Financial Services, Speaker and Coach

The man rides.  Over four days, he plans to ride his bike across the State of Alabama. In the heat and humidity of spring in the Old South, he rides on. At almost fifty years of age, he’s no longer a boy or even a young man. Fifty years ago, the thought of a black man riding a bike across rural Alabama would have been considered curious to downright dangerous. However, the man doesn’t ride alone. Over the four days and 300 miles the man will be joined by tens of others who choose to ride with him at a cost ranging from $200 – $10,000 dollars. Thousands will line roads to see him and his team ride by. Hundreds more will meet him at stops along the way. In spite of the fact he has been both loved and reviled, maybe even hated by people in his home state, he has chosen to make this ride. You see, the man is on a mission.

This is no ordinary man. This is Bo Jackson.

In the 1980’s, Vincent “Bo” Jackson achieved status as a legendary sports icon. A multi-sport athlete, Bo was drafted by the New York Yankees to play baseball. Instead, he chose to attend Auburn University and play football, where he set many records on the way to winning the Heisman Trophy.  He played professional football and baseball, retiring from both sports with distinguished records. Jackson will forever be remembered as larger-than-life, as an unstoppable force.

Nike’s “Bo Knows” ad campaign featuring cross-training shoes played off the popularity of the two-sport athlete. The spots showed celebrity athletes paying homage to Bo’s many talents. Bo Jackson was Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan!
In addition to his athletic career, Bo is a renaissance man of sorts. He returned to college and earned a degree to keep a promise to his late mother. A family man, Bo is noted as a chef, has dabbled in acting and is a successful business owner.

Which leads us to a bicycle tour across Alabama. Jackson chose to ride across his home state to raise money for the victims of the April 2011 tornadoes, which killed over 330 people across six states, including 239 in Jackson’s home state of Alabama. He organized the ride with the goal of raising $1 million for unmet needs as a result of the disaster. On the website www.bobikesbama.com, Jackson states, “The reason for this ride is for state unity and to pay homage to the great Alabamians who lost their lives on April 27th, 2011. I am my brothers’ and sisters’ keeper.” Other athletes and celebrities joined Jackson, as well as ordinary people who chose to donate and participate in the ride. Athletes participating included Scottie Pippen, Lance Armstrong, Ken Grifffey Jr., and Picabo Street.

ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” the ride covered the ride. A segment featuring an 11 year old named Bryce Ferguson, (who lost his parents and only sibling in the tornadoes), showed some of the depth of the human suffering caused by the storms, as well as the effect on Bo. Although retired from professional sports for about two decades, Jackson still carries the physique of a world-class athlete. In interviews, however, you see a man crying for the suffering of others, wanting to make a difference; wishing he could have done more. In speaking about the emotion of the ride, Jackson said, “Everybody expects you to be strong. Everybody expects you to not have feelings…you can’t let ’em see you cry.”

Bo Jackson did his job well. He was a tremendous professional… but he is retired. So why did Jackson, who has never craved the spotlight, step up to try and make a difference in situation so catastrophic that it can’t be “fixed” by one man? Because Jackson knows we are all called to simply do what we can do, and that is enough, because one person can make a difference, if that person takes action. As we work with our clients, it is important to realize how important it is to them that we do our work well. Like Bo Jackson, we can’t save the world, but all we can do is all we can do. So take care of your clients. Take care of your family. Be an asset to your community. DO what YOU can do.

Incidentally, as of today’s date, Jackson has raised about half of the $1 million goal he established for his ride. If you want to contribute, go to http://www.bobikesbama.com/ to make a donation.

And Phil Knight, if Nike wants to do a new ad campaign, please consider making a change. I know, I know…”Bo Knows.” At least consider something new, something different.

“Bo Gets It.”

My hope is that we get it as well.

Work Hard & Have Fun! ™

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ESPN PIECE ON “BO RIDES BAMA.”