Harry Carson

For being the outstanding coach you became after a good career as a player with the Pittsburgh Steelers and for a very short time (several weeks) with the New York Football Giants. While it was brief I enjoyed having you as a teammate. Thanks for your tenure as an assistant coach and then on to being a Head Coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then the Indianapolis Colts. Thanks for becoming the first African-American National Football League Coach to win a SuperBowl. Thanks for your coaching tree of Herman Edwards, Lovie Smith, Mike Tomlin, Rod Marinelli and now Jim Caldwell. Thanks for your support of the Fritz Pollard Alliance in it’s quest to create a greater sense of diversity in the hiring of Minority Coaches, Scouts and Personnel in the NFL. Thanks for truly being a tremendous role model for those players you’ve coached and those coaches you coached with on your journey. Thanks for doing the job the “Tony Dungy Way”! You will definitely be missed! Thanks for all that you’ve done as a football man.

I want to thank you in advance of what you are about to do as a Man! To leave the game of football at the height of your career and devote your life to making a difference in the lives of others especially young men is more important than winning any Lombardi Trophy. I’ve always respected you but that respect is clearly off the charts!

Enjoy your new life and free time with your family.

Yes We Can!!!!!

Let me join the chorus of the millions of voices around the world who have said, “WOW!!!!” in response to the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. As a rule, I don’t normally talk politics or religion with anyone when it comes to these two subjects. (I’ve found that everyone has varying opinions and while we might not see things exactly eye to eye, I defend everyone’s right to believe in what they want to believe in.) After I voted on Election Day I was asked by a reporter from the New York Daily News who I voted for and why? I told him, with pride, Barack Obama! My response was not because he is African-American but because I thought we needed a President who can help restore this country’s standing in the world. America is the greatest country on earth but we as a nation had lost the respect of the world. We all love America whether you are Black, White, Red or Yellow, whether you are a Democrat, Republican or an Independent voter we all love this country and we all are Americans. And, despite what some might want you to believe, I, as well as everyone I know are just as patriotic as anyone else in this country!

I also felt a need to share with the reporter my growing up in the South where I can still remember the separate water fountains in public places and separate entrances for Blacks and Whites for restaurants. Most importantly I remember when both Blacks and Whites were beaten and killed just to have the right for Black people to vote. Even today in various places in this country there are still efforts to keep people from exercising their right to select their own leader. Because of my long standing memories I have never ever taken my right to vote for granted.

When the announcement was made that Senator Obama was now President-Elect Obama I said to myself WOW!!! Unless you’ve grown up as a person of color, poor, discriminated against, looked down upon, considered second class by some, etc, etc. you may not even begin to understand the magnitude of the moment. In recent days you’ve probably heard stories like this, a parents telling their children that they can grow up to be anything they want to be including the President of the United States. If you are Black, you heard it and it sounded good but somewhere in the back of your mind you knew it could never happen! Yeah, you could be a Hall of Fame Football Player, a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or even an Astronaut, but the President of the United States of America? C’mon that’s was a stretch but it sounded good! It has happened and my lone desire is I only wish my parents could have been here to witness this event.

The jubilant response of people around the world to the results of our election was an indication that with our change in leadership of this country we are well on the way to restoring world relationships as well as dealing the many serious problems we all as a nation share.

Well, now we all know that when we tell our children, grandchildren or any other child that we care about that they can be anything they want to be if they work hard and prepare, they can believe it and know that it can happen! This election proved it can. Nothing is impossible! Now let’s find the cures to Cancer, Autism, Alzheimer’s and other conditions that affect us all!

When I was in college I watched my father’s health deteriorate over a 3-4 week period where he went from walking and being independent to being bedridden and unable to care for himself. During that period of time he would lose his balance and fall, he was unable to shave, bathe or even feed himself. He eventually deteriorated to the point where he was unable to control his bodily functions. When I cleaned him up and attempted to make him comfortable in bed my father would apologize and cry thinking he was a burden.

As a little boy growing up I realized that my father was not the best father in the world! There were many times when he worked all week and when paid on Friday he would make his stop at places and have a drink with his buddies. By the time he got home his money was all gone. My family paid the price by not having food to eat or having our electricity or water turned off. My heart raced when I first realized what an eviction notice placed on our door was about. My father never came to a football practice or game while I was in high school or college. I didn’t always like what my father did or didn’t do when it came to taking care of his family but I always loved and respected my Father! When he passed away I sat in the first row at the service remembering the good things about him and I chose to overlook the bad. But the thing that I reflected on the most was the end of his life when my father felt he lost his dignity!

As athletes (and especially African-American athletes growing up in the South during the Civil Rights Movement) we have been trained to carry ourselves with pride and dignity. Even on the lowest level of football, on the field your pride and dignity are challenged by your coaches and by your opponents. Those who are able to withstand adversity and rise to the top are usually the ones that we admire and want to emulate.

There are many players who played before me, with and against me and since I’ve played, that I have truly admired who have taken their last snap. Gene Upshaw is the latest former player to go home to be with The Father. My family and all who have played the game extend our condolences to the Upshaw family. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to play against Gene on Sundays and have always considered him a friend. That became even more evident when I was able to join him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and as a member of the NFL Alliance as we worked together to develop programs to help former NFL Players and their families. It was clear that we had our differences when it came to the plight of the retired players but we were always able to communicate, agree or disagree, respect one another and still be friends.

One of my fondest memories of Gene was in 2007 while in Canton for HOF induction activities he along with Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke with Hall of Fame members at a closed door meeting. So much had been going back and forth in the media between Gene and Joe DeLamielleure. I stood up and spoke to Gene and the other HOF members and encourage the two to shake hands to resolve whatever problems that had either been blown out of context or out of proportion. They laughed, shook hands and pat one another on the back. On any team players do have their disagreements and at times they might get into a fight on the field but at the end of the day there is still a respect for one another. I could understand Gene’s position as the Head of the NFLPA but I also understood the passion Joe and many other former players feel as they have seen former players lose their dignity!

We all mourn the passing of Gene Upshaw. He was one of us! One of the many lessons I learned as a Football Player, a Man, a Black Man and as the Son of my Father is regardless of the circumstances that get you to the end those who have played the game at the highest level deserve respect. We should continue to press to make the system better for all retired players so that whenever our end comes there can be a certain degree of dignity we can have during that process.

Harry Carson

Giants Tickets – $$$$, Popcorn, Hot Dogs & Soda – $$,
Spending a Day with Harry – Priceless!!!

You and a guest could be treated to a memorable experience; spending a day with me! If you’re up for it here’s what you can get.

On Sunday, October 19th you and your guest could join me as my guests at Giants Stadium for the New York Giants/San Francisco 49ers game. On that morning you will meet me and be presented with Harry Carson autographed #53 football jerseys (well, after all you have to be dressed appropriately). You will then have a pre-game lunch with me at the stadium. After lunch you will join me (and I might add some of my friends) on the field prior to kick-off with 2 VIP on field passes. (Please note that very few fans ever get the opportunity to get down on the surface of the field at any time but especially on game day to see both teams warm up, so this should truly be a treat.) At the conclusion of the game you will join me back on the field where you will have an opportunity to meet your favorite current Giant or 49er player. The day will be completed with dinner at a restaurant in the area of Giants Stadium.

Here is the catch! Send a letter to the address listed below. That letter should indicate what it would mean to you to live that experience. Your letter should arrive no later than Friday, September 26th. That letter should also include an email address or a telephone number where you can be reached because on Monday, September 29th at 11:00 am I will contact you personally to congratulate you on winning the experience.

Send your letters to:

“Hangin with Harry”
c/o Harry Carson Inc.
P. O. Box 852
Westwood, NJ 07675

The top 5 runner-ups will receive an autographed Harry Carson HOF’06 photograph.
This offer does not include air travel or hotel accommodations.