Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Gilbert Brown was a phenomenal football player. As good of a player as he was, though, he is an even better human being. This is a man who is constantly giving back to his community. When I say his community, I mean every community in which he feels he can use his influence, experience, and knowledge to make a positive difference. That means that he is present and/or giving back to numerous low-income, neglected, and ignored neighborhoods all over Wisconsin.
One may think he is retired and living off of his laurels (and he would be well within his rights to do so, and he would deserve it). But he has too big a heart to do that.
For this reason, Gilbert took the last few minutes of his weekly appearance on The Earl Ingram Show to send a strong message to Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who has once again found himself in the middle of a terrible, avoidable situation.
Green Bay Packers Legend Gilbert Brown Calls Out Memphis Grizzlies Point Guard Ja Morant
Gilbert Brown and Earl Ingram spent much of their show on Monday discussing how Jordan Love can step up and be a leader in the Packers locker room, but he will need help to so. They also discussed Sterling Sharpe’s disgusting omission from the NFL Hall of Fame. But Gilbert felt it was important to use the last few minutes of their weekly show to send a message to Morant and other athletes in his situation:
“I hate to get off the subject, Earl, but I’m over here watching my TV. What is wrong with Ja Morant?”
Earl Ingram, who by the way is fantastic community voice and advocate in his own right, proceeded to give listeners a rundown of the latest possibly career-altering mistake made by the young NBA superstar:
“Ja Morant, for those that don’t know him, is a star young basketball player who could possibly become the face of the NBA. He’s about 22 years old. One of the most athletic young guys who has ever played the game. Who is looking at a $200 million contract, not counting what his Converse contract is worth, probably another $260 million.
“He’s got the world at his feet, but he can’t separate himself from where he grew up. And around guys that he should move beyond. He was suspended earlier in the year for being on a website with a gun. You know, doing what some young urban cats do on these websites. So he was suspended, we thought he learned his lesson.
“And here he is on another website brandishing a gun. And it’s going to cost him a half a billion dollars. And I ask what you and I would do, Gilbert? That’s why we’re out here working with these young kids. That’s not the way!”
Gilbert responded:
“And the thing is, man, I try to preach as much as I can. ‘Even though you don’t want to be a role model, you are a role model. These kids emulate everything you do. You just got to present yourself better. Better decision making. I mean, everybody is going to make mistakes. Everybody is going to do dumb stuff. But to do it twice?!
“He’s a basketball player that is trying to be something else.”
Ingram then brought up Charles Barkley’s infamous comments about not being a role model. Brown responded:
“He is [a role model]. Even if you don’t want to be, you’re going to be. So you got to do something and live right because the kids are emulating you.”
There is not much more than can be added after that. Gilbert is right. It is up to these professional athletes to understand that with fame comes certain responsibilities, and being a role model is one of them.
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