Deion wants pro athletes to help

[Spaceman Spiff]

Say what you want about Deion, he sucked in his time here, but I think he's made a change. He's a good guy, in my book.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2150006

Deion wants all pros to donate $1K to Katrina relief

ESPN.com news services

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens cornerback Deion Sanders challenged all professional athletes to donate at least $1,000 apiece through payroll deductions to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Flanked by teammates and Louisiana natives Ed Reed and Alan Ricard, Sanders on Friday called for each team in the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball, as well as other pro sports, to help him reach a goal of $1.5 million to $3 million for the cause.

"The recent devastation of Hurricane Katrina in the aftermath of her wrath, there has been a loss of life, property, finances, homelessness and a multitude of atrocities. The people affected by this disaster is astronomical," Sanders said.

"As citizens of this country, we need to unite to help our brothers and sisters in their time of need. We must all stretch the boundaries of the giving as far as we are able to, knowing we will enrich the lives of others."

On Thursday, Louisiana native Warrick Dunn -- the NFL Man of the Year in 2004 -- made an emotional plea to NFL players to contribute at least $5,000 apiece to relief efforts, saying players have a moral obligation to help. The Falcons running back said the Saints shouldn't have to give, but getting the 53 players on the 31 other teams to donate the $5,000 would boost the relief effort by more than $8.2 million.

The Ravens players also called for fans to donate money, clothing and supplies to the ravaged Gulf Coast.

"Through unity, we can touch thousands," Sanders said. "This is in our own backyard. We feel this. Ed, Alan, feel this. I have friends, relatives that feel this pain. Help in any way you can."

Added Reed, "This is my backyard, this is a city we walked on just last week to play a game we love to play. This is real. Football is something we get to do, basketball, baseball. We're reaching out to other athletes."

Reed and the Ravens were in New Orleans to play the Saints at the Superdome just days before Katrina struck.

Reed's high school jersey was retired at St. Rose, La., in suburban New Orleans a week ago.

"It hurts us to talk about it," Reed said. "We know how bad it is in New Orleans, Alabama and Mississippi. These families don't have things to eat. Me being from down there, I know it's a lot worse than what we see on television. ... People see dead bodies around. It's horrific."

Reed, last season's NFL Defensive Player of the Year, has established a Web site, www.reedhurricanerelief.com, for people to donate funds to the American Red Cross.

The Ravens organization, which plans to donate $25,000 in addition to the players' efforts, will collect donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina on Sept. 11 when the team opens the season against the Indianapolis Colts.

Reed and Ricard said they have been in contact with family members, but not all of them.

"It hurts your heart to see New Orleans, the place where I'm from, looking like a Third World country," Ricard said.

In other Katrina developments:

• Peyton and Eli Manning, who grew up in New Orleans, will fly to Baton Rouge, La., Saturday on a plane carrying relief supplies for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The brothers will leave from Indianapolis on a plane sponsored by the PeyBack Foundation. The flight will be carrying 31,000 pounds of nonperishable items including diapers, baby formula, pillows, water and Gatorade that will be delivered to the American Red Cross.

• The thoroughbred meet at Fair Grounds in New Orleans that had been set to begin in November was canceled while racing officials try to locate hundreds of displaced employees.

Churchill Downs, which bought the Fair Grounds in October, has been trying to account for 500 employees and survey the damage at the track near downtown New Orleans, Churchill president Thomas Meeker said.

The meet, scheduled to run from Thanksgiving Day through March, could be held at another track near Shreveport in northern Louisiana, Meeker said.

• The Sun Belt Conference is temporarily moving its offices from hurricane-ravaged New Orleans to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

The conference's offices are located on the 23rd floor of the Pan American Life building, not far from the Superdome. Flooding in the area has made the building inaccessible, and it has also sustained some wind damage, commissioner Wright Waters said. The league office should be up and running by Wednesday.

• The sister of Central Florida's Javid James, who was out of contact with her family for several days after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, was found safe in Tennessee.

Tahirah James, 18, had not been heard from since the storm made landfall Monday. The story received national exposure during Thursday night's UCF season opener at South Carolina, when James spoke to ESPN and pleaded for information on his sister's whereabouts.

• Jockeys at Del Mar will take a plunge to raise money for victims. Virtually the entire jockey colony volunteered to be dunk-tank targets Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the track near San Diego.

For $10, fans will get two baseballs and two chances to drop the jockeys into a tub of water, and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club agreed to match whatever funds are raised.

• The U.S. Tennis Association canceled the $50,000 men's Challenger event scheduled in Covington, La., the week of Sept. 12. A new USTA men's Challenger event will be scheduled for the week of Oct. 24 at a site to be determined.

• The Houston Texans raised more than $2.5 million with a fund-raising drive during Houston's preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday.

• Sheila Johnson, president and managing partner of the Washington Mystics, donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts.

Mystics guard Temeka Johnson hails from New Orleans and All-Star Alana Beard is from Shreveport, La.

Although Temeka Johnson's home suffered considerable damage, her family members were able to move to a safe location. The Alana Beard Foundation in Shreveport is collecting items for the victims.