Former NFL QB Steve McNair Shot to Death

Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was shot multiple times in Nashville, Tennessee Saturday. Police said they found McNair and a woman identified as Sahel Kazemi fatally shot receiving a phone call about an injured person in a condominium in downtown Nashville. The ex-NFL star was shot twice in the head and twice in the chest, while Ms. Kazemi was shot once in the head. McNair's body was found seated on a living room sofa and a semi-automatic pistol was found under Kazemi's body, which was on the floor. The bodies were found two days after Kazemi was pulled over in an Escalade, registered to her and McNair, and charged with driving under the influence. McNair was in the car at the time. McNair, a married father of four, and Sahel Kazemi apparently were involved in a dating relationship over the past several months.

McNair met Kazemi at the Dave & Buster’s restaurant where she worked as a server and where his family ate often. The two began dating a few months ago. Ms. Kazemi bought a gun a couple of days before she was found dead alongside the slain former NFL quarterback. “There was no way she was depressed and wanting to do this,” he said. “She was so happy. … She just had it made, you know, this guy taking care of everything,” said her nephew, who also said his aunt believed Steve McNair was divorcing his wife and she was preparing to sell her furniture to move in with him. Sounds like the common occurrence of the girlfriend disappointed when she finds out that the husband is not leaving his wife for her.

Mechelle McNair has been described as very distraught about her husband’s death but has not commented on it. Nashville courts had no record of a McNair divorce case, but a 14,000-square-foot home he owned in Nashville is on the market for $3 million.
Publicly, McNair was a happily married man and proud father of four sons who split his time between his Mississippi farm and a home in Music City, where celebrities are cherished, not hassled. His death, however, thrust a darker side of his private life into the spotlight.

On the football field, he simply was “Air McNair,” a winner. McNair still holds the NCAA’s Football Championship Series (formerly Division I-AA) records for career yards passing (14,496) and total offense (16,823) from his days at Alcorn State University, a HBCU school.

He played 13 NFL seasons, starting with the then-Houston Oilers, which became the Tennessee Titans. He led the Titans to the 2000 Super Bowl. He was named the NFL's co-Most Valuable Player with Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning in 2003. He ended his career with the Baltimore Ravens last season, after being traded away by the Titans after they drafted Vince Young as a replacement for the aching and expensive veteran. Steve McNair played with unquestioned heart and leadership and NFL fans were shocked by the news of his death.

What is so sad is that his family will forever have this to remember every Fourth of July. And after such a marvelous career, a person is remembered by a last act, which becomes your legacy.

Quarterback Steve McNair retires after 13 seasons

Steve McNair worked hard during the off-season and arrived at minicamp ready to assume his role as the starting quarterback. His body had other plans. Ending a 13-year career, McNair announced his retirement Thursday. Some of his highlights include being selected co-MVP in 2003, leading the Tennessee Titans to the Super Bowl and orchestrating the most successful regular season in Baltimore Ravens history. He received a standing ovation from his teammates after revealing his decision, then contained his emotions during a hastily arranged news conference. "In your mind, you feel like you can play, that you can still compete”, he said. “But when your mind and your body are not in accord, it’s not going to work in the National Football League.” The 35-year-old McNair guided the Ravens to a franchise-best 13-3 record in 2006, his first season in Baltimore. But he injured his groin during the season opener, developed back and shoulder injuries and played in only six games last season and never regained the form that enabled him to earn a berth in four Pro Bowls. He threw only two touchdown passes, was intercepted four times and lost seven fumbles before being placed on injured reserve in December, ending his most frustrating season in the NFL.

Steve McNair began his career in 1995 with the Houston Oilers, who eventually became the Tennessee Titans. He led the team to four playoff appearances, including the Super Bowl after the 1999 season. He was chosen co-MVP of the league in 2003, sharing the award with Peyton Manning, after throwing for 3,215 yards and 24 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. The highlight of his career might be a five-game stretch at the end of the 2002 season in which the quarterback was banged up so much he could not practice. Yet, he started all five games and led the Titans to wins to finish 11-5 and reach the AFC championship game for the second time in four seasons.

He underwent surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in December and spent much of the past three months getting ready for his 14th NFL season. But McNair had an inkling that all the running and weightlifting might be for naught. "My mind was telling me, ’Yes,’ and my body was like, ’No, what are you doing?’ I came up with (the idea of retiring) two or three days ago, but it’s been lingering ever since December."

Eddie George, who played running back behind McNair in Houston and Tennessee, said, "You name the injury and Steve had it and he still showed up. Not only did he show up, but he showed up and played extremely well. In his MVP year he played most of the year hurt. It is a testament to his willingness to win and how he sacrificed his body for the team." Tennessee’s Jeff Fisher, his coach for most of his career, echoed George’s comments, noting that McNair never wanted anyone to know how badly he was hurt. Baltimore Linebacker Ray Lewis, who had many memorable duels with McNair before the two became teammates, said, "There is no greater warrior or player with a bigger heart than Steve McNair. "He came into this game and gave it everything he had. He now can walk away with his head held high."

Steve McNair retires as one of the most versatile quarterbacks in NFL history. He's just one of three quarterbacks to amass over 30,000 yards passing and more than 3,000 yards rushing. The other two were Fran Tarkenton and Steve Young.

Nick named Air McNair, he was originally drafted by the Houston Oilers third overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alcorn State University a historically Black university which competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), arguably the toughest Black conference in the U. S. which includes nationally known schools such as Grambling State, Jackson State, and Southern Universities. Many major colleges recruited McNair to play defensive back, but Alcorn was one of the few institutions that recruited him to play quarterback. In his senior season (1994), he amassed incredible statistics - throwing for 4,863 yards with 44 touchdowns (thus the nick name Air McNair) and rushing for 936 yards. His 2,387 rushing yards from 1997-2001 made him one of three quarterbacks in NFL history to rush for more than 2,350 yards in a five-season span. Mike Vick had 3,570 from 2002-2006; Randall Cunningham had 3,232 from 1986-1990.

Steve McNair grew up with his mother and four brothers in the rural farming community of Mt. Olive, Mississippi. He married his wife Mechelle in 1997 and has four sons. His cousin, Brandon McDonald, is a cornerback and punt returner for the Cleveland Browns. McNair hosts an annual football camp for children at his alma mater Alcorn State and teaches kids sportsmanship, good role models, and football.

Honda Campus All-Star Challenge

Proving that intelligence is more than just book smarts, Oakwood University leveraged teamwork and speed and knowledge to emerge victorious as National Champions of the 19th annual Honda Campus All-Star Challenge. This event is the largest annual academic competition between the nation's leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and was held this weekend in Orlando, Florida. Oakwood University showcased their skills and intellect by quickly and accurately answering questions on world history, science, literature, religion, the arts, social sciences, popular culture and African-American history and culture. Correctly answering the final question:

For reasons yet unknown, this disease correlates with biochemical markers called human leukocyte antigens. It does not, however, involve leukocytes but myelin sheaths protecting nerve cells. Name this crippling disease of young adults.
(Correct answer: Multiple Sclerosis)

Oakwood University topped second place finisher Alcorn State University to claim the championship and take home $50,000 in grant money for their school. More than 320 college students from 64 HBCUs across the country gathered to compete in the three-day tournament to win grants and glory for their academic institutions. Now in its 19th year, the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) celebrates the proud academic heritage of the nation's HBCUs and showcases the great minds these institutions have produced. HCASC provides a platform for America's best and brightest from the nation's HBCUs to come together as friends, competitors and future leaders. This event allows students to compete, engage in teamwork, and establish long-term relationships.

During the three-day tournament, the 64 HBCU teams of four compete in a modified round robin format. Teams are randomly placed into eight divisions. The divisions are named after famous Black people. The top two teams from each of the eight divisions advance to the "Sweet 16," then "elite eight" and "final four" in a single elimination playoff. The final two teams then compete for the National Champion title in a best 2 out of 3 final series. In addition to Oakwood University and Alcorn State University, student teams from Howard University and the Southern University-Baton Rouge also demonstrated their academic prowess by making it to the final four. This year's HCASC theme, "Call to Action," encouraged students to take from this experience a greater understanding of what they can do personally to positively contribute to the society. Keynote speaker Sheila Johnson, president and managing partner of the WNBA's Washington Mystics, co-founder of BET, and a major philanthropist, encouraged students to heed the call to action.

American Honda Motor Co. Inc. is the founder and host of this academic challenge and provides more than $300,000 in institutional grants each year to the HBCUs that participate in the competition. Established in 1989 by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., the annual academic challenge has touched more than 50,000 HBCU students and awarded more than $5 million in grants to HBCUs to improve campus life through facility improvements and expanded academic resources. Game play takes place during two eight minute halves. Questions are split into toss-ups and bonus questions. The toss-up questions are always ten points in value, while bonuses have varying point values, no more than thirty possible points.

2008 HCASC "Sweet 16" Teams:
Alabama A&M University
Alcorn State University
Florida A&M University
Grambling State University
Howard University
Langston University
Morehouse College
Norfolk State University
North Carolina Central University
Oakwood University
Prairie View A&M University
Tennessee State University
Tuskegee University
Southern University - Baton Rouge
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
West Virginia State University

An episode of A Different World, entitled "Goodwill Games" revolves around the premise of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert competing in Hillman College's Campus All-Star Challenge tournament.

For their efforts, the representative schools are awarded grants
• The NCT Champion school is awarded $50,000
• Runner-Up takes $25,000
• Semifinalists take $15,000
• Quarterfinalists take $7,500
• Teams who make the first round of the playoffs take $5,000
• NCT qualifiers take $3,000
• An additional $1,000 grant is awarded to the schools of All-Star players, so designated as being the top individual scorers in each of the 8 divisions.
• The recipient of the Sportsperson Award earns their school an additional $1,000 grant

Past HCASC winners
1990 West Virginia State College
1991 Florida A&M University
1992 Norfolk State University
1993 Tuskegee University
1994 Tuskegee University
1995 Jackson State University
1996 Florida A&M University
1997 Alabama State University
1998 Florida A&M University
1999 Florida A&M University
2000 Clark Atlanta University
2001 Morehouse College
2002 Morehouse College
2003 Florida A&M University
2004 Morehouse College
2005 Florida A&M University
2006 Morehouse College
2007 Tennessee State University
2008 Oakwood University

For more information on the Honda Campus All Star Challenge, and, a list of the 64 participating HBCUs, please visit www.HCASC.com.