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Book exceprt Dunn the Key - Sporty Tweets

Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from Bobby Bowden's and Mark Schlabach's new book "Called to Coach." Reprinted with permission from Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc.

The night before every football game, we gathered our players in our locker room, or in the conference room of a hotel if we were playing on the road. We met for an hour or so, talking about the keys on offense, defense, and special teams. More important, someone delivered a devotional at the start of the meeting. Sometimes I delivered it, but oftentimes one of my players, coaches, or team chaplains talked about something important to them.

One of the devotionals I often liked to tell our players was a story I heard many years ago. It was about Lou Little, who was a famous football coach at Columbia University in New York from 1930 to 1956. He led Columbia to a victory in the 1934 Rose Bowl over Stanford University and coached the famous novelist Jack Kerouac and Sid Luckman, who was a great T-formation quarterback for the Chicago Bears during the 1940s.

Little also coached at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., from 1924 to 1929. There, he coached a defensive tackle who probably weighed two hundred pounds, which was very big back in those days. Little worked with the boy every day, but the young man just did not get any better. But the boy was persistent, worked hard, and had a great attitude. In fact, the boy never missed a practice in his four seasons on the team. Three or four days before the boy's final game at Georgetown, Little received a telegram that informed him the boy's father had died. Little had seen the boy walking with his father. "Son, I am sorry," Little told him. "But your father passed away. Go home and take care of your family. We'll try to win this game for you."

That Saturday, Little walked into his team's locker room and was surprised to see the boy standing there. "Coach, you have to start me," the boy said.

"Son, you have never been a starter," Little told him. "This is the championship game. I cannot take that kind of risk today."

"Coach, I have to do this for my father," the boy pleaded. "Just put me in for the first play and then you can take me out of the game."

Little was overcome with sympathy. How could he not grant the boy his wish? So he put the boy in the starting lineup, and the boy ran down the field to cover the game's opening kickoff. He tackled the player returning the kick so hard he nearly knocked him into the first row of seats. The boy jumped up and ran to the sideline just like he promised his coach he would do, but Little motioned to him to stay in the game.

During the rest of the afternoon, the boy played like he was possessed. He led Georgetown's team in tackles and delivered big hit after big hit. Georgetown won the game and claimed a conference championship.

Little pulled the boy aside during the team's celebration in its locker room. "Son, what in the world got into you today?" Little asked him. "You've never played like that before. You've never shown that much desire in four years."

"Coach, you know my father died," the boy said. "You know my father was blind. Today was the first time he could see me play."

I met Little at a coaches' convention in Washington, D.C., during the late 1960s. I asked him if that story was true, and he told me it was. After watching Warrick Dunn play at Florida State for four seasons, I can only imagine he played as hard and with as much passion as that boy at Georgetown University for the same reason. Warrick had someone watching over him, too.

Read the rest at Sporty Tweets.

August 21, 2010
Warrick Dunn Making Dreams Come True - NFL Fan House

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings exclusive video reporting to FanHouse.

Warrick Dunn starred in the NFL for 12 seasons as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons. In this FanHouse exclusive we talk to Dunn about his charity work. When Warrick was just 18 years old, his mom, an off-duty police officer, was shot and killed by armed robbers. In her honor, Dunn has taken upon himself to start a foundation to help people become home-owners. To this day he has helped 99 families.

Check out the video:

WARRICK DUNN FAMILY FOUNDATION REWARDS TWO SINGLE MOTHERS AND FIVE CHILDREN FOR BECOMING FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS IN HONOR OF INDEPENDENCE DAY

ATLANTA, Ga. (June 29, 2010)--- Through its Homes for the Holidays (HFTH) program, the Warrick Dunn Family Foundation (WD-FF) rewarded two single mothers and their children for achieving financial independence though homeownership on Tuesday morning.

In honor of Independence Day (July 4), both homes were completely furnished and had fully stocked kitchens. The foundation assisted with an additional $5,000 down payment as well, drastically lowering each one's monthly mortgage payment.

Warrick Dunn, former running back and Atlanta Falcons limited partner, started HFTH in 1997 during his rookie season in the NFL to honor his late mother’s dream of homeownership. Betty Smothers, a Baton Rouge police officer, was killed while working an after-hours security shift when Dunn was an 18-year old high school senior.

As a single mother, Kimberly Crane has faced many challenges; however, with consistent effort and hard work throughout her life, she has achieved one of her long-time goals, owning her own home.

Crane has three adult children and lives with her 14-year old daughter. With assistance from Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, and a lot of hard work on her part, Crane and her daughter now have a place to call home.

The new home has three bedrooms. The additional bedroom was furnished with bunk beds so that Crane’s grandchildren would have a place to stay when they visited.

Crane is excited to prepare meals in her own kitchen and be able to tend to her own yard. Her new kitchen was fully stocked by Whole Foods Market and Aaron’s Inc. provided her with a trendy café table to serve meals in the kitchen area.

As the laundry and landscape host, DataScan Technologies supplied the family with a lawn mower, yard hose and cleaning supplies along with other lawn care and laundry necessities.

WD-FF supplied the family with all their cooking necessities from dishes and silverware to hand towels and cookware. There was also a personalized yellow towel that had “Kimberly’s Kitchen” embroidered on it.

Her daughter, an upcoming junior, is involved in the JROTC program, and now has a room decorated in with colorful flowers in her favorite colors: pink, purple and turquoise.

Crane's home presentation was attended by Mayor Kasim Reed. "I applaud Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and Warrick Dunn for the phenomenal work they are doing to help Atlanta families achieve the American dream of homeownership. "Warrick is a person who continues to give, " Reed said. "He is helping the City of Atlanta to revitalize important neighborhoods in our community and making Atlanta a better place by providing stability for families."

After the Crane home presentation, another single mother was rewarded for her hard work and effort to provide a stable home for her family.

Dollethea Chandler, a single mother of four, has worked hard to provide for herself and her entire family with the resources needed to make a better life for themselves. Chandler believes that owning a home will motive her children by allowing them to see that, despite being a single mom, she can still achieve her goals.

Warrick Dunn greeted the family as the car pulled up to the driveway. Chandler had no idea that Dunn would be there or that the house would be completely furnished and decorated.

As the Chandler family entered the new home, the youngest son exclaimed, "holy mackerel!" as the family caught the first glimpse of their home furnishings and decor. "We have never had nice things, " Chandler said through tears of joy.

The Chandler family’s new four bedroom home, built in partnership with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, is now equipped with everything that they will need, from furniture and linens to new toothbrushes for everyone. Whole Foods Market also supplied the house with a fully-stocked pantry.

The children’s rooms were decorated in blue plaid for the boys and Chandler’s 14-year-old daughter's room is a hip orange and purple scheme.

Chandler’s room was decorated in dark wood furniture and clean lines, creating a spa-like feel. Throughout the entire home reveal, escorted by Dunn, the family was overjoyed and grateful.

HFTH’s presenting sponsor, Aaron’s Inc., donated furniture ranging from beds and mattresses to dressers and dining room tables. The foundation also utilized volunteers to help shop for and decorate the homes to fit each family’s style.

To date, WD-FF and its sponsors have rewarded 99 single parents and 257 children and dependents in Atlanta, Ga., Baton Rouge, La., and Tallahassee and Tampa, Fla. for achieving the American Dream of purchasing their first home.

"My brother and sister are here with me today and we are honored to be able to share our mother's dream of homeownership with these families," Dunn said. "When I started this program in 1997, I didn't think I would make it to 10 and now we're at 99."

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THE WARRICK DUNN FOUNDATION EMBRACES “FAMILY”

TAMPA, Fla. (June 1, 2010)--- The Warrick Dunn Foundation announced today that Warrick Dunn and the Foundation’s board of directors approved a name change. Still incorporated under The Warrick Dunn Foundation Inc., it will now be doing business as the Warrick Dunn Family Foundation (WD-FF).
WD-FF continues to be dedicated to providing opportunities for economically disadvantaged single parents and children who have demonstrated a commitment to achieve financial independence and stability.

To date, the Foundation and its sponsors have rewarded 97 single parents and 260 children and dependents in Atlanta, Ga., Baton Rouge, La., Tallahassee, Fla. and Tampa, Fla., for achieving the American Dream of becoming a first-time home-buyer.

As the WD-FF continues to pursue its mission, it is also researching ways to improve the community through the life lessons and experiences of Dunn himself. Adding “family” to the Foundation’s name reflects the renewed devotion and commitment to helping families that are helping themselves.
“I wanted to update the Foundation’s name by adding ‘family’ to start a new chapter in my philanthropic journey,” Dunn said. “We’re researching new ways to serve the community that reflect hardships I was able to overcome.”

To signify this name change, the Foundation is also launching its new website, WD-FF.org. The website has been re-designed by The Internet Adept to illustrate the new look of WD-FF and communicate the steps being taken to continually pursue its mission.

WD-FF and the American Advertising Federation of Tampa Bay are hosting a launch party, Thursday from 6 pm to 9 pm, to introduce the Foundation’s new brand.

The launch party will be held at Gallery Eclectic Bistro in International Plaza, 2223 N. Westshore Blvd. Tampa, Fla. A minimum donation of $15 is being requested. For more information contact Nancy White, public service chair for AAF-Tampa Bay, at nancy@whitebookagency.com.

About the Warrick Dunn Family Foundation
The Warrick Dunn Family Foundation was established in 2002 as a way to grow programs and services for single-parent families in the communities of Atlanta, Ga., Baton Rouge, La., Tallahassee and Tampa, Fla., all cities Dunn has called home. The WD-FF is dedicated to providing opportunities for economically disadvantaged single parents and children who have demonstrated a commitment to achieve financial independence and stability. For more information visit: www.wd-ff.org

Florida State University News
Florida State University alumnus Warrick Dunn welcomes Tallahassee resident Lateshee Daniels and her daughter Jakyah to their new home built by the FSU chapter of Habitat for Humanity and fully furnished by the Warrick Dunn Foundation.

View more here..

FOX News Tampa Bay
DADE CITY - Mary Salazar burst into tears when she saw Warrick Dunn standing at her front door.
"I didn't believe it. When I saw him, it was just shocking," she said.
Salazar worked for hundreds of hours to build her new home in Dade City through Habitat for Humanity. She knew she would get the keys Tuesday, but had no idea Dunn would be there with a check for $5,000.00 to help with the down payment and furniture for the entire home.

WARRICK DUNN FOUNDATION REWARDS THREE SINGLE PARENTS AND NINE CHILDREN AND DEPENDENTS FOR BECOMING FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS

TAMPA, Fla. (May, 18 2010)--- The Warrick Dunn Foundation (WDF) rewarded a single grandmother, two single mothers and their children and dependents for becoming first-time homebuyers through its Homes for the Holidays (HFTH) program on Tuesday morning.

In honor of the recent Mother’s Day holiday, the three homes were completely furnished and had fully-stocked kitchens. The foundation assisted with the down payment as well, drastically lowering the recipients’ monthly mortgage payments.

Warrick Dunn, former NFL running back, started HFTH in 1997 during his rookie season with the Buccaneers to honor his late mother’s dream of homeownership. Betty Smothers, a Baton Rouge police officer, was killed while working an after-hours security shift when Dunn was an 18 year-old high school senior.

Living in a 13-person household with other family members, Mary Salazar and her five children slept in the living room every night. With the assistance of Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco, the Salazar family received more than just a house; they established a place to call home.

As the Salazar family pulled up to their home, Dunn greeted them at the driveway. After some words of recognition were said, Dunn escorted the family through their newly built four-bedroom, two-bathroom home to view the furnishings provided by the foundation.

“The land that this house stands on was once a migrant worker’s shelter until very recently, “ said John Finnerty, Executive Director of East & Central Habitat for Humanity. "It is amazing how far this neighborhood has come."

Salazar’s 14-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son now have their own bedrooms and the three youngest daughters will share a butterfly-themed room. The White Family Foundation sponsored all three of the children’s rooms, which included new bedding and décor.

“We don’t have to buy a thing,” exclaimed Salazar’s youngest daughter as she toured her new room.
The fully stocked kitchen, sponsored by the Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, was filled with dozens of meals to get the family off to a good start.

Immediately following the Salazar family’s home presentation, Dunn and supporters traveled down the street to reward a single mother of two.

Christina Clare and her two daughters, Jazmin and Kadence, were staying with a friend and shared a small room. Always searching for ways to move, Clare was unable to come up with first and last months rent, let alone the money to furnish a home.

Employed as a Certified Nurses Assistant at the Edwinola Assisted Living Facility, Clare knows the importance of helping others in need.

“This is the biggest moment in my life besides having my children,” said Clare. “I never thought I would have a home that was this beautiful.”

As the Clare family’s presentation came to an end, Dunn walked across the street to Clare’s neighbor and greeted Elois Adams, a single grandmother who also became a HFTH recipient on Tuesday.
Adams’ 4-year-old grandson and 27-year-old daughter lived with her in a small apartment. The roof leaked and there were not enough beds for the three of them. After years of hard work and dedication, Adams can finally relax on her own front porch.

“Thank you,” exclaimed Adams. “Every time I get up and walk through my house I will remember this is a blessing from God.”

Adams is familiar with the struggles of a single parent. Before becoming the legal guardian of her grandson, she raised her own 10 children in a two-bedroom home.

HFTH’s presenting sponsor, Aaron’s Inc., donated furniture ranging from beds and mattresses to dressers and dining room tables. The foundation also utilizes volunteers to help shop for and decorate the homes to fit eacg family’s style.

“Aaron’s slogan is ‘Making Dreams Come True’ and they actually do that,” said Dunn to the crowd of more than 60 supporters who were gathered to witness the three home presentations.

To date, WDF and its sponsors have rewarded 97 single parents and 260 children and dependents in Atlanta, Ga., Baton Rouge, La., and Tallahassee and Tampa, Fla. for achieving the American Dream of owning a home.