Titans Caravan wheels into West
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White was the featured player on Friday’s stop, which also included an appearance by play-by-play voice of the Titans Mike Keith and a rousing performance by the six-time Pro Bowl team mascot, ‘T-Rac.’
White, a third-year tailback out of Southern Cal who rushed for a team-high 1,100 yards last season, spoke to the West students, as well as a large group from Irving College, about making the right choices regarding health, education, lifestyle and exercise. His remarks were centered around the NFL’s new ‘Play 60’ program, which is designed to encourage youngsters to spend at least 60 minutes per day exercising.
‘The NFL is interested in every one of you, and your health,’ Keith said in his remarks to the packed West gymnasium. ‘We want to make sure you get moving 60 minutes a day, and make the right choices in your life. If you do that, and start now, every one of you can grow up to become a pro athlete. You know how I know that? Because I’m standing next to one right here and now.’
White, who also visited Woodbury, Tullahoma, Shelbyville and Smyrna on Friday, extolled the virtues of being active and making the right choices, such as eating a nutritious diet, getting plenty of rest and staying away from drugs and alcohol.
‘First, you want to be healthy,’ he said. ‘Plus, it’s a great way to just go out and have fun, it’s good for your body, and it’ll make you feel good about yourself, too.’
White noted making the right choices applied to the youngsters’ time spent in the classroom, as well.
‘You’ve got to listen to your teachers, and if you need help, don’t be embarrassed to ask for it,’ he said. ‘Anybody who thinks asking the teacher questions makes they look funny always should remember: It’s better to ask and be sure you know, than to never know.’
Prior to addressing the students, White expressed his thoughts on the Caravan, which is part of this year’s celebration of the Titans’ 10th anniversary.
‘I’m really enjoying it,’ he said. ‘It gives you the chance to get out and meet fans you normally wouldn’t, and hang out with them in a situation other than a normal game day.’
After starting all 16 regular-season games last year, the 6-foot-1, 235-pounder said he finally came into his own during the 2007 campaign, and is eager to begin preparations for the new season.
‘When I first got here I had two great teachers in Travis Henry and Chris Brown,’ he noted. ‘Finally last year, when it was my turn, I was able to go out there and showcase a little bit, but I’ve still got the opportunity to get better.
‘I had offseason surgery on the meniscus in my knee, but it feels healthy, and I’m looking forward to getting out there with my team and getting ready to go.’
And regarding this weekend’s NFL Draft, which began yesterday with the Titans selecting 24th overall, White laughingly had one simple suggestion for the front office.
‘Anybody from SC, whoever it is,’ he said. ‘That would be great.
‘Really, even if they draft another running back, that would be OK with me. Competition makes it better for the sport, and if they brought somebody in I wouldn’t mind it at all. When you’ve got competition between teammates, it makes everybody better. I’ll still have fun, and I’m going to beat them out regardless.’
Friday was the last day of public and school stops for this year’s Caravan, which is scheduled to conclude at Ft. Campbell, Ky., on Monday for an all-day event for the troops stationed there. Over the past decade, the Caravan has made over 530 stops, traveled approximately 45,000 miles, visited nearly 200 schools and shaken hands with over 100,000 fans. The number of autographs signed and pictures taken is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.