Jamal Spencer sets the record straight on athlete's and stereotypes in his weekly blog!

For every Pac-Man Jones or Tank Johnson, there are 10 Mike Furrey’s or Carlton Valentines. It’s a shame that in today’s society more attention is paid to

For every Pac-Man Jones or Tank Johnson, there are 10 Mike Furrey’s or Carlton Valentines. It’s a shame that in today’s society more attention is paid to those who consistently do the wrong thing then those that do the right thing.

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While working for Hondo I’ve been fortunate enough to cover dozens of athletes in a variety of sports. And what I’ve noticed so far is how many positive things these athletes do on a consistent basis. Be it charity work, volunteering their time, or making public appearances on their own accord, certain athletes are really stepping up.

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Last month Hondo sent me to Ohio and we covered a celebrity golf outing that was sponsored by Lions wide receiver Mike Furrey and a Lutheran organization in Dublin, OH. So many people came out to support Mike’s cause: Raising money for the hungry, hurting, and hopeful in Ohio. Soon-to-be Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk was there, as were a few Lions and other NFL players, and Ohio State personalities. And they were all there voluntarily. Marshall Faulk said he always spends his off-seasons helping others.

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When I had the chance to talk to Lions defensive end Dwayne White I asked him in his opinion why aren’t there more positive stories like this in the news, especially from NFL players? His said jokingly “Nobody wants to see this good stuff on TV. Nobody cares when we do the good things, people only care when we mess up.” But it shouldn’t be that way. I have learned from Hondo and those of you that watch the shows and read that site that that isn’t accurate.  Players like Mike and Dwayne should be celebrated just as often as players like Pac-Man are berated.

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MSU basketball legend Carlton Valentine feels the same way as Dwayne White. We interviewed Mr. Valentine at a church in Charlotte, MI while he was volunteering at a sports camp for kids. We sat there as he literally signed hundreds of autographs for the kids, more so in fact then he was asked to do. He told me “A lot of people say they do this for the kids. I don’t. I do it for me because it makes me feel good knowing I’m helping other people. I’ll always lend my time.” People like this should be made examples of. These are people who understand that they are now in a position to help others and that’s what they’re doing.

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I often wonder why negative, selfish players like Terrel Owens or Barry Bonds get tons of media coverage, but when a star athlete or a former athlete lends their time to do the right thing it barely gets noticed? Well from now on every time I see a negative story reported, I’ll think about players like Mike Furrey and Carlton Valentine who are out there doing the right thing. The funny thing is that working for Hondo, I have learned that many do care, and that is why I take such pride in covering it!

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