Greater Milwaukee Men

'A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.' Those words are but a few of many wise ones to have come from one of the greatest leaders I have and likely will see during my lifetime, a man whose soul just moved on, Nelson Mandela. Those words, of all his, I picked for this story since the are among those quotes that embody what to me Greater Milwaukee Men is about, the Greater Men part, about being good, trying to be great, in all areas.

Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried recently appeared in a video released by One Colorado,  an LGBT rights group based in Colorado. Seated between his birth mother and her partner - his second mom - he supports marriage equality for others like them. "I support civil union, because it gives people, gays and lesbians, the right to make decisions on their own if they want to get married and let them choose who they want to be with," he said. "Nobody can ever tell me I can’t have two mothers, because I really do."

On Tuesday, the Buccaneers signed Eric LeGrand,who played for new Bucs Head Coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers, to their 90-man offseason roster, adding him to a team full of accomplished athletes. What makes this signing unique is that LeGrand is currently in a wheelchair and hasn't walked in 19 months.  On October 16, 2010, he was paralyzed from the neck down while tackling Army kick returner Malcolm Brown in a game played at Giants Stadium. The full story is at the Buccaneers web site . Schiano was the head coach at Rutgers from 2001-11, which means he recruited LeGrand, helped shape him into a young man and a football player and was part of his successes. He was also there when LeGrand was injured, there at his side in the hospital, and for many steps after, and is committed to being there for the rest of LeGrand's recovery.

Marcus Crone, a high school student in Washington state, was honored on Good Morning America for taking a girl with Down (or Down's) Syndrome to the Rainier High School Prom. He was named a Disney Memory Maker for his actions. The girl, Chelsea McComb, had asked several boys herself but was rejected by all. Crone heard about it and amazingly decided to take her. He showed up at the girl's house with a large sign asking her to the prom. It was a magical, meaningful night for the girl but also for Marcus. As Chelsea's mother states: 'One kid made a difference in my daughter's life'. Marcus Crone and Chelsea McComb ready for the prom For this young man to take such a step in High School, where image and peer pressure is such a big deal, and be the one out of many to take Chelsea to the prom, is such a heart warming and inspiring story. Marcus showed courage and kindness beyond what many adult men display. I am sure Marcus is well on his way to growing into a ...

I am very happy today to be able to post another rare example of true 'Sportsmanlike conduct' - a professional athlete acting as a gentleman and a actual role model and hero. NFL player Brendon Ayanbadejo, a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, has stepped up in support of legalizing gay marriage in Maryland. In a profession that subdues personal opinion, and when there are opinions they usually are ridiculous, it is refreshing to see someone stand up for something - especially a 'taboo' subject. In a homophobic setting his courage to speak out is a great example. He says: "Gay and lesbian couples want to marry for similar reasons as we all do: love and commitment. It’s time to allow them the opportunity to build a family through marriage. It’s a matter of fairness." You can view his complete inspiring and coherent statement here: