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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