Doleman helps Gridiron Greats
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist Chris Doleman is working with the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, using a new browser application to direct proceeds spent by online shoppers to nonprofit organizations in need.
Through his company, Pro Auctions, Doleman will use browser app Giving Assistant, which notifies the user of more than 1,000 participating shopping partners. Each time an online purchase is made with an approved merchant, a percentage of sales is automatically redirected to programs supported by Gridiron Greats at no additional cost to the shopper.
Giving Assistant is a free download powered by GlobalMojo, a technology company based in Seattle and San Francisco.
``I am very excited to be working with GlobalMojo to create the Gridiron Greats Giving Assistant,'' Doleman said. `The real life stories of hardships of some of the league's former players is heartbreaking and I want to ensure that I do all I can to help.''
One of Doleman's pet projects is ``Lunch With a Hero,'' in which fans bid to have a former NFL star come to an event, with proceeds going to charity.
``It shows you how great you can be, what you can aspire to being,'' he said. ``How else would these people be able to talk to a Hall of Famer?''
Doleman terrorized quarterbacks and running backs as a defensive end for the Vikings, Falcons and 49ers for 15 seasons. He led the NFL in sacks in 1989 with 21 on his way to 150 1/2 sacks, fourth all-time, when he retired.
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RETURN RECORDS? With a high-scoring Super Bowl expected, several return records could fall Sunday.
The record for total return yards in a Super Bowl was 244 by Desmond Howard of Green Bay in 1997 against New England. He was the Super Bowl MVP that year after gaining 154 yards on kickoff returns and 90 yards on punt returns. Howard scored on a 99-yard kickoff runback.
No one has returned a punt for a TD in the Super Bowl.
The record for kickoff return yards in a Super Bowl is 242 by San Diego's Andre Coleman in 1995. He also set the record with eight returns, one of which he took 98 yards for a touchdown.
Miami's Fulton Walker set the mark for kickoff return average with 47.5 yards per return in 1983. He had a 98-yarder in that game, too.
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PREP COACH HONORED: John McKissick of Summerville, S.C., has been chosen the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year.
Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history, congratulated McKissick and presented him with the award at a news conference Friday in Indianapolis.
McKissick will receive $25,000, $15,000 of which will go to his high school's football program. The 60-year coaching veteran also is a guest of the NFL during Super Bowl week.
McKissick was one of 47 football coaches from across the country contending for the award, created to honor exemplary high school football coaches. The Carolina Panthers nominated McKissick.
All nominees are active or retired high school football coaches and were nominated by NFL teams and players for their character and integrity, inspirational leadership, commitment to the community and on-field success.
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WEATHERFORD'S RING: New York Giants punter Steve Weatherford sports an unusual look for a pro athlete.
He wears his wedding ring during games.
Most athletes take off their wedding bands, along with watches, earrings and any other jewelry, during games. But Weatherford said he got used to wearing it while he trained during the offseason, and it would feel ``awkward'' not to have it on now.
``For me, it's a comfort thing,'' he said. ``If I got into a situation where I didn't wear it in the offseason, I probably wouldn't wear it during the year. But in the offseason, my wife prefers I wear my ring, so I do.''
Asked if he was concerned that his ring could cause an injury, getting snagged on someone's jersey or caught during a tackle, Weatherford smirked.
``I don't know if you watch me during the game, but I spend about 99 percent of the time sitting on my butt on the sidelines,'' he said. ``That's a risk I'm willing to take to be comfortable. I'm not really worried about jamming my finger and not being able to get my ring off. I want to be comfortable and execute my job at a high level, and wearing my wedding ring makes me more comfortable.''
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SB 47 TICKET GIVEAWAY: Two fans will win a trip to next year's Super Bowl via an advertisement for the upcoming film, ``John Carter.''
Disney has collaborated with the NFL to give viewers an opportunity to enter ``The Journey to the Super Bowl Sweepstakes.'' The trip will include a five-day, four-night hotel stay for the winner and a guest, two tickets to the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans and access to game day hospitality at the stadium.
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton, ``John Carter'' is an action-adventure based on the story, ``A Princess of Mars'' by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
The movie is scheduled for release March 9, but a special screening for New York Giants and New England Patriots players and their families was held Friday in downtown Indianapolis.
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NINKOVICH NEAR HOME: The Super Bowl is almost a homecoming for Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich.
Ninkovich played high school football in New Lenox, Ill., about a 2 1/2-hour drive from Indianapolis, so it was easy for relatives to join him.
``The family could just jump in the car, and they didn't have to get on a plane or anything like that,'' he said.
``My mom, dad, sister, nephew and fiancee,'' he said. ``That's it. Once you give a ticket to a cousin, everyone else wants one too. I can't open the floodgates.''
He played his college football at Purdue, roughly an hour north of Indianapolis, and he's proud to be returning to Indiana to play in the Super Bowl. Ninkovich takes pride in the Purdue tradition that has sent linebackers and defensive ends such as Cliff Avril, Ray Edwards, Anthony Spencer, Shaun Phillips and Ryan Kerrigan to the league.
``I think Purdue is obviously a great program,'' he said. ``We have a lot of guys in the NFL and a lot of defensive ends that were a little bit undersized and moved to the outside linebacker spot. It's a great school, and I have great memories of being at Purdue.''
