Football great Jim Brown on 'The Express' and why Kobe needs to step it up

"The Express," which opens Friday, is a great new film about the life of Ernie Davis, the Syracuse running back who helped his team win the 1959 national championship and was the first African American athlete to take home the Heisman Trophy. But when director Gary Fleder began work on the film, he couldn't go to the source, since Davis died at age 23 of leukemia before he could play a single down in the NFL. Nor could Fleder talk to Davis' coach, the legendary Ben Schwartzwalder (played in the film by Dennis Quaid), who died in 1993.

Luckily there was one person who knew the entire story: Jim Brown. He was the man who first put Syracuse on the map as a football power, who clashed with Schwartzwalder but still helped recruit Davis and who would've starred in the same Cleveland Browns backfield with Davis if Ernie had lived to play in the NFL. So when Fleder asked if I wanted to meet the film's unofficial historical advisor, I jumped at the chance. After all, Brown is not just a football great but a civil rights activist, a pioneering black movie star and a longtime advocate of economic empowerment in the African American community.

"I didn't have Ernie to talk to," Fleder says. "But Jim gave me a strong point of view about Ernie and the challenges he had to go through. He knew firsthand what it was like to walk around on campus, what it was like to play in front of a hostile crowd at the Cotton Bowl when the South was still segregated. What a director is always looking for is subtext. Jim was able to give me everything was happening between the lines, the things that were on the inside of all the events in Ernie's life."

At 72, Brown is no longer a dominating physical presence. Slowed by back and hip ailments, he walks with a cane. But his views on today's athletes and the impact of sports on our culture are as potent as ever. He is not shy about sharing his views. In fact, one reason I sought him out was to get him to expand on a remark he made earlier this year, when he said of today's athletes: "They don't study and read. If they understood history, they would never shake their butts in the end zone."

Why is that so bad, I asked. "To shake your butt is to regress," Brown told me, sipping a margarita over lunch. "It's buffoonery. It's me-ism. There's no getting around it--it's putting gasoline on the fire of stereotypes. When we were growing up in the '50s and '60s, we spent every day of our lives fighting stereotypes, all the shucking and jiving and cartoon dancing routines that black people were forced to do."

The way Brown sees it, many of today's athletes are simply in it for the money and celebrity, refusing to accept responsibility for having a huge impact on the culture around them. And he's not afraid of naming names. "Athletes need to represent more than that just getting a big contract and lots of endorsements," he says. "Take Michael Jordan. To me, he's full of bull. He's hiding his true self. All he cares about is getting ahead, being popular and enjoying the wealth of this country. Same with Kobe Bryant. For them, it's all about making money and doing all the commercials."

Brown expects more from today's athletes. After all, he walked the walk. When Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title and threatened with jail time for refusing to register for the draft during the Vietnam War, it was Brown and Boston Celtics star Bill Russell who led a contingent of black athletes who offered Ali their support. "Sports is detrimental to the development of culture if all you're willing to do is enjoy the fruits of this country," he says. "You've got to reinvest in the culture, not just exploit it. Today people just want non-combative heroes, who smile and say all the right things. That's fine, but that doesn't mean you have to play the fool and shake your butt just because you caught a pass for a touchdown."

I was too young to have seen Brown in his NFL heyday. So I wondered--what did he do after he ran over half a dozen defenders and sprinted into the end zone for a touchdown? "I gave the ball back to the official," he says sternly. "Like my old coach Paul Brown used to say--if you get into the end-zone, act like you've been there before."

Coming soon: Part 2 of our talk with Jim Brown. He explains how he helped cast Darren Dewitt Henson, the actor who plays him in the movie, as well as how it felt to be the first black star to have an interracial sex scene in a Hollywood film just 15 years after his Syracuse football coach warned him that he'd get kicked off the team if he ever dated a white woman.

Photo of Jim Brown by Myung J. Chun / L os Angeles Times

Comments

[mark]

who cares ----------

[sid]

I watched Jim Brown play lacrosse for Syracuse against Dartmouth up in Hanover New Hampshire under a beautiful fall blue sky with autumn leaves in the background.
He would take the ball in his stick at his goal, dance up the field with nary a cradle, simply holding his stick above the horizon and once in Green territory score at will. He did this more than ten times in the game to the awe and applause of Orange and Green fans alike. He never flaunted or gestured or taunted after the goal. He didn't have to. He was the emblem of sportsmanship. The only loss I know of with Jim is when he ran a pickup footrace on the beach against Bill Russell and lost. But that may be apocryphal

[davey]

Enjoy the reading. I am 65 yrs. young and Jim Brown was the greatest running back i think the NFL has ever seen. Somehow he seemed to be able to carry the whole defensive line with him. Must have been one powerful man. Doug

[Philip]

As a boy I saw Jim Brown play twice at Kezar Stadium in SF. He was, without a doubt the most impressive player I have ever seen, with the possible exception of Gale Sayers, although they did have very different styles running the ball..

He was true to his statements in this article, when he scored there was no showmanship. Getting the ball in the endzone was his goal every time he had the ball and it showed, man he ran with a mission and passion that I have, to this day, not seen repeated.

I may not agree with all his views not related to football but his on the field class of sportmanship is an inspiration to any 'true' athalete.

Mr. Brown, thank you for the memories.

Phil Coyne

[Trevor]

While Jim Brown has had some issues that require a grain of salt when considering his comments, he nevertheless always speaks with candor, directness, and an informed point of view borne of both personal experience and historic perspective, and most of all, with honesty and intelligence that one wishes were more of an example and point of reference for not only athletes, but society in general. While he remains one of the best examples of an athlete retiring at the top of his game, he has built a far more important legacy by his words and deeds off the field.

[Trevor]

While Jim Brown has had some issues that require a grain of salt when considering his comments, he nevertheless always speaks with candor, directness, and an informed point of view borne of both personal experience and historic perspective, and most of all, with honesty and intelligence that one wishes were more of an example and point of reference for not only athletes, but society in general. While he remains one of the best examples of an athlete retiring at the top of his game, he has built a far more important legacy by his words and deeds off the field.

[Hart]

Great to hear from and about Jim Brown. I am not only old enough to remember but as a native Clevelander I saw! It was not only JB walking over defenders but he alos caried them down field. I remember seeing him drag 4 down the field in Cleveland.
I also agree with Mr. Brown, the antics of the players is all self-serving. My Brown shown what a heart in the right place can do.
You, Paul W., Collens, et al are the best memories of sports I have; Give the Ball to Paul!And the home of the Post Pattern!! Sitting in the enzone, the bleachers at Cleveland Municipal Stadium was and is memorable: just remember to take a helmet for your self!

Thanks for a great article,
Cleveland born,
Stephen

[Cousin]

Jim Brown was and is a class act. It's too bad athletes of all races don't take his words to heart.

[Loren D. Auld]

The MAN!

[Larry in NC]

Growing up in Northern Ohio, being a Cleveland Browns fan from age 6, I had the pleasure of watching Jim Brown play in-person several times. He was truly the best football player I've ever seen play the game. Every time I see a player dance or otherwise perform after simply doing his job (catching a pass, running for yardage, scoring), I'm reminded that Jim Brown would power his way into the end zone, pick himself up from the turf, simply hand the ball to the official and trot to the sideline. After every non-scoring play, he would act the same. He'd give the ball to the official and simply walk back to the huddle for the next play-usually a play where he would gain 3-7 yards, like clock work. We had high hopes in Browns country when we heard Ernie Davis would be joining fellow Syracuse alum, Jim Brown, in the Browns backfield. I'm a sucker for sports bio-pics if they are done right. I'll be sure to see The Express.

[PeanutButterSpread]

"Take Michael Jordan. To me, he's full of bull. He's hiding his true self. All he cares about is getting ahead, being popular and enjoying the wealth of this country. Same with Kobe Bryant. For them, it's all about making money and doing all the commercials."

errr, I hate to say it, but even if MJ wanted to be popular and wealthy, that still doesn't deny he worked HARD to earn his success, MJ probably has the most dedication and sacrifice to the game of basketball than most basketball athletes. The guy worked hard and was an assassin on court. Sure he may have gotten arrogant or what not, but that's because he earned it, he wanted to defeat anyone who could be greater than him as an athlete. I don't really think that equates to just being a shallow stereotypical athlete. Same with Kobe, both him and MJ worked hard to get to where they're at. Day in and day out dedication to toning and honing their bodies to be the best athletes they can be.

[KB24fan]

Obviously Jim Brown doesn't know Kobe very well. Anyone who knows Kobe knows that he puts his heart into the game. He is not in it "just for the money".

[lee]

kb & peanutbutter,

I think while analyzing Jim Browns statements on Kobe and MJ, I see them as differently as you. I understand Mr. Brown as saying the impact on the court and the field are important, but your impact on society for the greater good is more important. When you see injustice speak out against it, in spite of what it costs your career. Use your influence on more than just the game

[grumpy]

i'll never forget as a kid watching Jim Brown on tv, seems like it usually took at least four defenders to bring him down, then he would get up and walk slowly back to the huddle, to conserve his strength..

[ASG]

i too have a lot of respect for Jim Brown. i'm too young to have seen him play in person but from the footage he was more than a beast on the field. And while I appreciate that he has never pulled any punches in his commentary about people and black people in particular I also have to factor in his history before I look to him as the one who speaks gospel. kobe and jordan are in it for the money and there are a host of players who do get pretty close to buffoonery. At the same time, Jim has also stoked stereotypes with his seeming inability to not beat up his wife or girlfriend. having said that though, I do realize that we are all full of contradictions in our lives between what we say and maybe believe and what we do. so the sum total of Jim Brown's honest and on point commentary is still of value even though he himself doesnt always live up to his own standards.

[googleronpaul]

"Obviously Jim Brown doesn't know Kobe very well. Anyone who knows Kobe knows that he puts his heart into the game. He is not in it "just for the money"."

If you could read you would realize Jim Brown is talking about the culture not just succeeding at a game. Kobe should come out against all the fatherless babies or the Iraq war, or Africa issues, or tax issues, or ANYTHING.

[GaryS]

I was a senior at Syracuse when Jim Brown played football. We were in awe of his abilities. We viewed him as not a black man, but a fantastic football player. Coach Schwartzwalter may have told him not to date white women. But, Jim did what he wanted. I remember the day I saw him driving around campus in a convertable with two beautiful white women. So much for good reporting.

GS

[JoeC]

Jim Brown's comments about Jordan and Kobe regard the social responsibility that accompanies their renown.

It might be hard to understand this concept to yougner people today, but, in the 1960's and early 1970's, atheletes like Brown, Roberto Clemente, Ali, Jabbar, Bill Walton, and Billie Jean King understood that sports were only a small part of a larger, more important, social movement that was sweeping society. In fact, many of the young at the time had soundly rejected sports as an opiate of society.

It would be unthinkable, for example, for many atheletes of that era to perfom on the current Fox network when, at the same time, their news platform routinely denigrates black people.

[Roland]

I probably disagree with more of Mr. Brown's political views than I agree with. But his accomplishments and conduct on and off of the field of play (he has indeed "walked the walk", many times, in many venues) and his intellectual acumen demand that his words be attended to closely whenever he speaks or writes. That is called "respect"; it is attribute that must be earned, and precious few of today's athletes can comprehend that, much less achieve it.

-R

[John Hunt]

Good reporting . Keep up the good work. Brown is a super topic. Note something that may be added is that he was at one time the fastest human ever recorded. If you do a wire version of this story might be worth adding. Regards J. Hunt reading in CT

[Pito]

Good stuff. Great article. While I may not agree with his comments about the great MJ and KB, It's ashame more people don't take the same role as JB.

[cbblackmon]

JIM BROWN IS NOT ONLY A GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYER HE ALSO IS A GREAT ACTOR
AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. REMEMBER IF NOT FOR HIM IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
A ERNIE DAVIS PLAYING FOOTBALL FOR A RACIST COLLEGE LIKE SYRACUSE.

[cbblackmon]

jm brown was not only a great football player, he is a great actor and civil right activist. He is the reason there was a
Ernie Davis Heisman winner, he was denied the heisman due to race, he should have been the first.

[kobes girl]

kobe only cares about winning point blank!

[KT]

Jim Brown in action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dxvgWbZwfo&feature=related