By Any Means Necessary...

West Coast offense

Brian and AG

"Handle my biz...I scramble like Randall with his...Cunningham, but the only thing runnin' is numbers fam...Jigga held you down six summers..."

Jay-Z - Heart of the City (Ain't no Love)

I'm in the midst of a very long, summer. The term hard work does not give justice…and for those of you that know me, you should remember how much I dislike the summer months. The good news is that we are getting further away from the sticky July days and nights, and closer to the cold wintry season were I can feel what seems like frigid air flowing in my veins.

Nevertheless, I am thankful for my hectic summers, because every year I try to work harder than the last, so that eventually my mother will not have to work as hard as she did when my siblings and I were younger and still does today. Hard work makes people appreciate the fruits of their labor, and in turn the labor is often times rewarded.

In October 2003 I landed a job with the Philadelphia Eagles as a volunteer for the Media Relations game staff. I had been out of work since July 2002, so I was very grateful to work for free. It was a start, and in most instances that's all you need.

My first game was mid-season on October 26; as the team would go on to win 7 more games in a row for a 9 game win streak. That win streak changed the season, as the team would win the NFC East Division for the third time in consecutive seasons. The wins began, on October 19th in the Meadowlands where the 2-3 team was fueled by the strong play of Brian Westbrook, to the note of a game winning 84-yard punt return, for a touchdown. The Eagles were down 3 (10-7) to their rival the New York Football Giants, and with 1:34 remaining on the clock and no timeouts, Westbrook did what he has been doing since he was a kid growing up in Fort Washington, Maryland. 

Westbrook was the first person on the team that I made friends with. We both loved sneakers...so everything clicked.

Any Given Sunday

Five years, Campbell’s Chunky Soup commercials, Super Bowl and Pro Bowl appearances later…Brian Westbrook hasn’t changed, or skipped a beat.

Here is the instant replay on our conversation:

What is your favorite sneaker of all-time and why?
“Jordan. You know it’s so many of them that I really like, but if I had to pick one...it would pick the Jordan XI, white/black.”

What shoes do you play in?
“When I play on grass I’ll wear a 7-stud [cleat], and when I’m on turf I’ll wear a molded cleat, but most of the time I play in the [Nike Zoom] Michael Vick.”

What are the major differences between the sneakers and styles in Philadelphia as opposed to PG County Maryland?
“In Philly the style is a lot more flamboyant. You will see wild, bright colors in Philly, but in PG [county] we have the ability to be wear those colors but we are a lot more relaxed with our style.”

What was it like playing in the Super Bowl?
“The thing about the Super Bowl is that it defines your professional career. The fact that we [Philadelphia Eagles] got there was very exciting, now we didn’t win it, but being there was something that I will appreciative forever.”


Ambition and determination are qualities that cannot be taught, purchased, or sold. Either you have it or you don’t. Brian Westbrook is ambition, and he embodies determination, every day on and off the field.

Peace.

AG.

Photos: Jamie Squire/Getty Images, AXG