ANTONY MCFARLAND TAKES SATISFACTION IN GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE THE GUIDANCE THEY NEED

August 3, 2006

[News]

For Anthony "Booger" McFarland, it's all about the give and take.
In seven seasons at defensive tackle for Tampa Bay, McFarland has helped the Buccaneers hold opponents to 94.7 rushing yards per game, taking down opposing ballcarriers 292 times, with 20 of those tackles counting as quarterback sacks, while forcing three turnovers and taking away five fumble recoveries.

He's given to his team — allowing the Buccaneers to restructure his contract not once, but twice, over the course of the past year to help the team free up salary cap room to bring in veteran talent. Last October, in the middle of the season, McFarland's contract was restructured so the Bucs could execute a trade for quarterback Tim Rattay. McFarland gave again in March, when his contract was slightly tweaked to add more salary cap room for Tampa Bay.

He's given to his family, and his hometown of Winnsboro. He's also given to his new hometown of Tampa.
And along the way, he's taken in a Super Bowl ring and the love and respect of fans everywhere.

Booger McFarland looks the part of a NFL defensive tackle. Thick and muscular, at 6-feet and 300 pounds, the 1999 first-round draft choice out of LSU doesn't appear to be a man too many people would want to cross. He's not a vocal, flamboyant player but instead gives the Bucs a throwback to the blue-collar type of defensive players found in the 1960s and 1970s.

But while he may not be a vocal player, he is quite articulate. Armed with a business degree from LSU, McFarland has become a fixture in Tampa Bay, known for his weekly, in-season radio show on WDAE and for numerous television appearances on The Best Damn Sports Show Period.

"I like Tampa and I like being a Buccaneer," McFarland said. "It's a good fit for me and I think I'm a good fit for them. I've made a lot of friends on the team. There's quite a few of us with Louisiana connections. We have a good team and we don't think we're too far away from pushing for another Super Bowl. That's why I don't mind reworking my contract.

BOOGER'S BIGGEST GIFT

McFarland's biggest gift has been to young people in both Louisiana and Florida. His I Can Wait Foundation has becoming firmly established in both states and continues to grow with new projects scheduled for the future.

The ideology behind McFarland's "I Can Wait" programs is that children need to be taught to consider the consequences of their actions before acting.

"It applies to sports," McFarland said. "It applies to school. It applies to relationships with family and friends. It applies to life."

Last weekend nearly 200 area youths packed Brown Stadium on the Louisiana-Monroe campus to attend the seventh annual Anthony Booger McFarland I Can Wait Football camp.

McFarland and a handful of other past/current NFL players like Shaun King, Chuck Darby, Lamar Thomas and Ronnie Prude spent time teaching football tips to young people, while all the while trying to instill the idea of thinking about your life and focusing on being the best you can be at whatever you try.

"Booger's a big man and he's got a big heart," said King, who quarterbacked Tulane to a 12-0 season in 1998 before becoming the Buccaneers' second-round draft pick in 1999. "This program means so much to him, and that's why I've become so involved with it. Booger and I came into the league together. He was the Bucs' first pick in 1999 and I was the second. He's one of my best friends and we've remained close even though I moved on to the Cardinals and now the Colts.

"He cares about people. Especially young people. I think Booger was fortunate enough to have a strong mother and good teachers that taught him the benefit of getting information and thinking things out before making big decisions. And that bad decisions can follow you the rest of your life."

As he taught basic football techniques and methods to the children attending his football camp, McFarland often segued into a life lesson, using his success on the football as a model for success anywhere.

"Listen up, because this is important," McFarland told a small group of youngsters. "It's about hard work. You're not going to get anything if you don't work for it. It's about focusing and making the right decisions. And to make the right decisions, you have to look for facts to base that decision on. Life is about choices, so make sure you get all the information you need to help you make the right choice.

"Everyone has a chance to succeed at what you do. It's about learning to take advantages of the opportunities given you."

The message seemed to sink in for 15-year-old Darrell Fobbs of Tallulah.

"I came because I like playing football, so anytime I get a chance to get out and play I do it," Fobbs said. "It's fun to work with real NFL players. They're treating us like we're friends and talking to us about stuff. Hopefully I can be a better football player and student by listening."

Thomas, a former receiver for the Miami Dolphins, said it's McFarland's passion for his I Can Wait Foundation that led to his own return to the football camp for a second year.

"His love for the foundation and for young people — it's contagious," Thomas said. "It's the Fourth of July weekend, but he's out here giving up his time and he's got us out here giving up our time and feeling good about doing it. Booger feels like he's been blessed — that's why he's giving back. I feel like I've been blessed — that's why I'm helping out.

"If we can help some of these kids in any way, then it's worth it. Coming back this year, I've seen some of the same kids from last year. Some tell me that they remember something I taught them about catching a football. Some tell me they remember me telling them how important it is they work hard in whatever they try. Those are the reasons Booger's doing all this and the reason we keep coming back to help."

McFarland spoke at several schools in Tampa during the course of the 2005 football season and has plans to expand his football camp into the state of Florida next season.

"That's our next big plan — to add a camp in Florida," McFarland said. "It'll be like the one in Louisiana, we'll just start doing two. This is a great way to get out and reach kids, and that's something the Foundation wants to take advantage of."

Monroe's Josalyn Turner, who watched her nephews attend the recent camp in Monroe, is pleased McFarland and his foundation are working for even more growth in the future.

"It's nice because he doesn't have to be here doing this," Turner said. "A lot of athletes are great and give something back to their communities, but a lot don't. I'm just glad we have someone like Booger from this area who is really concerned about our children's future.

BACK TO THE BUCS

While McFarland has spent much of the summer working with his I Can Wait Foundation, he's now ready to turn his focus back to football, where he hopes to help the Buccaneers return to the playoffs.

Tampa Bay went 11-5 win last year to take first-place in the NFC South after edging Carolina, also 11-5, in a tiebreaker. Along the way, McFarland posted 27 tackles and a pair of quarterback sacks while helping the Buccaneers hold opponents under 100 yards rushing per game.

The Bucs went on to lose their first playoff game to the Washington Redskins while Carolina marched all the way to the NFC championship game before falling to Seattle.

The Panthers have received much preseason hype for the upcoming season, but McFarland is quick to remind all within earshot that he doesn't think Carolina looks to be the team to beat in the NFC South.

"We won it last year — they're going to have to come through us," McFarland said. "Any team that wants to win that division is going to have to come through Tampa. Carolina is going to be good. Atlanta's going to be good. You can't hold last season against the Saints and they could turn things around in a hurry. It's a good division — one of the better ones in the league. But we're the defending champs and we're looking for more this season."

McFarland said one bonus of being in Tampa is a group of Buccaneers with Louisiana ties. Backup quarterbacks Tim Rattay and Luke McCown both played at Louisiana Tech, fullback Jerald Sowell played at Tulane, wide receiver Michael Clayton played at LSU and defensive back Kalvin Pearson played at Grambling State.

The Buccaneers also have former Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams, a former Grambling State quarterback and head coach, in place as a personnel executive.

"Doug's a great guy and it's good to have someone like him around because he's seen so much and been through so much," McFarland said. "He can really provide a good perspective on things because he's been around.

"I've played golf with Luke and Tim. I hang out with guys like Jerald and Michael. It's a good little Louisiana group we've got going in Tampa. I feel comfortable here. That's why I've worked things to try to stay here. It's a great staff and a great team. We're want another Super Bowl ring and we're ready to get down to work to get one."