Good Article on Shamarko Thomas

[hawaiiansteel]

Good article and all, and I am glad for his successes, but I am getting really tired of the "Gangs, drugs, trouble, and turned it around" story. I would rather have the Heath Miller stories as role models.

we don't get to pick our parents and the way we are raised.

you gotta give Shamarko credit for overcoming his circumstances and turning his life around...

[JAR]

I hope that's not the perspective BUT a lot of people think that way in 2014 and for me its terrifying. I'm not exactly sure how a country that used to have slaves can in a lot of ways be more racist now than it was before Lincoln.

Sadly Snatch, it's not a whole lot better.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

I'm not exactly sure how a country that used to have slaves can in a lot of ways be more racist now than it was before Lincoln.

Racism is bad, and it will be a good day when it is entirely eliminated. That said, there's no way this country is "more racist now than it was before Lincoln." Though that is the narrative much of the media is feeding us, it's detached from reality.

[Snatch98]

Sadly Snatch, it's not a whole lot better.

I honestly don't think its any better. I think its worse. Racism isn't in your face as much for obvious reasons but the closeted racism IMO is worse.

[Djfan]

we don't get to pick our parents and the way we are raised.

you gotta give Shamarko credit for overcoming his circumstances and turning his life around...

I give him TONS and TONS of credit. I just want different role models, that's all. It's not racism. Don't be narrow thinkers, folks. (Not directed at you Hawaiian)

[RuthlessBurgher]

Because a good role model is one who had everything handed to him versus one who overcame major adversity? Pro athletes shouldn't be looked upon as role models anyway.

True. I should be a role model for my kids, not some football player. But for kids without a consistent male presence in their lives for whatever reason, those kids have to look for guidance somewhere. For some, it's a teacher or a coach. For others, unfortunately, it's a gang leader or drug dealer. If Shamarko's story could possibly point some fatherless kid in the direction of the direction of the former as opposed to the latter, then great.

[feltdizz]

The Story of Heath Miller: His childhood was rough, often times he had no idea where his next meal would come from.... Would it be his dad bringing home a pizza after a long profitable day of work or would his stay at home mother cook steak and potatoes? It was grueling.

Yeah... not really that interesting or inspirational.

Now, if anyone here watches those ESPN 30 for 30's and saw the Bad Boys episode you would see Isaiah's story vs Bill Lambeirs. Isaiah's story about his childhood was 30 minutes of a Black kid jumping over hurdles to make it. Bills story about his childhood "I was raised in a wealthy family and money was never an issue"

That's it. That's all.

..and no one is stopping Heath from being a role model. We scream his name every time he touches the ball...

[feltdizz]

I give him TONS and TONS of credit. I just want different role models, that's all. It's not racism. Don't be narrow thinkers, folks. (Not directed at you Hawaiian)

in a thread about Shark it comes off kinda funky to say "ehhh, gimme more Heath stories"

what exactly is more "Heath Miller" stories? What is the story?

[RuthlessBurgher]

in a thread about Shark it comes off kinda funky to say "ehhh, gimme more Heath stories"

what exactly is more "Heath Miller" stories? What is the story?

His main hardship was that he was a high school QB who was forced to convert to TE in college. Oh, the humanity...

[Snatch98]

I give him TONS and TONS of credit. I just want different role models, that's all. It's not racism. Don't be narrow thinkers, folks. (Not directed at you Hawaiian)

It is kind of racist if I'm being blount. Heath Miller doesn't have a story of hardship and perseverence to overcome a few very obvious hurdles. Shark does and it was one of the reasons the steelers drafted him, because of that character. Yet you want less shark type stories and more heath type stories? Why?

[SteelerOfDeVille]

in a thread about Shark it comes off kinda funky to say "ehhh, gimme more Heath stories"

what exactly is more "Heath Miller" stories? What is the story?

Yup... otherwise, ask for Marcus Wheaton (or another middle-class black dude) story... I mean, dude was Chuck E Cheese... all those kids.. THAT is a hardship!!

[Discipline of Steel]

It is kind of racist if I'm being blount. Heath Miller doesn't have a story of hardship and perseverence to overcome a few very obvious hurdles. Shark does and it was one of the reasons the steelers drafted him, because of that character. Yet you want less shark type stories and more heath type stories? Why?

I want more stories about how the Steelers win football games and less 'human interest' stories that delve into the personal lives of the players.
ESPN started this nonsense when they took on the mantle of 'Apologist in Chief' for the NFL. I dont care, we have all overcome hurdles.

[Chadman]

Personally, I'd love it if all people had Heath Miller type stories.

Coming from privalege, or from hardship does not make 1 person more or less a role model. It's what you do with yourself that makes you a role model.

Can no rich kids grow up to be role models because they didn't lose a parent to dug wars at 13?

I appreciate what Shamarko has been through- and he appears to be doing well for the people in his life. To me though, that doesn't make him any better a role model than a Heath Miller, who exemplifies class & stability & "doing the right thing".

Everyone's story has differing levels of struggle and success.

[NorthCoast]

Personally, I'd love it if all people had Heath Miller type stories.

Coming from privalege, or from hardship does not make 1 person more or less a role model. It's what you do with yourself that makes you a role model.

Can no rich kids grow up to be role models because they didn't lose a parent to dug wars at 13?

I appreciate what Shamarko has been through- and he appears to be doing well for the people in his life. To me though, that doesn't make him any better a role model than a Heath Miller, who exemplifies class & stability & "doing the right thing".

Everyone's story has differing levels of struggle and success.

Exactly. Having more money only makes you more of what you already are. People that are selfless and humble without money tend to be moreso when they get it. and before you ask for some scientific study to prove it i will say i don't have it... just my experience in life.

[bostonsteeler]

Personally, I'd love it if all people had Heath Miller type stories.

Coming from privalege, or from hardship does not make 1 person more or less a role model. It's what you do with yourself that makes you a role model.

Can no rich kids grow up to be role models because they didn't lose a parent to dug wars at 13?

I appreciate what Shamarko has been through- and he appears to be doing well for the people in his life. To me though, that doesn't make him any better a role model than a Heath Miller, who exemplifies class & stability & "doing the right thing".

Everyone's story has differing levels of struggle and success.

I seriously don't get you guys. If he had bought himself an expensive Cruise while his mother was struggling, you'd call him an idiot. If he bought a fancy house, you'd call him a fool. But he's been popping kids left right and center. Not only are kids more expensive than houses and cruises, now you have also introduced 3 new people into the world with a very very very high probability (who knew for certain he'd be drafted) of spending the next several decades in poverty and misery, without being given a real chance to a decent life, and somehow this is "doing the right thing"??

All that went right for him is that he managed to get drafted into the NFL. I don't think there is a single one of us here who, having to deal with five younger siblings and no parents, wouldn't have given it our all to take care of them.

Doing that is or should be the norm. Nothing particularly extra-special-role-modelly in that. On the other hand, irresponsibly *adding* to the general level of poverty and misery in your home is distinctly *un* rolemodelly.

If his mother handn't died, and he hadn't landed the NFL, the poor lady would now have been burdened with three grandkids in addition to five young kids of her own, while her silly son went about trying to find a meaningful job on his "child care" degree, possibly popping more kids out on an annual basis along the way.