Ed Reed arrived onto the Pro Football Hall of Fame stage with his trademark hat
White Max Scharping Jersey , sunglasses and a cigar. He then won the night with an entertaining 36-minute, 2-second speech. Reed, who played 11 of his 12 seasons
with the Ravens, said he wrote his speech while he was waiting through four
other speeches.He named even his barbers but quipped, “I know I’ve probably
forgotten a lot of people” when finally ending.Reed remembered the victims and
survivors of Saturday’s shooting in El Paso, Texas, as well as those in Gilroy,
California, on July 28.“You know mental illness is one of the biggest problems
in our world,” Reed said. “It really kills. So I’ve got to say prayers to the
families that have experienced the mass shootings the last couple of days. Just
in general across this country, it’s something we really need to address.”Reed
grew up in a “crime-infested” neighborhood with drugs. He said it made him
mature quickly.Reed
Vyncint Smith Jersey , who was born in St. Rose, Louisiana, and went to Destrehan high school, credited a police officer with being one of the first to believe in
him. The unnamed officer told Reed one night that he was driving him home. “I
was like, ‘Oh, my God, don’t do that,'” Reed said. “Take me to jail because my
mamma is home. I remember him saying, ‘Son, I know you. I see you around here
playing sports. You don’t need to be hanging with those other kids and those
other guys because you have something.’“I would say to the point of what we have
going on in our society, don’t aggravate
Jordan Thomas Jersey , or should I say push an officer to have to do something they shouldn’t have to do.”Reed ended his speech by encouraging everyone to
encourage everyone else.“I’ll leave you with this: Because I never compared
myself to any other player, I won’t start doing that now. And you shouldn’t
compare yourself to anybody else,” Reed said. “And you doggone right shouldn’t
worry about people who don’t like you. Everyone has their own greatness and
reaching your greatness depends on your environment and your structure — the
company you keep — and your attitude. There will be good and bad, right and
wrong. Your reaction, your choice, good or bad, has consequences that affects
you and those around you. No matter what encourage those around you and
yourself. I stayed encouraged. That guy there, no matter what, was focused. He
stayed encouraged. There were some hard times. There were a lot of tears. Even
now. I tell you, each one of you, stay encouraged. Encourage each other. Help
somebody. We should. We’re supposed to. That’s what being a human is
about
Brandon Dunn Jersey , leaving this place better than when we got here. That’s all it’s about y’all.”Reed made nine Pro Bowls and six times was voted All-Pro.
He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The Texans got three draft picks under
contract as their newest players report to the team facility today for rookie
minicamp this weekend.Houston signed second-round choice Lonnie Johnson,
second-round pick Max Scharping and seventh-rounder Cullen Gillaspia, John
McClain of the reports.Johnson, a cornerback from Kentucky, started 18 of 26
career games he played in his two seasons with the Wildcats. He made 64 tackles,
three tackles for loss, a sack, 12 pass breakups, two blocked kicks, an
interception and a forced fumble.The Texans made Scharping, a Northern Illinois
offensive tackle
Tytus Howard Houston Texans Jersey , the 55th overall choice. That came a day after they used their first-round selection on Alabama State tackle Tytus
Howard.The Green Bay, Wisconsin, native started all 53 possible games of his
college career. He played right tackle, left tackle and right guard in his four
seasons, earning All-MAC honors three times.Gillaspia, a fullback from Texas
A&M, is the first 12th Man to get drafted. The Aggies’ 12th Man tradition
honors a walk-on player with the No. 12 and a spot on the special teams.
Gillaspia, a converted linebacker, served as the 12th Man for three seasons.
