thedrifter
11-18-08, 06:59 AM
NFL Salutes Military Members, Veterans
League Pays Tribute On, Off Field
By Mary Motzko, Contributing Writer
POSTED: 6:38 pm EST November 15, 2008
UPDATED: 11:30 am EST November 17, 2008
Every Sunday, NFL players engage in head-on collisions with hefty linemen, and scramble through defenses trying to find the end zone.
This month, the league is honoring men and women who put their lives on the line for a different kind of a victory -- one for their country. In November, NFL teams are scheduled to pay tribute to veterans and men and women who are currently serving in the military.
While those serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan are able to watch selected NFL games via the Armed Forces Network, servicemen and servicewomen and veterans in the U.S. are getting the opportunity to connect with their local NFL teams in person.
On Veterans Day, several teams made visits to local veterans hospitals and centers.
Tennessee's Ahmard Hall -- who is himself a Marine Corps veteran -- was joined by several of his Titans teammates, including Ken Amato, Chris Carr, Quinton Ganther, Rafael Little, Josh Stamer and Stephen Tulloch at the Nashville VA Medical Center.
"This is the second year we have visited the Veterans Hospital and we are trying to make it an annual event," said Hall. "It's an awesome feeling to visit the patients here and show gratitude for all that they have sacrificed. The players that came are a great group of guys and they really responded to the patients here. It's an awesome feeling to visit because we are so thankful for all that we have."
Hall and his wife, Joanna, each served four years in the Marines. Hall participated in missions in Kosovo (1999) and Afghanistan (2002).
Players from the Colts stopped by the Richard A. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis, where tight ends Tom Santi and Jacob Tamme visited with patients, signed autographs and handed out posters.
Dolphins players Vernon Carey and Jake Long honored veterans at a Salute to Veterans Luncheon at a Miami restaurant. Fifteen soldiers were invited from the U.S. Southern Military Command. Each soldier received gifts, autographs and photographs from the players.
Members of the Minnesota Vikings called Bingo and visited with military veterans at the Minneapolis Veterans Home. Winning Bingo players received autographed prizes.
Other teams also made stops on Veterans Day, as the Atlanta Falcons visited the Atlanta VA Medical Center, players and cheerleaders from the Philadelphia Eagles visit with veterans at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and the Washington Redskins visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
The NFL's salute to veterans continued Sunday, when several teams honored current and former military members during pre-game and halftime ceremonies. The Jaguars showed the national anthem on the video board from Joint Base Balad, Iraq, and during the game the team showed taped messages from deployed soldiers.
The Dolphins and Raiders made discounted tickets available to servicemen and servicewomen Sunday. Miami, which also offered a free hiring event for job seekers with military backgrounds on Nov. 6, offered cheaper tickets to military members Sunday. Oakland hosted military members for free Sunday as part of the team's "Tickets for Troops" program.
Several teams have also honored local military members on special Topps football cards. Eleven teams -- the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks -- have named selected military members as Topps Fans of the Game, and the serviceman or servicewoman is then featured on a trading card.
Ellie
League Pays Tribute On, Off Field
By Mary Motzko, Contributing Writer
POSTED: 6:38 pm EST November 15, 2008
UPDATED: 11:30 am EST November 17, 2008
Every Sunday, NFL players engage in head-on collisions with hefty linemen, and scramble through defenses trying to find the end zone.
This month, the league is honoring men and women who put their lives on the line for a different kind of a victory -- one for their country. In November, NFL teams are scheduled to pay tribute to veterans and men and women who are currently serving in the military.
While those serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan are able to watch selected NFL games via the Armed Forces Network, servicemen and servicewomen and veterans in the U.S. are getting the opportunity to connect with their local NFL teams in person.
On Veterans Day, several teams made visits to local veterans hospitals and centers.
Tennessee's Ahmard Hall -- who is himself a Marine Corps veteran -- was joined by several of his Titans teammates, including Ken Amato, Chris Carr, Quinton Ganther, Rafael Little, Josh Stamer and Stephen Tulloch at the Nashville VA Medical Center.
"This is the second year we have visited the Veterans Hospital and we are trying to make it an annual event," said Hall. "It's an awesome feeling to visit the patients here and show gratitude for all that they have sacrificed. The players that came are a great group of guys and they really responded to the patients here. It's an awesome feeling to visit because we are so thankful for all that we have."
Hall and his wife, Joanna, each served four years in the Marines. Hall participated in missions in Kosovo (1999) and Afghanistan (2002).
Players from the Colts stopped by the Richard A. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis, where tight ends Tom Santi and Jacob Tamme visited with patients, signed autographs and handed out posters.
Dolphins players Vernon Carey and Jake Long honored veterans at a Salute to Veterans Luncheon at a Miami restaurant. Fifteen soldiers were invited from the U.S. Southern Military Command. Each soldier received gifts, autographs and photographs from the players.
Members of the Minnesota Vikings called Bingo and visited with military veterans at the Minneapolis Veterans Home. Winning Bingo players received autographed prizes.
Other teams also made stops on Veterans Day, as the Atlanta Falcons visited the Atlanta VA Medical Center, players and cheerleaders from the Philadelphia Eagles visit with veterans at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and the Washington Redskins visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
The NFL's salute to veterans continued Sunday, when several teams honored current and former military members during pre-game and halftime ceremonies. The Jaguars showed the national anthem on the video board from Joint Base Balad, Iraq, and during the game the team showed taped messages from deployed soldiers.
The Dolphins and Raiders made discounted tickets available to servicemen and servicewomen Sunday. Miami, which also offered a free hiring event for job seekers with military backgrounds on Nov. 6, offered cheaper tickets to military members Sunday. Oakland hosted military members for free Sunday as part of the team's "Tickets for Troops" program.
Several teams have also honored local military members on special Topps football cards. Eleven teams -- the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks -- have named selected military members as Topps Fans of the Game, and the serviceman or servicewoman is then featured on a trading card.
Ellie