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September 06, 2001 - Image 21

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Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 2001-09-06

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The Michigan Daily - SportsThursday - September 6, 2001- 7B

Green.
announces
retirement
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - Darrell
Green has always said that his foot-
ball career is secondary to his fam-
ily, his church and his community.
He admits that he unashamedly
built his celebrity status so he
could use it to help his nonprofit
foundation.
It was no surprise, then, when
Green launched his farewell tour
Tuesday on an upbeat note, with
more talk about his exciting future
than his glorious past.
"I learned a long time ago that
this is just a job, a means to an
end," Green said. "Now it's time
for the real deal."
Green formally announced that
he will retire at the end of the sea-
son, his team-record 19th with the
Washington Redskins. He used the
occasion to ask fans to give money
to his foundation, while those
around him mourned the end of the
career of the rare professional ath-
lete who seized the mantle of role
model and lived it to near perfec-
tion.
"I'm amazed he could keep up
his speed and play at such a high
level for so long," defensive end
Bruce Smith said. "And constantly
be a true professional."
Green made his announcement
shortly after coach Marty Schotten-
heimer revealed that second-round
draft pick Fred Smoot had won a
starting cornerback job over Green.
Green said he had made his deci-
sion during training camp, and that
the coach's move played no part.
"I'm not being run out of the
league," Green said. "I could play
20 years. I could play 22 years. But
you know what? My time is now."
At 41, Green is the oldest player
ever to play his position. In 1997,
at age 37, he became the oldest
player to return an interception for
a touchdown.
He has at least one interception
in 18 consecutive seasons, another
NFL record, and has played in
seven Pro Bowls.
Green was the Redskins' first-
round draft pick (28th overall)
from Texas A&I in 1983. He owns
team records for interceptions (53),
regular-season games played (263)
and regular-season games started
(250).
But Green's best-known title is
the "NFL's fastest man," which he
won several times in offseason
competitions in the 1980s and car-
ried unofficially for nearly a
decade. He finally lost his title of
the Redskins' fastest player in
1999, but marveled teammates by
regaining it a year later with a 4.24
time in the 40-yard dash.
"He is a freak of nature," former
Redskins linebacker Ken Harvey
said.
Green's speed more than com-
pensated for his 5-foot-9 frame. A
receiver with a couple of steps on
Green when the pass was thrown
would be surprised to see him
catch up and bat it down at the last
second.
"Quite frankly, until I saw him
run, I thought he was going to be
too small," said former defensive
coordinator Richie Petitbon, one of

Green's many invited guests Tues-
day.
Locally, Green is known as the
consummate "Mr. Redskin," a play-
er who several times in his career
passed up millions by not pursuing
free agency.
His reputation is without tarnish,
a rarity among superstar profes-
sional athletes.
"I'm a jock, as they say," said
Green, who was accompanied by
his wife and three children. "But
I'm honest, I'm faithful, I've been
responsible. My kids can find a
hero right here, and it's not because
I can run up and down the field."
Once the season is over, Green
will devote much of his time to the
Darrell Green Youth Life Founda-
tion, which he founded in 1988.
The foundation has a children's
learning center in Northeast Wash-
ington, and three others have
recently opened across the country.
"You say you love Darrell
Green? You love the little guy with
the hole in the top?" said Green,
pointing to his bald spot. "You love
the little guy that can run fast?
Then help the little guy help the
young people. I'm not just a nice
guy trying to help the poor little
kids, I am living out God's purpose
in my life."
Green also will probably stay with
the Redskins in some capacity.

Glenn longs to rejoin Patriots

FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) - Sus-
pended wide receiver Terry Glenn,
in the midst of preparing for a
grievance hearing, said he is anx-
ious to get back on the gridiron,
and will be rooting for the New
England Patriots if he sits out the
season.
"I've definitely got withdrawal
pains," Glenn told Lenny Megliola
of The MetroWest Daily News on
Tuesday in a telephone interview
from his home in Columbus, Ohio.
"There's a mechanism in my body
that says I should be doing some-
thing again.
"I've been playing football since
I was 6 years old," Glenn said. "It
feels odd (not playing). My heart
and soul is with the team. I defi-
nitely want them to win because,
basically, I'll be back with the
Patriots."
Glenn, 27, left training camp
Aug. 3, when the NFL suspended
him for four games for violating
terms of its substance-abuse pro-
gram.
Coach Bill Belichick later put
Glenn on the reserve-left camp list
for the season, saying Glenn had
ample opportunity to return to the
team, but didn't.

Belichick said the team's suspen-
sion was unrelated to the one by the
NFL or Glenn's off-season arrest
for domestic assault.
The National Football League
Players.Association filed a griev-
ance on behalf of Glenn against the
Patriots on Aug. 29, stating that the
Pats improperly placed Glenn on
the reserve list.
The grievance was scheduled to
be heard on Thursday morning,
although the Players Association's
general counsel Richard Berthelsen
told the Boston Herald that the site
- Boston or Providence, R.I. -
had not been set.
The grievance hearing is a sepa-
rate matter from Glenn's NFL sus-
pension.
Glenn signed a six-year, $50 mil-
lion contract extension last year
that included an $11.5 million sign-
ing bonus.
The team said it won't pay Glenn
his salary, and will withhold the
remaining $8.5 million of the sign-
ing bonus.
James Gould, Glenn's agent, said
the player left camp because he
hadn't been paid since June 15,
when the Patriots withheld a $1
million payment on the bonus.

Gould said he would pursue the
matter in court.
Glenn was the team's No. 1 draft
pick, seventh overall, in 199, com-
ing out of Ohio State. He is fourth
in franchise history with 315 recep-
tions.
Glenn started all 16 games last
season and had 79 catches for a
team-best 963 yards and six touch-
downs.

DAVID KATZ/Daily
After nearly two decades in the Washington Redskins' secondary, Darrell Green
plans to call it a career after the 2001 season.

AP PHOTO
Terry Glenn misses his com-Patriots.

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