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Chicago Mon Feb 22 2010
Bo Jackson Is STILL In Way Better Shape Than You'll Ever Be
Tailgate hates to sound the "You're Getting Old" alarm to anyone in their late 20s or early 30s BUT the famous "Bo Knows" Nike campaign, that series? It's over 20 years old. So if the last time you watched it you were still a mite-sized Bo Jackson imitator on the playground, well, this news might come as a shock to you: Bo Jackson is still in incredible shape (Tailgate has little doubt that Bo could make an alligator say "uncle"). Beyond that, he's a successful entrepreneur (he owns a bank and a series of athletic facilities designed for year-round use); and he's incredibly humble and grateful about the opportunities that his freakish athleticism afforded him. In any case, what have you done with the past 20 years of your life?
This past weekend Jackson opened the doors to his new Lockport, Illinois "Bo Jackson Elite Sports facility" to afford local high school athletes the chance to go through the rigors of an elite athletic training clinic designed specifically for cross-training footballers and baseballers.
The mini-camp was well-attended and Jackson, along with Alex Brown of the Chicago Bears, took the time to speak with the campers following the day's events. In his speech Jackson emphasized not only the extraordinarily rare fortune he (and Brown) were blessed with athletically, he also pointed out the incredible rarity of becoming of a pro athlete and that for nearly all of the junior athletes in attendance an education, of course!, was the best way to secure a successful future for themselves. Jackson advised the attendees to hone their athletic ability to its utmost simply for the sake of securing an athletic scholarship to a university, where they should then strive for the brass ring of a degree as opposed to the lucre of [insert professional sports league]'s millions of (unlikely) dollars.
Following the event Jackson was kind enough to sit down with GB for a quick Q 'n A session where he discussed the improbability of how successful the "Bo Knows" campaign was; how the 20th edition of the Nike SC is an amazing shoe; and the responsibility that Jackson has to opening a facility like "Elite." Sadly, the ancient question of whether "Tecmo Bo" wore the Nike SCs was not addressed.
