Vernon jackson

[tony0051]

Just got a LinkedIn update with Vernon Jackson listed. He is now an attorney in FL and my favorite Hawkeye story for KF players.

Came out of the hood in FL and had massive injuries at Iowa. KF kept him on scholly to get his undergrad degree. Vernon did all manner of excellent community service and graduated cum laude at Iowa.

Great story and a testament to the kind of men Kirk keeps in the program.

 

[PHXIowaClub]

Has his own book out too. Very proud of Vernon

 

[RalphKramden]

Yep, that's a lot more fun than actually winning football games.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Yep, that's a lot more fun than actually winning football games.

Considering football is only a small part of anyone's lives, yeah it is.

 

[nu2u]

Kramden = daCoach? how many damn user accounts does have? This one looks like a sleeper account, probably one of dozens, that become disposable pending the inevitable ban. He is relentless, I'll give him that.

 

[dbrocket]

Vernon's a good guy, too (a former dorm-mate of mine). A lot of people (like me) talk about poverty and race and how things could be better. Only a very few people (like Vernon) bother to actually do something, do the dirty work to make it happen - he runs a program that helps educate young black men (teens).

 

[J_Heater]

Great story.

 

[mvhomerj]

Yep, that's a lot more fun than actually winning football games.

God your life must suck!

 

[Jonesingforhawkeyes]

Yep, that's a lot more fun than actually winning football games.

This guy has to be one of life's biggest loser's, if not THE biggest.

 

[HawkMD97]

What an awesome story. Instead of letting himself be "used" by football, he used his football talents to earn a scholarship at a Big 10 University and achieve something great for himself. It is even better to hear that he is mentoring young men.

 

[PHXIowaClub]

Here is his book on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Show-Student-Athletes-Success/dp/0692355251

 

[Herkmeister]

Great stuff. Says a lot about Vernon, Kirk, and Iowa. (Barta & Kirk are still screwing things up though.)

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Just got a LinkedIn update with Vernon Jackson listed. He is now an attorney in FL and my favorite Hawkeye story for KF players.

Came out of the hood in FL and had massive injuries at Iowa. KF kept him on scholly to get his undergrad degree. Vernon did all manner of excellent community service and graduated cum laude at Iowa.

Great story and a testament to the kind of men Kirk keeps in the program.

I see his "adoptive" parents at Feast on the 50 every year. Nice folks, even if they are Tennessee fans!

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

Good for Vernon! It's great to see such a positive story. Couldn't be happier for him. Always love seeing hard work pay off, and it sounds like Vernon overcame some pretty long odds in the process. I wish him the very best.

 

[hawks223]

Never knew him to have "adoptive parents"? As far as I knew he was raised by his biological mother, and only ever heard of him speak of his actual brothers/sisters.

 

[hawkeyekid]

Thanks for the story. Sounds like one hell of a guy.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Never knew him to have "adoptive parents"? As far as I knew he was raised by his biological mother, and only ever heard of him speak of his actual brothers/sisters.

He was raised by her, but his "adoptive" parents took care of him for a while. I don't want to give names on a public forum (obviously), but I believe she is an attorney, he was a deputy with either Orlando PD or Orange County Sheriff Office. Extremely nice people.