wife come by and spend some time with patients? Kopp felt she’d done this dance with professional athletes before, and it frequently resulted in a few awkward, superficial photo ops and eventual disappointment. Most of the staff had never even heard of Russell Wilson. At the time, he was just a third-string quarterback, fresh out of the University of Wisconsin.
“We didn’t believe it at first,” says Kopp, the director of corporate annual giving for the hospital’s foundation. “Some athletes have it written into their contracts to do charity appearances, and so it’s easy for them to select Seattle Children. It might even be part of a requirement from the team. Typically, we see them once and that’s about it. We figured with Russell, we’d see him once or twice, and then never again.”
Wilson, however, kept showing up, every Tuesday. He enjoyed what the hospital initially set up for him, goofing around with a big group of kids in a playroom. But what he really wanted, he admitted, was to spend time with families in one-on-one settings. Something that would allow him to have real conversations with them, if only for 30 minutes. Kopp was stunned. And thrilled.
“It’s really rare for an athlete to feel comfortable going room to room, seeing sick kids with bandages all over and IVs in their arms,” Kopp said. “But he felt like it grounded him. It took him away from the regular chaos of his life.”
P. Manning was very similar when he was in Indy.
Thanks for sharing. Is RG 3 still considered a good guy around here? I know some do not like his appearance (though it is much more based on traditional African styles as opposed to imitating a gangster culture) and don’t like some of his comments on the NFL but I wondered if he is at least still considered among the better role models here.
Wilson posts a Bible verse daily on Facebook, and often some very inspirational messages of his own. Makes me proud to be a Seahawks fan.
Rooting for Manning to win his second, but would not be sad to see Wilson and the Seahawks win. This is one of those games where I like and admire both teams. No antagonist in this one...at least for this fan.
Wearing #3 down here in Oz for the game ... Go Hawks!!!!!!
I don’t care whether he and the other Seahawks are up for canonization.
The Seahawks don’t deserve to win a single home game. Twelve men? Should be illegal. The fans disrupt the other teams in the nastiest possible way. I have no idea and do not care how many games the Seahawks could win without that Poor Sportsmanship Award winning 12th man.
And yes, I do live in WA. Go Broncos!!!!
My son played football with Russell in junior high and high school. He was a year ahead of Russell, but he says that the Russell Wilson you see is the genuine article. I watched Russell develop as a player, from about the 7th grade on, and I am not greatly surprised that he has become the star that he is. Pete Carroll made a very wise decision to go with him.
During their years together playing football, my son was not all that enamored with Russell, as Russell demanded hard work, and as a talented but unmotivated player, my son did not take kindly to that. That said, can you imagine the thrill of seeing your JV & Varsity teammate go to the Super Bowl in only his second year as a pro?
Russell did well academically, and his spiritual side is the real deal. I had the pleasure of getting to know his late father, Harrison, and it is pretty obvious why Russell is so well grounded. Harrison’s life’s story was every bit as compelling as Russell’s.
I taped every JV game the boys played. If he stays on the same track, maybe I can rent them to ESPN for a king’s ransom!
Thanks for posting - I missed this article.
He really is a great guy!
He also has a passing camp for kids - - video here:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-super-bowl-features/0ap2000000319956/Russell-Wilson-No-Time-for-Sleep-Episode-1
I’ll be wearing my #3 jersey to work tomorrow and to a SB Party on Sunday. My 11 y.o. nephew will be wearing his #3 SB jersey, too.
Go Hawks!!
NFL’s Colin Kaepernick vs. Russell Wilson: A Tale of Two Instagrams
http://mashable.com/2014/01/13/kaepernick-wilson-instagram-comparison/
(Russell) Wilson told a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter about how faith helped him deal with the death of his father, Harrison Wilson III in 2010, who had been suffering from diabetes and several strokes.
The date was June 9, the day after Russell Wilson was drafted by the (Major League Baseball team, the Colorado) Rockies. He went to share the news with his father.
"My grandmother and I went there and we started praying," Russell Wilson said. "He was non-responsive."
Undaunted, Russell Wilson told his father about being drafted by the Rockies. He eventually stepped out into the hallway, along with his grandmother and mother.
Mother and son stepped aside and started talking privately, for about 15 minutes.
Russell Wilson finished the story:
"We were just standing there and all of a sudden it clicked," he said. "The Holy Spirit was telling us to go in there. So we went in the room and - this is the crazy part.
"I walked in and I could see the (EKG) monitor. As soon as I walked in the door I said: 'Hey, Dad, I'm here.'
"As soon as I said that, the line went flat. That's how I knew the Lord is real. I knew my dad heard me and he could hear everything I was telling him about how I got drafted. He was waiting for something great to happen.
"That's how I knew he went in peace. He is here watching me right now."
The faith and football of Russell Wilson
Teddy Bear the Porcupine Predicts the Winner of Super Bowl 48
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xasp7prjXOM
In case you haven’t seen it, I thought this was a great article (interview with Russell’s grandfather). Really an amazing and motivated family. I learned a lot I didn’t know, such as Russell’s dad was an attorney and drafted by the Colorado Rockies right before he died. It’s easy to see where he gets his motivation and values!
My screen got a bit misty in reading this.
GO WILSON AND HAWKS!!!