A Look at the Overlooked: Nnamdi Asomugha

Every sport has its guy(s).  For the NBA, it's between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.  For MLB, Albert Pujols reigns supreme.  In the NHL, the spotlight is always on Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.  In the NFL, who's "the guy" of the sport?  Tom Brady?  Peyton Manning?  Randy Moss, even?  Adrian Peterson?  While the media in general has done a good job covering those NFL players mentioned, it largely leaves out one key player.  It just so happens to be that the key player is none other than Nnamdi Asomugha, our very own cornerback here with the Oakland Raiders.  Why does the media neglect a man that has proved to be the best cornerback in the NFL -- arguably the best since Deion Sanders -- and that does tremendous work in the community?  I don't know.  I can't speak for "them" with "them" being the greater media; however, I'll do my best to put the word out there.

                          
                  Nnamdi Asomugha played safety at Cal. [via graphics.fansonly.com] [via i346.photobucket.com]

Nnamdi Asomugha, whose name translates to "My Father Lives" in Nigerian, is the true embodiment of an on-field and off-field superstar.  On the field, Asomugha propelled himself to become one of the top secondary players in football while at the University of California.  Playing safety at Cal, Asomugha was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 2003 with the 24th overall pick where he then became a cornerback. What a cornerback he would turn out to be.

                                                               
                                Despite being colorblind, Nnamdi Asomugha does just fine. [via i.usatoday.net]

Nnamdi Asomugha has had to deal with setbacks in his career -- and in life.  At about the age of seven, Asomugha realized that he was colorblind.  Thankfully, it doesn't distract him on the field.  Having trouble with just light colors, Asomugha is one of the lucky ones.  That wasn't the only thing he had to overcome, however, and it wasn't the only thing that he overcame successfully.

Since the first day, Asomugha has had to prove the doubters wrong.  Many questioned whether or not he was worthy of the high selection, but he silenced all of them for good over time. After his eight-interception season in 2006, Asomugha earned the reputation of a being a shut-down cornerback.  In 2007, one scout told Pro Football Weekly that Nnamdi Asomugha was thrown at "less than any defender in the last ten years." The following year, Nnamdi saw even less action.  Opposing quarterbacks tested the top-notch corner a mere 27 times. Asomugha allowed only eight receptions all year.  He’s a unanimous All-Pro selection on every writer's team and has earned the right to be called, undoubtedly, the best cornerback in the National Football League.  He is, without question, the undisputed leader and the heart of the Oakland Raiders.

                                                      
                            Nnamdi Asomugha tries to lead the Oakland Raiders defense. [via i2.cdn.turner.com]

Nnamdi Asomugha graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Finance in 2006.  More importantly, philanthropy has been a huge area of focus for the pride of the Silver and the Black.  He has been partners with the East Oakland Youth Development Center since 2004.  He emphasizes the importance of education, hard work ethic on and off the field, a positive attitude and a healthy diet.

In 2006, Asomugha launched an annual high school college tour program.

Each year, he teams up with the East Oakland Youth Development Center to take students from Bay Area high schools on college tours across the country. Additionally, Asomugha distributes backpacks to the incoming freshmen each year at Narbonne High School in Los Angeles. He also outfits the football and basketball team with shoes, a mandate he wrote into an endorsement contract he signed with Nike.

                                                           
                    Nnamdi Asomugha knows where he comes from and won't forget it. [via cdn.bleacherreport.com]

Not only does Asomugha help within his community, but he also helps in his mother’s homeland of Nigera, since he’s born of Igbo descent, which is an ethnic group in southeastern Nigeria.

Education and community service are his mainstays. Asomugha serves as Advisory Board Chair for his family’s foundation, the Orphans and Widows In Need (OWIN) Foundation. Through OWIN, Asomugha and his family provide food, shelter, medicine, vocational training, literacy efforts, and scholarships to widows and orphans victimized by poverty or abuse in Nigeria.

                                                         
        At Bill Clinton's global initiative, Nnamdi Asomugha talks with the former president. [via farm4.static.flickr.com]

To top all of that off, Asomugha met with former president Bill Clinton to discuss the importance of global service and student activism at the Clinton Global Initiative University.

"I am delighted that Nnamdi participated in our Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting in Austin, where he joined more than 1,000 students and nearly 70 university presidents to take action on the pressing issues facing our local and global communities," Clinton said in an e-mail.

                                                        
           Nnamdi Asomugha has been recognized for his community efforts. [via www.bay-area-sports-blog.com]

Here are some of the awards that Nnamdi Asomugha has been noted for off of the football field.

• Outstanding Community Service Nomination (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• Commitment to Excellence Award (2006)
• Commitment to Excellence Award (2007)
• Home Depot Neighborhood MVP (2007)
• Sports Illustrated 2008 Sportsman of the Year Nomation (2008)
• [One of the] "Do Right Men of 2008" by Essence Magazine (2008)

Here are some videos on the best cornerback in the NFL:
Nnamdi Asomugha Highlights
Nnamdi Asomugha: Pro Bowl Special
Nnamdi Asomugha Photo Montage

                                                    
                      Nnamdi Asomugha has it all covered, both literally and figureatively. [via assets.espn.go.com]

While that won't grab the mainstream media's attention, very few people have had their eye on Asomugha.  Jim Trotter of Sports Illustrated had this to say:

Asomugha, who is as soft-spoken as he is talented, never seeks attention for his philanthropy. He would prefer to operate below the radar, although that's hard to do because of the impact he's having on young peoples' lives. If the smiles on the students' faces when the group returns home aren't gratifying enough for Asomugha, the determination in their eyes to further their education lets him know that he's doing the right thing.

It's the least that I could to do to put out there that in a world of uncertainty, there is one thing that's certain: Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the better players -- but more importantly one of the better human beings -- in the sports world today.  I wish there was a bigger platform out there for him.  Still, keep doing what you're doing, Nnamdi.  You're the best.