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Lonestar
03-14-2010, 03:20 AM
Krieger: Broncos' Brandon Marshall much deeper than any caricature
By Dave Krieger
The Denver Post
POSTED: 03/14/2010 01:00:00 AM MST


Brandon Marshall (Denver Post file photo)
It has been so easy, turning Brandon Marshall into a caricature. Bad guy. Bad teammate. Hothead. Diva.

And worse, sorta kinda responsible for teammate Darrent Williams' death. After all, he admitted escalating the nightclub confrontation with east Denver gang members that preceded the drive-by shooting of Williams' limousine. That's well known.

If you listened to all the testimony in the Williams murder trial, you know it's also simplistic. In addition to the role Marshall and his cousin played in the back-and-forth that night, there was also a recurring territorial dispute between the Denver Crips and Williams' friends, an aspiring rap group from Fort Worth, Texas.

Did Willie Clark pursue Williams' 40-foot white Hummer limousine rather than Marshall's standard Lincoln limo because of the territorial dispute? Because it was more ostentatious, more "disrespectful" to the hometown crew? Because it was the last to leave?

With Clark proclaiming his innocence after the conviction, we may never know. But the conclusion that Marshall's part in the nightclub altercation provided the primary motive for the shooting is not supported by the testimony.

Still, Marshall clearly had a role. By his own admission, he's haunted by it. That's less well known, so let's try to flesh out the caricature a bit.

The admission came early in his court testimony, when prosecutor Tim Twining directed his attention to that night by asking if he remembered it.

"I think about it every night," Marshall said.

In an era when few pro athletes are willing to sacrifice street cred by taking a stand against gangs, Marshall spent much of the 2008 NFL season donating one afternoon a week to Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives, the Rev. Leon Kelly's gang prevention program in northeast Denver.

Here is some of what he told the older kids, mostly middle school students, on his first visit, in June 2008:

"If you Google my name, you'll see a lot of negative things because I've made mistakes. So I'm not someone here talking to you guys because I'm Mr. Perfect. No. I'm from the same neighborhood you guys are from, the same type of environment, and I'm speaking to you guys from my heart and it's real.

"I have a younger sister, she has three kids now. She's 21. She had her first kid when she was 15. So my life isn't perfect. My family isn't perfect. I have family members who's locked up, family members on drugs. Our family isn't perfect. We've bumped our heads before.

"You have a chance to do some spectacular things in your life. What I'm saying is, take this time while you're young and become something. Make something of yourself.

"I don't want to live like my mom and my dad, or some of my family members, where it's week by week, check by check, where it's a struggle. You guys know how it is. No hot water. Bills ain't paid. No cellphone. No food in the 'frigerator. I been through it.

"I been through a whole winter where I didn't have no hot water, no heat. We heated up our house with the oven. I been through it. So I know what some of you guys are going through. I know it. I still have family that's going through the same thing. You don't want to live that way. You have a chance to make your own decisions and your own choices right now.

"What you guys need to do is really focus and get y'all grades and make something of y'all self. Don't run with the wrong crowd."

Near the end of this visit, Kelly asked Marshall to talk to the kids about the lessons of his teammate's murder.

"It just opens your eyes to finally realize that no matter how good you're doing or if you're doing positive things, there's so much that can be taken away from you like that. You never know. He never knew what hit him. He never knew what was going on. It's sad to say that.

"You guys just got to know that everyone in the world's not great. Everyone in the world is not trying to do good. So you've got to put yourself in good environments and good positions where you can't be hurt. Protect your feelings and protect yourself and always keep your eyes open. We lost a teammate, a friend, a father, so much. And it hurts."

Maybe it would be better for all concerned if Marshall got a fresh start elsewhere. That's the Broncos' call now.

But he is not a caricature. He is a bright, emotional, conflicted, accomplished athlete. And he has tried, through engagement with Open Door and his trial testimony, to compensate for whatever role he played in that tragedy more than three years ago.

Dave Krieger: 303-954-5297, dkrieger@denverpost.com or twitter.com/DaveKrieger



Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_14672291#ixzz0i8YsPe4m

Northman
03-14-2010, 09:49 AM
Definitely needs a start somewhere else. I agree with that 100%.

Slick
03-14-2010, 10:45 AM
Guys have had altercations outside of night clubs long before this and will continue to. The bottom line is only one man is responsible for pulling the trigger and it ain't Brandon Marshall.

broncobryce
03-14-2010, 11:02 AM
It's nice to have a story like this come out, when everyone is hating on Brandon. Hopefully some other teams see it too.

Ravage!!!
03-14-2010, 11:39 AM
I've always liked Marshall. I know some are pretty judgemental on him,and I guess when you and your family goes through things you don't come as judgmental of people based on whats in newspapers.

Its going to be hard to see Marshall in another uniform.

Lancane
03-14-2010, 11:49 AM
The sad part about all this is that people will still hate on him. Because they forget that these athletes are human, and were just like some of us before they got a chance to go to college, before they made it to the NFL. Kids from the innercity streets have more issues then those in the suburbs, then those in small rural towns, and they tend to use sports as an outlet, the skills they develop make them a wanted commodity at the next level, so colleges give more scholarships for sports to such kids then those who grew up in safer enviroments, because for some that is there only way out.

Truth may be harder to swallow for some fans, but you can never truly take the streets out of any person who has been there, it's like a large pitch black tattoo, you can never cover it fully with another and even if you have it removed there will still remain a livid scar. Fans can talk all they want, but whether they are an electrician, plumber or an office manager, sometimes even verbally you will fight back, you may do something stupid...like yell at your wife, hit her even if it's an accident, you may be pissed and demand a raise, get drunk and drive a car...short of rape or murder, all Brandon has done is made the same mistakes that millions of others have done themselves. We as fans can demand better of him, but it's sad when we can not demand the same from the common man and demand it of someone else just cause he is in the spotlight, because he plays a game for a living or is good at it.

Ravage!!!
03-14-2010, 11:54 AM
Because most never get rid of their jealousy of the amount of money they make.

turftoad
03-14-2010, 12:09 PM
Marshall needs to get some help and stay in a Broncos uniform.

WARHORSE
03-14-2010, 12:37 PM
Marshall needs to get some help and stay in a Broncos uniform.

OR he needs to get some help and go to another town.


Im good either way really. Id like whatever the best situation is going to be for Brandon, and Id also like the best situation for the Broncos.


Some may think he needs to leave to heal, but Brandons road to healing may just be right here at the Darrent Williams center.

Brandon is NOT responsible, in any way for the death of Darrent.


What Brandon did to Clark that night happens all the time all over America and the world.

The problem started long before that night, when someone taught Mr. Clark, or somehow circumstance dictated to Mr. Clark, that his alternatives on how to react included firing a weapon into a vehicle carrying innocent people.

Perhaps if someone had taken the time to raise the young man, he could have been playing on a football field as well instead of killing innocents.




Just a thought.

Nomad
03-14-2010, 01:05 PM
Guys have had altercations outside of night clubs long before this and will continue to. The bottom line is only one man is responsible for pulling the trigger and it ain't Brandon Marshall.

Yeah, everyone nowadays has to have a weapon!! What ever happened to using your fists to fight your battles!

For the ones saying fans HATE Marshall, I believe your exaggerating a bit! I don't believe one fan here or elsewhere hates Marshall and most of us believe Marshall would be worth a huge payday by his talent and play on the field. It's a matter of trusting him and what his misconduct will do to this team! But no one hates the young man!

Tned
03-14-2010, 01:23 PM
Marshall needs to get some help and stay in a Broncos uniform.

I was raised with the belief you don't hit a woman. No matter how much equality work has been done (almost all good) for women, I still don't believe men should hit women. So, I don't respect Marshall for being a punk, whether due to his upbringing or any other reason, just like I didn't respect other Broncos that have gotten in trouble for domestic abuse, drug charges, dui, etc.

However, what he owes us is to show up on the field every Sunday and play his ass of. Everything else is between him, the law and any higher power he might believe in.


Yeah, everyone nowadays has to have a weapon!! What ever happened to using your fists to fight your battles!

For the ones saying fans HATE Marshall, I believe your exaggerating a bit! I don't believe one fan here or elsewhere hates Marshall and most of us believe Marshall would be worth a huge payday by his talent and play on the field. It's a matter of trusting him and what his misconduct will do to this team! But no one hates the young man!

Just like those that are accused of 'hating' McDaniels probably don't really 'hate' him. They may hate some of his decisions and actions, but that comes with the job.

Denver Native (Carol)
03-14-2010, 01:37 PM
Guys have had altercations outside of night clubs long before this and will continue to. The bottom line is only one man is responsible for pulling the trigger and it ain't Brandon Marshall.

In one article that was posted, it was stated that the real problem was that Darrents' friends - i.e. not football player friends, were from a rival gang of the crips.

Tned
03-14-2010, 01:40 PM
In one article that was posted, it was stated that the real problem was that Darrents' friends - i.e. not football player friends, were from a rival gang of the crips.

I haven't read much coverage of it, cause it's just kind of sad, so I didn't know that.

Denver Native (Carol)
03-14-2010, 01:48 PM
The sad part about all this is that people will still hate on him. Because they forget that these athletes are human, and were just like some of us before they got a chance to go to college, before they made it to the NFL. Kids from the innercity streets have more issues then those in the suburbs, then those in small rural towns, and they tend to use sports as an outlet, the skills they develop make them a wanted commodity at the next level, so colleges give more scholarships for sports to such kids then those who grew up in safer enviroments, because for some that is there only way out.

Truth may be harder to swallow for some fans, but you can never truly take the streets out of any person who has been there, it's like a large pitch black tattoo, you can never cover it fully with another and even if you have it removed there will still remain a livid scar. Fans can talk all they want, but whether they are an electrician, plumber or an office manager, sometimes even verbally you will fight back, you may do something stupid...like yell at your wife, hit her even if it's an accident, you may be pissed and demand a raise, get drunk and drive a car...short of rape or murder, all Brandon has done is made the same mistakes that millions of others have done themselves. We as fans can demand better of him, but it's sad when we can not demand the same from the common man and demand it of someone else just cause he is in the spotlight, because he plays a game for a living or is good at it.




You Don’t Know What It Feels Like Until You Walk a Mile in Someone Else’s Shoes

Great points Lancane. Brandon called into FM104.3 the fan after the season, and talked about many different things - one being how he has taken his nephew in, how Brandon and his fiance are making his nephew "walk the line", i.e. he has responsibilities around the house, he is expected to do well in school, etc., etc., etc.

Brandon does have many good qualities.

http://cbs4denver.com/wagner/Leon.Kelly.Reverend.2.1306272.html

Kelly now runs Open Door Youth Alternatives near his old neighborhood. The after-school program is located at Wyatt-Edison Charter School and often has big names like Broncos star Brandon Marshall helping out.

Kelly grew up in the heart of Denver as a preacher's son who loved sports. At one point Kelly did prison time of his own, but he was inspired to turn around his life and those of others.

"That sort of inspired me to know there's a way of changing someone else's life. I got the power or the influence to lead them one way or another."

Sparky The Sun Devil
03-14-2010, 01:55 PM
Marshall is an elite player. Coming out of colllege, he said he was gonna change and have less drama. Each year the opposite has happened. There are tons of players whose backgrounds are worse than marshall, but dont have all the drama and maintenance he requires. Whatever the FO decides to do with the guy, Im on board with them.

Northman
03-14-2010, 04:23 PM
Yeah, everyone nowadays has to have a weapon!! What ever happened to using your fists to fight your battles!

For the ones saying fans HATE Marshall, I believe your exaggerating a bit! I don't believe one fan here or elsewhere hates Marshall and most of us believe Marshall would be worth a huge payday by his talent and play on the field. It's a matter of trusting him and what his misconduct will do to this team! But no one hates the young man!


Agreed. Talking about a player of any calibur actually having accountability is not hating. Its called reality. People on this board sure like to throw that word around a lot though. Sorry, lots of people have issues and go through tough times and Marshall isnt the only one so sorry if im not throwing a pity party for someone who hasnt learned from his mistakes. It doesnt take a decade to finally learn not to put your hands on a woman in a aggressive manner and so on. But hey, let the excuses keep pouring out as thats one of the biggest problem with american society anyway. :tsk:

Northman
03-14-2010, 04:24 PM
In one article that was posted, it was stated that the real problem was that Darrents' friends - i.e. not football player friends, were from a rival gang of the crips.

It was also reported that Darrent posed on MySpace or Facebook and was throwing up gang signs. That certainly couldnt of helped his cause.

Northman
03-14-2010, 04:27 PM
Marshall is an elite player. Coming out of colllege, he said he was gonna change and have less drama. Each year the opposite has happened. There are tons of players whose backgrounds are worse than marshall, but dont have all the drama and maintenance he requires. Whatever the FO decides to do with the guy, Im on board with them.

As they say, he needs a new start and hopefully it happens so that he can move on with his life. As much as Denver would like to retain his talents if the guy is struggling with the death of Williams than a change of scenery is whats best for him. Didnt seem to help Jwalk all that much but hopefully that wont be the case with Brandon. But the guy does need to move on to other pastures.