Story Courtesy Of Mary Madison
Jefferson County native Sam Madison, Jr. has sustained a 22-year affluent sports life as a career and beyond. He has played 12-years in the National Football League (NFL) - nine years with the Miami Dolphins and three years with the Super Bowl 42 National Champions, New York Giants. He has been a sports announcer, weekly talk show host, a high school coach and his son's Little League coach. Sam is president of Power Players Sport, which conducts various sports experiences, activities and events for adults and youth.
As a youth, Sam was clearly an all-around exceptional athlete, lettering in basketball, baseball, track and field. Yet, it was football he loved most. He was considered a top-player in his district and the state. At the University of Louisville he was a four-year letterman and three-year starter as cornerback. There he set records for interceptions and passes defended, and was named Second Team All American, First Team All Conference and a Play Boy All American.
Throughout his professional career, Sam has felt a responsibility to give back to the communities that he grew up in (Jefferson and Leon counties) and the one he now calls home (Broward). It was because of his humble and humanitarian nature, that one of his childhood family friends, and FAMU DRS classmates, is now a Jaguars marketing and sales representative who also books excursions for the Champion Club – Tallahassee Bowl Bus Line, felt it fitting to conduct an excursion to see Sam make his debut as an NFL coach.
Thanks to Nikki McGlockton a Sam Madison, Jr. family entourage – including dad, Sam, Sr.; mom, Mary; uncle, Sammy Leonard; family friends, William “Rick” Brinson and Dr. Rosa Horn from Quitman, Ga. and other Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguar fans, made this celebratory event possible. She named it, The Sam Madison, Jr. Day – Madison Avenue for Kids, Inc. Outing. Because of Sam's paramount “give-back” generosity, the Jaguar organization donated a percentage of the game day ticket of the bus riders.
The trip was one of a congenial nature. After entering TIAA BANK STADIUM we went our separate ways. Our destination was directed to the pavilion of the Nexgrill Tailgate Cabanas Section, where we dined from a mega buffet with varied drinks of your choice. During lunch dad Sam and I went down to the field during pre-game warm-up to visit with Sam, Jr. (as he is affectionately called). We were privileged to meet the wife of the celebrated, head coach, of the Chiefs, Andy Reid. We returned to the tailgate site, after which we journeyed to the Club House East, where we lounged in the cool, while watching the game on a massive screen.
“A few times, I had flashbacks of Sam's playing days, lining up at the right corner position, shutting down his opponent,” said Mary.
Our final destination, after the game was the Chiefs' bus loading site. It was a wonderful feeling seeing the many classmates, schoolmates, friends and fans who came out to pay homage to Sam on this special day – first game of the season and being able to show him their support on that Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. But, to “put icing on the cake,” was the Chiefs' 40 to 26 win. A special thanks goes out to our proficient driver, Frank Scott, who is another Madison family friend. The entire bus assemblage (winners and losers) expressed the great time they had, and viewed it as a “bitter sweet” experience.
You must be logged in to post a comment.