It can looksmooth like a gazelle or as rough as a gorilla

A winner in life can be perceived as aloser, but character guys are winners from either side ofperception. It’s also no newsflash that the media focuses vastly more onwhat is wrong in society, than whats good about it. They do this because, for whateverreason, society has more interest (and therefore a financial gain to be had forthe purveyors) in the negative. This whole scenario came to mind todaywith the announcement that two more Cardinals players were recognized for theirgridiron greatness as well as their Herculean hearts. And while two more playerson this team are at or near equals in their stature at their position, theperception of the two is largely different. A high character fellow thathas forever had positive influences molding his present high character persona.He’s been long established as a ‘character guy’.He is as quiet a super-starindividual as there is, from the time he trod the NFL soil as a childhoodball-boy through and beyond the time he graced a video game cover, when he is askedto talk of his own many accomplishments and/or his community concerns.

He justquietly goes about his business of giving, regardless of which soil he trod thatday. This is a 26-man rosterchosen by fellow players (NFLPA), as well as USA Football, the sport’s nationalgoverning body on youth and amateur levels. Its an award that honors “the NFL’smost fundamentally-sound players who also commit themselves to service in theircommunities”. “In addition to their fundamentally-strong play, Fitzgeraldand Dockett do exemplary work in their communities. Dockett devotesfree time to visiting local children’s hospitals and contributing to teamcharity function”, according to the Cardinals web site Perception A ‘good guy’ and a ‘bad boy’. Two decidedly different players from twoclearly different backgrounds Two completely different perceptions to most.

Twoindividuals who many would perceive only alike in talent anduniform, were recognized for their similarly outstanding personal as well asprofessional contributions to their craft and their community. We've hadour share of perceived good guys (Kurt Warner) and bad boys (Anquan Boldin)recognized in the desert this year, their common bond fused in their high calibercharacter Character matters Bill Bidwill believes that, and he alwayshas. It may show up in different colors, or be dressed in different backgrounds,but it can come from any neighborhood in America. And it does.It can looksmooth like a gazelle, or as rough as a gorilla. But its what’s inside a man's heartthat knows no color, circumstance, or background. And we're lucky to have more than our share of the latter in Arizona.The common bond of good character often blurs perceptions in people And that's a good thing For Cardinals faithful And for America as a whole.