Howard Brown has a firm grip on the coaching reins of the McCluer South-Berkeley High football team — requiring his players to be “good citizens, good people, good students.”
That devotion paid off Tuesday in the form of a $25,000 check, given to Brown and the team by talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres.
During a live six-minute feed, Brown explained that many of his players come from low-income homes without fathers in Ferguson.
“Every single day, it’s a struggle for these young men,” Brown said, then added that “every single day is an amazing opportunity … to show that you’re not a product of the environment.”
“Every single day, it’s a struggle for these young men,” Brown said, then added that “every single day is an amazing opportunity … to show that you’re not a product of the environment.”
Then to boisterous reaction from his charges, Brown extended DeGeneres an invitation to game.
“Please come here on a Saturday afternoon and you will see the most amazing people on the planet,” he said.
Last Saturday, Brown’s Bulldogs grabbed their third consecutive conference title. They were 10-1 last season, losing in the state quarterfinals. Two seasons ago, the Bulldogs were 12-1 and lost in the semifinals.
The money came as part of the CW Television Network’s promotion of its new show, “All American,” which revolves around a high school team in south Los Angeles.
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