Michael Vick is indicted for running dog fights. The evidence is pretty convincing that Barry Bonds has used steroids (plus by all accounts, he's a real jerk). And it seems that everyday another one of the Bengals is arrested for something. Of course, this handful of people are not representative of all the players in the NFL, NBA, and MLB but they are the ones we hear about. In light of this, it's refreshing to see an athlete who gets it right, understands how fortunate he is to be paid to play a game, and recognizes his responsibility to the community.

Last week Tarik Glenn announce his retirement after 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. His remarks explaining his decision included this:

I will always be indebted to this franchise for allowing me to be a part of a special journey. I have accomplished more than I ever could have dreamed. As I have played and established myself in the Indianapolis community, I realized where my destiny rested. I began to see that God had bigger plans for my life through football and outside of football. I also had a strong conviction from God to maximize the platform football had given me. As much passion as I had for winning games, I have the same if not more passion to make a difference in the inner city of Indianapolis.

It's worth reading the entire letter here.

At the press conference Colts owner Jim Irsay spoke about Glenn as a player and as a person.

“He is,” Irsay said, “what the Indianapolis Colts are about.”
Left tackle Tarik Glenn, Irsay said, was about class.
He was about consistency.
He was about excellence.
And he will be missed, Irsay said. A lot.

The rest of his speech is also worth reading.

Go Colts!