Art Monk Story Investors Business Daily Article

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Fantastic read. I think every Pop Warner coach should read this to their team at the start of every season. Hell, I think every coach and every teacher should read that to their kids!

Here's an awesome story that I've never told this site before. I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't believe me because it's so awesome but I swear on everything I hold dear this is all true. This is why I really think Art Monk is a true role model:
The summer after 4th grade, so it was 1992 which made it all that much cooler, I got to go to Art Monk Football Camp for the second year in a row (my username comes from the warm up that we had to do before every practice). That year I shared a room with my friend from school and next door were two other kids from our boys’ club team back home.
Early one night towards the end of camp, which was only a week long, we got a knock on our door from one of the counselors saying that he needed to talk to us about something. We were worried because it seemed like we were getting in trouble even though we couldn’t think of anything bad that we had done. The counselor said that someone needed to talk to us after he was done talking with the two kids next door. After about 5 nervous minutes the other kids’ door opened up and who should walk out but Mr. Art Monk and our floor’s counselor. Art smiled at us and told that we weren’t in trouble or anything but that he needed to talk to us for a minute.
Basically, one of the kids next door, Steve, started picking on his roommate, Ed: he’d lock him out of the room; he’d throw his clothes out the window; he’d hide his pads right before practice; he basically just made the other kid’s life miserable. Being that we were only about 8 or 9 years old Ed got really upset wanted to call his parents so they could come and pick him up. The counselors decided to bring up these problems to Monk himself and he decided that he’d like to have a word with both kids to see if he could work everything out between them. During their conversation Ed said that my roommate and I knew him from home and that we had been nice to him, so Art decided that he’d like to talk to us about their situation to see if we could help out a little bit. Art wanted to make sure that we tried to help Ed have fun at camp, especially since it was our second year there. He also wanted us to remind Steve that everyone was there for fun and that he needed to stop picking on his roommate and start showing him more respect.
It was so cool because here was our hero, sitting in our dorm room, trying to make sure that we were all learning football and having a great time. Can you imagine some of the prima donnas in the NFL now taking time out of their night, their only alone time the entire week, to make sure that one of their campers doesn’t feel like crap?!?! The man made it a point to come and talk to Ed and Steve, and then to me and my roommate and teach us to treat one another with respect. I bet he did this sort of thing the entire week because he really did seem to care about everyone at the camp. I swear that to this day that night was one of the highlights of my entire life.

Maybe I should send this story to Dr. Z, because I’m sure that in Michael Irvin’s playing days he wouldn’t have put down the pipe long enough to teach some little kids about respect.

[Lady Brave]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

Here's an awesome story that I've never told this site before. I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't believe me because it's so awesome but I swear on everything I hold dear this is all true. This is why I really think Art Monk is a true role model...

I love hearing stories like this. Experiences like those don't happen to everyone, so you can certainly count yourself as a very fortunate person.

I bet you couldn't wipe the grin off your face for weeks after that!

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

I love hearing stories like this. Experiences like those don't happen to everyone, so you can certainly count yourself as a very fortunate person.

I bet you couldn't wipe the grin off your face for weeks after that!

You're right about that. In fact, this was the second time I told that story in as many days and it happened 15 years ago.

[Lady Brave]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

You're right about that. In fact, this was the second time I told that story in as many days and it happened 15 years ago.

Well my Joe Gibbs story isn't quite as cool as your Monk story. It went something like this...

"OMG... I'm not worthy! (some hyperventilating) Then some random words came flying out. I do remember me telling him how long I'd been a fan or something and he told me I was making him feel old. Yea! I made Coach feel old. That's exactly the reaction I was going for. lol

I actually did get to spend a bit of time with him and it was a great experience. Definately one I'll never forget.

[Bill B]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

Fantastic read. I think every Pop Warner coach should read this to their team at the start of every season. Hell, I think every coach and every teacher should read that to their kids!

Here's an awesome story that I've never told this site before. I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't believe me because it's so awesome but I swear on everything I hold dear this is all true. This is why I really think Art Monk is a true role model:
The summer after 4th grade, so it was 1992 which made it all that much cooler, I got to go to Art Monk Football Camp for the second year in a row (my username comes from the warm up that we had to do before every practice). That year I shared a room with my friend from school and next door were two other kids from our boys’ club team back home.
Early one night towards the end of camp, which was only a week long, we got a knock on our door from one of the counselors saying that he needed to talk to us about something. We were worried because it seemed like we were getting in trouble even though we couldn’t think of anything bad that we had done. The counselor said that someone needed to talk to us after he was done talking with the two kids next door. After about 5 nervous minutes the other kids’ door opened up and who should walk out but Mr. Art Monk and our floor’s counselor. Art smiled at us and told that we weren’t in trouble or anything but that he needed to talk to us for a minute.
Basically, one of the kids next door, Steve, started picking on his roommate, Ed: he’d lock him out of the room; he’d throw his clothes out the window; he’d hide his pads right before practice; he basically just made the other kid’s life miserable. Being that we were only about 8 or 9 years old Ed got really upset wanted to call his parents so they could come and pick him up. The counselors decided to bring up these problems to Monk himself and he decided that he’d like to have a word with both kids to see if he could work everything out between them. During their conversation Ed said that my roommate and I knew him from home and that we had been nice to him, so Art decided that he’d like to talk to us about their situation to see if we could help out a little bit. Art wanted to make sure that we tried to help Ed have fun at camp, especially since it was our second year there. He also wanted us to remind Steve that everyone was there for fun and that he needed to stop picking on his roommate and start showing him more respect.
It was so cool because here was our hero, sitting in our dorm room, trying to make sure that we were all learning football and having a great time. Can you imagine some of the prima donnas in the NFL now taking time out of their night, their only alone time the entire week, to make sure that one of their campers doesn’t feel like crap?!?! The man made it a point to come and talk to Ed and Steve, and then to me and my roommate and teach us to treat one another with respect. I bet he did this sort of thing the entire week because he really did seem to care about everyone at the camp. I swear that to this day that night was one of the highlights of my entire life.

Maybe I should send this story to Dr. Z, because I’m sure that in Michael Irvin’s playing days he wouldn’t have put down the pipe long enough to teach some little kids about respect.

Good story - not many guys in the NFL care too much like Art did.