Backfield Bully
On the field, Vikings Pro Bowler Jared Allen tees off on QBs. On the gulf course, the NFL star tees off for America’s troops. 
By Dan Fazio

Jim McMahon stood sweltering under the scorching Arizona sun. Ignoring the 110 degree heat baking the 10th tee at Ancala Country Club, the former Chicago Bears quarterback addressed his ball, slowly drawing back his driver in a well-executed backswing. Suddenly the silence was shattered by screams – a chorus of well-timed hollers hurled at him by … U.S. Marines?

They could have been filming the sequel to “Happy Gilmore.” Instead it was Jared Allen’s first Night-Ops Charity Golf Tournament, and the celebrities, athletes and musicians who played the July 10 event in Scottsdale expected no ordinary day on the links. Since many know Allen – the colorful All-Pro defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings who exploded on to the NFL scene six years ago – they knew it could be downright insane. After all, this is a guy who worked as a roadie for Motorhead in high school; who once honored his mom by wearing her garter on his left thigh during an Idaho State football game; and who frolicked on a stick horse during an episode of “MTV Cribs” last season.

Goofy Golf
Over on the 14th green, Allen and other players launched themselves down a Slip ‘n’ Slide if they failed to reach the green in regulation. Back on the 10th hole, screaming Marines ordered Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to do push-ups on the green, harassing him all the while. After playing nine holes, the players enjoyed a pig roast and barbecue before heading back out for the final nine – in the dark.

“We tried to switch it up so it’s not just another lame-ass golf tournament,” Allen told  the participants.

In spite of the laughs rolling across the fairways, the cause that inspired the first Night-Ops is one Allen takes very seriously. The proceeds will benefit Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, a nonprofit foundation he started last year to build or modify homes for troops wounded in combat. It’s a cause inspired, in part, by a week he spent in March 2009 visiting U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait.

“Last year when I was on the USO tour I got to see up close and personal some of the sacrifices that are made every day by our troops,” Allen said. “When I got home I knew that I wanted to give back and say thanks in any way that I could.”

‘It humbled me’
On the gridiron, Allen’s rare combination of strength, speed and intensity has earned him a reputation as a fearsome stalker of quarterbacks. In six seasons the shameless advocate of the mullet has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times and racked up 72 sacks. An avid hunter, quarterbacks aren’t the only critters Allen stalks. He’s a man’s man who sports a cowboy hat, ran with the bulls in Spain and roped calves in junior rodeos while growing up near San Jose, Calif. – a background that inspired his trademark calf-roping celebration on the field.

Yet the ferocious leader of the “Mullet Militia” has a soft spot for the military that matches his insatiable appetite for life.

“A lot of my family has been or currently is in the military, so I have always been inspired by those who serve our great country,” Allen said.

Allen’s grandfather, Ray Allen, earned a Purple Heart during 23 years in the Marine Corps. Jared’s uncle served in Iraq, and his youngest brother, Scot, enlisted in the Marine Corps last year. With such strong family ties to the military, it was a no-brainer when he was invited to join Larry Fitzgerald, then-New York Giants linebacker Danny Clark and St. Louis Rams linebacker Will Witherspoon on a USO tour of the Persian Gulf. It was an experience that left an impression on Allen.

“It humbled me. Period,” he said. 

‘He didn’t even flinch’
James Stroh, director and vice president of Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, met Allen five years ago at Country Thunder – a “four-day redneck fest” in Wisconsin. The two have been friends ever since. A sergeant in the Army National Guard, Stroh has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. “I just happen to be one of the lucky ones who came home physically unscathed,” Stroh said.

Stroh wanted to help those who weren’t as lucky, so he pitched the idea to Allen. “He didn’t even flinch when I asked him what his thoughts were on starting a foundation like this,” Stroh said. “He just said, ‘They need our help – let’s do it and give them anything they need.’ Jared is a true inspiration to me and I wish more professional athletes were like him.” 

Golf His Way …
Night-Ops was the fledgling foundation’s first fundraiser. The group will work with the Disabled Veterans of America to determine the foundation’s first beneficiary. It’s a mission forged by the camaraderie that members of the military share.

“The brotherhood never really stops, whether you’re in or out (of the service),” Stroh said.

Stroh said Night Ops was a hit and is already looking forward to next year’s tournament.

“Everyone there said it was the best celebrity event they have ever been to, and that includes the celebrities,” Stroh said. “Jim McMahon loved it and he does like almost 90 of these a year.”

Allen said he will use the same passion that catapulted him to fame in the NFL to make his foundation a success.

“I have made a lot of great contacts throughout my career that have agreed to help me,” Allen said. “When I put my mind to something I just can’t quit.”

He’s even willing to pick up a hammer. “I would love to swing a hammer, so if OSHA will let me, then absolutely.”  

We had to ask!
GIJ: You’re undoubtedly idolized by thousands of kids. Who’s your hero?

Allen: My father and grandfather. 

GIJ: You’re a well-known advocate of the mullet. When and why did you adopt a 1980s hairstyle frequently ridiculed today?

Allen: I didn’t adopt the hairstyle, the lifestyle adopted me. 

GIJ: Why did you cut the mullet? Will there be another?

Allen: For my wedding. The mullet is more than just some hair, it is definitely a lifestyle. Scissors cannot stop that. 

GIJ: What do you do to relax?

Allen: I go hunting. Nothing is more peaceful. 

GIJ: What’s in your fridge?

Allen: A lot of meat and broccoli.  

GIJ: What CD is playing in your car?

Allen: Zac Brown Band 

GIJ: The Vikings lost a close contest to New Orleans in the NFC championship game last January. Going into the 2010 NFL season, how do you put such a difficult loss behind you?

Allen: Learn from it. We are who we are because of what we have been through.  

GIJ: Your brother joined the Marine Corps last year. Does this change how you feel about the military?

Allen: No I have always loved the military. If I wasn’t playing football I would be right with my brother. 

GIJ: What was difficult about visiting the troops overseas?

Allen: To realize my selfishness for not being there next to those men and women. 

GIJ: You can’t visit all of the service members serving in harm’s way. What would you tell the rest of the troops if you had the chance?

Allen: Thank you and come home safe! 

_______

Jared Allen Highlights

• Led Vikings with 14.5 sacks in each of his 2 seasons with Minnesota, earning trips to the Pro Bowl and being honored as an AP 1st-Team All-Pro both seasons.
• Was 2007 NFL sack king with 15.5 en route to his 1st Pro Bowl and 1st-Team All-Pro honors.
• Joins only Reggie White in NFL history as players who have posted 14.5+ sacks in 3 straight seasons. 

About the Foundation
Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors is a nonprofit organization created to raise money to build or modify the homes of America’s injured military veterans so the homes are handicap accessible and comfortable. It was formed in October 2009 by Minnesota Viking Jared Allen after he returned home from his USO trip to U.S. military bases in the Middle East. Jared was moved by the commitment, dedication, and sacrifices that our Soldiers make every day to protect our freedom. He wanted to say thank you to every Soldier in the only way that Jared knows how, by embracing the conflict and making a positive life-changing difference in the lives of those who need it most.