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Marshawn a mom-made man
Delisa Lynch says if there’s one thing she wants the people of Buffalo to know about the Bills’ top draft choice, it is this:
“Please don’t judge my son by his appearance,” Lynch said by telephone early this week. “When you see this black guy with dreadlocks and gold in his mouth, don’t put him down as some thug. Get to know Marshawn and you’ll know he’s a much different character.”
She hears Buffalo is big on family. Well, so is Marshawn. When he scores his first touchdown for the Bills, he’ll raise his arms with his first two fingers crossed and his thumbs extended. That’s the Lynches’ symbol for “family first.” See the photo with this story? That’s Mom giving the symbol last weekend when Marshawn went 12th overall to the Bills.
See him on the cell phone? Marshawn calls his mother every day. He has her photo in his phone. He used to call Delisa before and after every game when he was a star running back at Cal. At times, he even called during games. ...
...Buffalo, spurned and ridiculed by McGahee, is looking for a running back to love. Lynch could be just the guy. Where McGahee was cool and aloof, Marshawn is eager and engaging. Before Monday’s media gathering, he poked his head out of the back room, like a kid peeking into the living room on Christmas.
Later, he was staring at a photograph of a Bills game in a snowstorm. “Were you there?” he asked a photographer. He said it would be fun to play football in weather like that.
Robert Jordan, his second cousin, has described Marshawn as soft-spoken but not shy. Jordan is a receiver at Cal. He and Marshawn went as a package. The family thing. When Marshawn was being recruited, competing schools told him he wouldn’t make it at Cal-Berkeley, one of the toughest academic institutions in the country.
Marshawn was a B student at Cal. He has promised his mother that he will finish his final two semesters there. He lists his hobbies as fishing and reading. You’re not likely to hear him complaining about the quality of the night life and women in Buffalo, like his predecessor.
“I’m here to play football,” he said. “I just turned 21 on April 22, so I’m finally legal to go party. But I came here with a mission. The partying will come later. Right now, I’m focused on meeting my teammates and getting to see the city. I have a lot to learn. I’m looking forward to learning how to drive in the snow.”
Marshawn let out a big laugh, flashing that golden smile of his. His mother wishes he would get rid of the gold teeth and cut his hair. But she can’t put into words how proud she is of her son for making it as a student at Cal, and making it to the NFL, while remembering to put family first.
“I think Buffalo will like him,” Delisa said. “You have to know a person inside before you decide he is this way or that way. I call him my gentle giant. When Buffalo fans bring their children out to meet him, they’re going to see how Marshawn interacts with kids. It’ll be a wonderful experience. When they see Marshawn, they will see the child that I raised.”
Delisa Lynch says if there’s one thing she wants the people of Buffalo to know about the Bills’ top draft choice, it is this:
“Please don’t judge my son by his appearance,” Lynch said by telephone early this week. “When you see this black guy with dreadlocks and gold in his mouth, don’t put him down as some thug. Get to know Marshawn and you’ll know he’s a much different character.”
She hears Buffalo is big on family. Well, so is Marshawn. When he scores his first touchdown for the Bills, he’ll raise his arms with his first two fingers crossed and his thumbs extended. That’s the Lynches’ symbol for “family first.” See the photo with this story? That’s Mom giving the symbol last weekend when Marshawn went 12th overall to the Bills.
See him on the cell phone? Marshawn calls his mother every day. He has her photo in his phone. He used to call Delisa before and after every game when he was a star running back at Cal. At times, he even called during games. ...
...Buffalo, spurned and ridiculed by McGahee, is looking for a running back to love. Lynch could be just the guy. Where McGahee was cool and aloof, Marshawn is eager and engaging. Before Monday’s media gathering, he poked his head out of the back room, like a kid peeking into the living room on Christmas.
Later, he was staring at a photograph of a Bills game in a snowstorm. “Were you there?” he asked a photographer. He said it would be fun to play football in weather like that.
Robert Jordan, his second cousin, has described Marshawn as soft-spoken but not shy. Jordan is a receiver at Cal. He and Marshawn went as a package. The family thing. When Marshawn was being recruited, competing schools told him he wouldn’t make it at Cal-Berkeley, one of the toughest academic institutions in the country.
Marshawn was a B student at Cal. He has promised his mother that he will finish his final two semesters there. He lists his hobbies as fishing and reading. You’re not likely to hear him complaining about the quality of the night life and women in Buffalo, like his predecessor.
“I’m here to play football,” he said. “I just turned 21 on April 22, so I’m finally legal to go party. But I came here with a mission. The partying will come later. Right now, I’m focused on meeting my teammates and getting to see the city. I have a lot to learn. I’m looking forward to learning how to drive in the snow.”
Marshawn let out a big laugh, flashing that golden smile of his. His mother wishes he would get rid of the gold teeth and cut his hair. But she can’t put into words how proud she is of her son for making it as a student at Cal, and making it to the NFL, while remembering to put family first.
“I think Buffalo will like him,” Delisa said. “You have to know a person inside before you decide he is this way or that way. I call him my gentle giant. When Buffalo fans bring their children out to meet him, they’re going to see how Marshawn interacts with kids. It’ll be a wonderful experience. When they see Marshawn, they will see the child that I raised.”
Great article. Hopefully that will put any doubt of his "character issues" to rest.
Pat
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