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Has Eagles’ DeSean Jackson matured since Philadelphia cut him 5 years ago? Ask his inner circle.

17 Saturday Aug 2019

Posted by deseanjacksonsfoundation in DJF Social Media

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Bill Jackson, Chip Kelley, DeSean Jackson, DeSean Jackson Foundation, Jason Avant, NFL, NFL Hall of Fame, Pancreatic Cancer, Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Team Jackson, Washington Redskins

By Zack Rosenblatt | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Updated Aug 7, 2019; Posted Aug 7, 2019
Repost by: Joie Adams, DeSean Jackson Foundation, Aug 17, 2019

zack article

Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson is back in Philadelphia and out to prove that he’s a different person than the one who was released by Chip Kelly in 2014.

It’s 6 a.m. The phone rings. It rings again. It’s DeSean Jackson.

Finally, half-asleep after a night out, Travis Clark rolls over and picks up the phone.

“It’s time to go,” the 15-year-old Jackson says. “Let’s go!”

DeSean Jackson repeats this early-morning wake-up call four more times. He rousts his brother, Byron Jackson, Darrick Davis, Irving Booker and Gary Cablayan, too. In less than an hour, DeSean and Bill Jackson, his father, are in a beat-up Mazda 300Z, driving to USC, UCLA, Venice High School or a park in Culver City, wherever they could find an open field.

This is the posse hand-picked by Bill, the people he believes will keep Jackson on the straight and narrow, get him to the NFL and, eventually, the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When his son was 8 years old, Bill Jackson told his son he’d be a Hall-of-Famer, and he meant it. Fast-forward 17 years to a recent midsummer day, and the five of them are meeting for lunch in Los Angeles to discus the person they affectionately consider a little brother.

Team Jackson
Team Jackson: Gary Cabalyan, Byron Jackson, Darrick Davis, Travis Clark, Irving Booker. Courtesy of the DeSean Jackson Foundation

“When we set out on this journey we didn’t brand ourselves,” Darrick Davis said. “We were just five guys pulling together to make this dude: a) get to the NFL, b) be a Pro Bowler; and, now c) get him to the NFL Hall of Fame. That was just our mission.”

Oh, they got him to the NFL, all right. He’s made three Pro Bowls, earned $75 million and has his sights set on the Hall of Fame and a Super Bowl ring. The ride here, however, hasn’t always been smooth.

Today, he’s back with the Philadelphia Eagles, determined to prove he’s not the same person he was five years ago when he was kicked to the curb amid rumblings that he had a bad attitude, an inconsistent work ethic, was late for meetings and butted heads with coaches.

Jackson, his family and “Team Jackson” insist that was a long time ago, that he was misunderstood then, and that he’s changed now.

In rare interviews, his inner circle spoke to NJ Advance Media about the impact of his father’s death in 2009, about Jackson becoming a father himself, and the impact the Eagles’ tough (but eventually forgiving) love had on their most explosive player. Also: why they think this time around will be different.

“They’ve [Team Jackson] been, my whole life, helping me every step of the way,” Jackson told NJ Advance Media. “Obviously, my dad created a team that was like a backbone. They train me, advance me with the game and how life is gonna be. It’s a brotherhood.”

DeSean-Jackson-Gang-STACK

Here’s the story of those five men.

‘Mad Scientist Work’

Irving Booker still watches Jackson’s famous “Miracle at the Meadowlands” punt-return touchdown from 2010 on YouTube from time to time. Everything that happened on that punt return, Booker said, encompasses what Team Jackson taught Jackson from a young age — from his fumble at the beginning of the return, the cutback, juking past a defender, bursting through a sea of Giants and outrunning all of them to the end zone in the epic play.

“That encompasses all of us,” Irving Booker said.

DeSean-Jackson-Bound-STACK

DeSean Jackson and Irving Booker, Courtesy of STACK.

Byron Jackson (51 years old): The older brother emphasized finishing plays in practice. He helped with route-running, taking everything he learned at San Jose State while catching passes from Jeff Garcia, and from two seasons on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad, learning from legendary receivers coach Al Saunders.

Darrick Davis (51): A former defensive back who had a cup of coffee with the Atlanta Falcons, he connected with the Jackson family when he played with Byron at Santa Monica College — along with Booker — before he left for Long Beach State and Byron for San Jose. He was the mastermind behind many key decisions in Jackson’s football career, including sending Jackson to Long Beach Poly High and California-Berkeley.

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DeSean Jackson, Darrick Davis, Gary Cablayan

Irving Booker (51): Booker brought cones to every training session to help Jackson with cutting, functional movement and injury prevention. He has a unique background too: “I used to break dance,” Booker said. “A lot of the moves in my mind’s eye when I was coming up with things (for DeSean) came from break dancing.”

Gary Cablayan (49): Cablayan and his father, Jerry, have trained Olympic sprinters. Jackson, as a child, challenged a Puerto Rican sprinter coached by the Cablayan to a 10-yard sprint. Jackson won. Gary has been training Jackson since. If he actually still runs a 4.3 second 40-yard dash like Booker claims, it’s because of Gary.

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Gary Cablayan and DeSean Jackson

Travis Clark (50): A former defensive back in the NFL, he focused on the mental aspect of the game, keeping Jackson focused and fortifying his football IQ. He also could throw the ball 70 yards, and practiced deep balls with Jackson at every session.
“It’s us five who have done mad scientist work. Each one, in my eyes, is a genius,” Booker said. “One hundred percent. You can’t tell me anything different.”

Said DeSean: “It is a special bond. I appreciate them every step of the way, what they did. … They’re always calling, checking on me, still motivating me in knowing that, ‘Yeah, you’re a professional, but I’m still your big brother.’ That’s the relationship.”

DeSean’s mother, Gayle Jackson, and sister, A’Dreea Jackson-Clay, have played vital roles in DeSean’s maturation. It all stated with Bill, though.

“A Father’s Dream”- Bill and DeSean Jackson

“He was a genius,” Clark said. “We thought he was crazy. We thought he was off his rocker, but when you look back, you go, ‘Oh this man had a plan and his plan worked.’”

Along the way, the inner circle frustrated its share of coaches — Cal coach Jeff Tedford was especially outspoken, and then-Eagles coach Andy Reid warned DeSean Jackson on draft day about letting his family get involved with team affairs. But ultimately the plan worked.

Bill Jackson just didn’t live long enough to see it through.

Life After Bill Jackson

When DeSean Jackson moved to Philadelphia, his father was with him. For most of DeSean’s life, his father was by his side.

“They were inseparable,” Cablayan said.

His father was his best friend who pushed him to be great. He was there when his son debuted in the NFL, starting against the St. Louis Rams to open the 2009 season.

His first play was an incompletion. The second: A 48-yard catch from Donovan McNabb. Jackson finished with 106 yards, the Eagles won 38-3 and Jackson’s career took off. He had another 100-yard game in Week 2, making him the first receiver to open his career with two straight 100-yard games.

He helped the Eagles reach the postseason, and they beat the Minnesota Vikings in the first round. During the following week, as the Eagles prepared for the Giants, Bill Jackson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was bedridden when the Eagles met the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game, watching on a small hospital TV in California, surrounded by his family and Team Jackson.

Bill cheered as his son score on a 62-yard touchdown pass from McNabb in the fourth quarter of a loss. Father and son spoke on the phone afterward. His father told DeSean that he played a great game, and that he was proud of him.

DeSean cried.

By April, Jackson had moved his dad to a hospital in Philadelphia, where he died in May.

“It was tough on all of us,” Davis said, “but DeSean, there were periods where every single day DeSean was with Bill. Every single day. … There wasn’t a moment where DeSean said: ‘I haven’t seen my dad in weeks.’ No, it’s, ‘I haven’t seen my dad in 15 minutes.’

“So once he got to the league, Bill was there dealing with what he had to deal with. It was pretty traumatic. It’s hard to put into words because I know he dealt with a lot of …” He stopped for a moment. “I’m getting a little choked up just thinking about it,” he said.

***

That off season, DeSean started the DeSean Jackson Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer to honor his father, and it was at their first charity event where they all agreed on the Team Jackson name. (Jackson Five was thrown around, too.)

When their father died, Byron took a leave from work and lived in Jackson’s basement during that 2009 season. His death provided extra motivation for Byron to start work on a documentary — “The Making of a First Rounder: The DeSean Jackson Story” — in which Bill was an important character. That process was therapeutic, he said, watching film of his dad — the good, the bad, the ugly — over the course of DeSean’s life.

Some nights DeSean would hear Bill’s voice in his sleep, pumping through his air vents. When he’d wake up, he would realize it was Byron, logging footage for the documentary on his computer.

“Our dad had a strong, aggressive voice,” Byron said. “He was a loud talker and he was very authoritative, he screamed and yelled a lot. I would watch footage and DeSean would wake up up in the middle of the night like, ‘Man, I can hear it.’”

“Just replaying all the tape, then talking before the games it was like: Dad is with you.”

Byron thinks it’s no coincidence that Jackson, at least in his eyes, had the best year of his career that season.

“I was there when his dad passed and … it was a real emotional year,” said Jason Avant, a former Eagles receiver and DeSean’s teammate for all six years he was in Philadelphia. “His dad was everything to him. His dad was the catalyst for the player that he is.”

Jackson had five 100-yard games, scored 11 touchdowns — two on punt returns — and completed his first 1,000-yard season.

On Dec. 29, Jackson received a call to tell him he had been selected to the Pro Bowl as a wide receiver and punt returner, the first player in NFL history to make it at two positions. He dropped the phone, ran to his brother and jumped into his arms. Then, he turned to a camera, filming for Byron’s documentary, and said: “Pops, man, I love you. You knew.”

The Pro Bowl that year was on Jan. 31 — Bill’s birthday. He would’ve been 65.

“The night before the game, there was this halo around the moon,” Byron said. “It feels like to me when he’s on that football field, our dad had so much involvement in DeSean’s life, it’s almost like with football, DeSean is at one with Dad.

“Just seeing DeSean’s success, it kept our Dad’s spirit alive.”

‘He Left With Vengeance On His Mind’

It’s the middle of June, and Jackson is Face Timing with his two kids and their mom, Kayla. He misses them. Jackson is back in Philadelphia, working with his new teammates for mini-camp, but his family is in Florida, where he spent the last few years playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He wishes he could be there with his boys, DeSean Jr. 4, and Jace, 1. Putting them to bed. Carrying them. Taking day trips to the beach. Laying on the floor, laughing and watching “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” on PBS, or maybe reading them a book. Jackson is 32 and, a father of two now, and he’s more of a homebody.

No, really, he is.

“DeSean off the field is very low key, very quiet,” Davis said. “You wouldn’t believe it. He’s very low key and he’s not confrontational. Him being a dad … he relishes that role.”

This isn’t the same 27-year-old who was cut by ex-Eagles coach Chip Kelly after, statistically, the best season of Jackson’s career in 2013. Jackson had a reputation for partying, tardiness and general immaturity to go along with the off-field concerns. The release was a wake-up call, the moment when Jackson went from being a football player to a professional football player, his team says.

“I think it became a job after he got let go,” Cablayan said.

When Bill passed away, Team Jackson gave him space to let him grow on his own.

“You have five guys who pretty much raised you your whole life, and now you’re a man,” Byron said. “We gotta sometimes take a step back and let him be who we trust he’s going to ultimately become. It’s been a balancing act. We haven’t always done or said things you would script. You still wanna be there for them, but when they come around and are ready to make the right decisions, you’re always going to support them.”

team-jackson

Jackson admits now that he was immature the first time around.

“When I was younger, I had the world at my hands,” DeSean said at his introductory press conference in March. “Coming into the NFL as a rookie and having all that success early in my career, it was kind of hard to get a hold of that at a young age, you know? But you have to go through things in life in order to mature.”

Ultimately, though, the release became a turning point in Jackson’s maturity. Washington D.C., is where DeSean Jr. was born. Jace was born in Tampa Bay.

“He had started to mature, but it’s hard when you’re that age and your friends are around you (and they are) younger and want to do things that young people do,” Darrick Davis said. “Now, with his time away (from the Eagles), having kids, all those little things make you see life differently.

“The whole Eagles thing, getting turned away from them was a harsh reality. He left with vengeance on his mind.”

I’m Going To Tell You Guys … Just Be Careful

It was Week 2 in Tampa Bay last season and the Eagles were in town. DeSean Jackson always had a little extra for his former team, and few players have killed the Philadelphia Eagles over the last five years as Jackson did with the Redskins and Buccaneers.

On the first play of the game, Jackson beat cornerback Jalen Mills, caught a quick pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick, slanted across the field with Mills tailing him, then juked back the other way for an easy path to the end zone and a 75-yard touchdown.

Jackson pointed to Eagles coach Doug Pederson. He said, “You never should have let me go,” Pederson recalled.

“I was like ‘I wasn’t even there! I wasn’t even there!’” Pederson said, laughing. Pederson, an assistant on Reid’s staff from 2009-12, wasn’t around when Jackson was cut.

They reconnected after the game, too, and it was here that the seed was planted in Jackson’s mind — he wanted to return to Philadelphia. One reason: He really wanted to play with Carson Wentz.

Jackson led the league in yards per catch (18.9) for the fourth time, but the Buccaneers went 5-11, missed the playoffs, fired their coach and Jackson was ready for a change. He hadn’t played in a playoff game since 2015 with Washington. He pushed to be traded in the off season. He hoped it would be to the Eagles.

Ask Pederson, general manager Howie Roseman or even owner Jeffrey Lurie, and they’ll tell you there wasn’t much internal debate about that idea when he became available — it was a no-brainer, Pederson said.

“You’ve gotta have guys like (Jackson) on your team,” Pederson said. “You gotta have guys with a little edge and guys that get a little pissed off from time to time. That’s a healthy thing, too. And guys with fire, guys that want to win – and that’s obviously what he wants – that’s what we all want.”

They wanted him back. All it took was a sixth-round pick and a new three-year contract.

So far, it seems to be going well. Teammates and coaches alike have raved about his work ethic, his leadership. He’s been on time for meetings. He’s spent extra time with Wentz on the field and in the film room. He participated in OTAs in May, even though they were voluntary. In between, he’s even found time to host two free youth football camps — one in Philadelphia, one in Long Beach — while also delivering food to the Philly homeless community, and visiting local schools to talk about his journey.

Adreea Clay

A’Dreea Jackson-Clay, DeSean Jackson, and Team Jackson: Byron Jackson, Travis Clark, Irving Booker, Darrick Davis, Photo Courtesy of DeSean Jackson Foundation

In May, after the death of rapper (and friend) Nipsey Hussle — fatally shot in Los Angeles — he spoke at Latin Charter School in West Philly, and talked about gun violence, growing up in tough neighborhoods, and living in the Crenshaw district “where all people know is Crips and Bloods,” he said, via ESPN, adding that he had a decision to make as he ascended to the NFL: “hang out with my homeboys that’s just killing, that’s robbing, that’s selling drugs” or try to make an impact on the community using his platform as a football player.

“You get to a certain point where you feel comfortable,” Jackson told the students, via ESPN. “You’ve got everybody praising you for what you do and where you come from, sometimes you let down your guard. I’m going to tell you guys here today: just be careful.”

Unfinished Business

Sunday, Jackson returned to Lincoln Financial Field for the first time since he was cut. In front of a crowd of 40,000 Eagles fans, he received the team’s largest ovation. It might be even louder in his pre-season debut on Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans.

This is the final stage of Jackson’s career. Since he was drafted in 2008, only five receivers (Larry Fitzgerald, Antonio Brown, Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, Brandon Marshall) have more than Jackson’s 10,261 receiving yards. He’s outlasted all six of the receivers drafted ahead of him. He’s one of the best deep threats in NFL history.

And now he has his sights set on the Hall of Fame, the last leg of his father’s plan.

Now it’s up to DeSean Jackson to see it through.

“He’s all in,” Byron said. “People don’t know, but it was hard for him to watch the Super Bowl and not be with the team. It was hard for him the way he left Philadelphia. He’s an emotional player. Coming back to Philly, it’s going to be an emotional year … the fact that (the Eagles) were the team that our father got to see him on, and now he’s back … he has some unfinished business in Philadelphia.”

Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at zrosenblatt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ZackBlatt. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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ABOUT TEAM JACKSON

For more information about Team Jackson, please contact: EVO Sports Training, Long Beach, CA, (888)-386-4140, or visit the following website.

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DeSean Jackson: Teams Up with #Redskins Tweet Team for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

09 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by deseanjacksonsfoundation in Uncategorized

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DeSean Jackson, DeSean Jackson Foundation, Pancreatic Cancer, Tweet Team, Washington Redskins

One Team, One Purpose!

One Team, One Purpose!


November 9, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DESEAN JACKSON sends his sincere thanks to the Washington Redskins’ TWEET TEAM for joining him in the Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer by raising awareness during November which is national Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
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“I am humbled and honored to have the support of this loyal, international fan base” states Jackson. “The TWEET TEAM embraced the DeSean Jackson Foundation and my family immediately after I became a Washington Redskin; and, continues to support our team as we advocate for funds for Pancreatic Cancer research and raise awareness–One Team, One Purpose!”

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For more information about the DeSean Jackson Foundation, please visit, http://www.deseanjacksonfoundation.org.
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Fundraiser in Honor of former Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Director

09 Saturday May 2015

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Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Cowboys Cheeleaders, DeSean Jackson Foundation, F, Gayle Jackson, NFL Cheerleading, Pancreatic Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Suzanne Mitchell

[Repost by The DeSean Jackson Foundation, 5/09/2015.]

Fundraiser for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in honor of former Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Director, Suzanne Mitchell  http://purplestride.kintera.org/dfw/thesuzanneteam

Dallas

Gayle Jackson, President, of The DeSean Jackson Foundation, and mother of NFL All Pro Washington Redskin, DeSean Jackson, appeals to their Washington Redskins’ fan base to join her in reaching across the playing field to support a fundraiser for Suzanne Mitchell, former Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader.  Suzanne was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer last June.  Gayle and DeSean Jackson co-founded The DeSean Jackson Foundation in 2009 after William “Bill” Jackson, DeSean’s father died from Pancreatic Cancer while DeSean was a rookie with the Philadelphia Eagles.   “We must put aside our team affiliation and brand loyalty to become One Team for One Purpose–to eradicate this dreadful disease”, states Gayle Jackson.

Suzanne Mitchell joined the Dallas Cowboys Football Club in 1975. The story goes she sat across the desk from her soon to be employer Texas E. Schramm and when he asked the traditional interview question of where she wanted to be in five years, Suzanne gave a not so traditional response, “Your chair looks pretty comfortable”. Tex’s laughter roared across the desk as he shook her hand and said, “You’re hired”. Thus began an incredible journey. Suzanne sometimes known as “Mom”, Mitch or the Iron Butterfly was asked by Tex to take over the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in “her spare time” after the 1976 Super Bowl. And takeover she did, she took a group of young women that were not that well known and put them on a national stage, overnight they were America’s Sweethearts and the most sought after group in the country. And over the next decade almost every other professional football team followed her lead. She is known in the NFL Cheerleading circle as the “Godmother of professional cheerleaders”.
Born in Fort Worth, this Texas Legend has traveled the world and was quite successful before joining the Cowboys organization, she worked for a Park Avenue Publishing House as well for the U.S. Ski Team, but it was as Director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders where Suzanne found her home and enjoyed tremendous success. She made two Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders TV movies with ABC, two episodes of the Love Boat, appeared on too many TV shows to list as well as the Country Music Awards. Unlike today as Director she went on every single DOD/ USO Tour with her girls. Suzanne spent nine Christmas on the DMZ in Korea and had a marine not pushed her head out of the way she would have been shot right between the eyes by PLO random gunfire in Beirut in 1983. Her journey is so exciting and so outrageous at times does not seem real, but Suzanne not only lived every single moment, she was in charge at a time when few women were in charge. She was at the helm orchestrating every move, every press release, every routine, and every appearance, she wrote all copy and even the fan mail for security purposes went to Suzanne first and then the girls. One of her earlier employers was quoted as saying Suzanne did the work of six people and always gave 500%.
The message Suzanne wanted to depart on her girls the most was “it is not what is happening to them that is important, but what is happening thru them”. Last June Suzanne was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Pancreatic Cancer is the deadliest of all cancers with no cure and no earlier detection. Only 6% of those diagnosed live five years beyond diagnosis and more research for this deadly cancer is desperately needed. Once diagnosed Suzanne started her campaign to help others. Her message of “what happens thru you” is more relevant at this moment than ever before. Suzanne and her team are fighting to raise money and awareness of Pancreatic Cancer so that others never experience this dreadful disease.

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DeSean Jackson, The Making of a Father’s Dream

16 Thursday May 2013

Posted by deseanjacksonsfoundation in Uncategorized

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Andy Reid, Bill Jackson, Byron Jackson, DeSean Jackson, DeSean Jackson Foundation, NFL Pro Bowl, Pancreatic Cancer, Philadelphia Eagles, The Making of a Father's Dream

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DeSean Jackson Documentary Reveals Much

Posted by Tim McManus on May 15, 2013 at 1:57 pm | Reprinted by The DeSean Jackson Foundation, on May 16, 2013

DeSean Jackson‘s relationship with Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles got off on the wrong foot.

The receiver and his family were already in the midst of a stressful day. Their draft party back in April of 2008 turned tense as the projected first-rounder slipped and slipped…until finally he was taken 49th by the Eagles. The celebration that ensued was quickly dampened following Jackson’s call with his new head coach.

“Hey, I just want to say one thing,” said Jackson, calling together his inner circle. “I was on the phone with Andy Reid. He said, ‘I don’t want your family to be a problem. I don’t want to deal with your dad.’ He said some bad things. I just wanted to let you know. That’s kind of messed up, though.”

That is one of the many nuggets stored in a fascinating 104-minute documentary titled “DeSean Jackson, The Making Of A Father’s Dream” which chronicles Jackson’s journey from Pop Warner to the pros. His older brother, Byron Jackson, began filming DeSean when he was about nine years old, and kept the camera rolling for more than 18 years.

Not a second of that time went by when DeSean wasn’t being groomed for the NFL.

DeSean’s father, the late Bill Jackson, was determined to have his sons make it to the pros. Byron briefly achieved that goal, spending two years on the Chiefs’ practice squad, but was eventually cut. He bounced around to the Canadian and World League but was ready to move onto a career in film-making. Bill was not ready for the ride to end. Wills collided, there was an incident, and the two didn’t speak for two years.

DeSean’s undeniable ability helped bring them back together, and they joined forces with several of Byron’s good friends — men that also came just shy of athletic excellence — to create a professional athlete. They set up a blueprint and gave him a strict training regimen. Had him working with a speed coach before he was even in high school.

Bill Jackson tells a story in the film about how he would even get his sister’s poodle into the training process. He used to tie a tennis ball to a rope, and that rope around DeSean’s waist. Every time the dog got the tennis ball, DeSean had to give him 15 pushups.

“I never gave him time off. People used to say, ‘Why are you doing him like that. You’re trying to kill him.’ Because he had so much energy, he would be running the streets.”

With all that manpower dedicated to a common goal, DeSean was able to maximize the immense amount of natural talent that just oozed out of him. That singular focus of developing an NFL player also created some problems. Cal head coach Jeff Tedford worried that team goals were taking a back seat to the individual pursuit of making it to the show. And Bill Jackson was so determined to make that dream a reality, that he at times took his advocacy for his son’s cause too far.

“While I understood what Bill’s motives were he didn’t always go about it the right way,” said Tedford. “As far as alienating people or really being loud outside of the locker room and things like that. If DeSean only caught a couple balls in the game, he wanted him to catch 10. He was driven for DeSean to be successful.”

Bill could be a handful (Reid obviously had heard as much) but it’s clear that it came from a good place. And ultimately, his plan worked.

He watched from a hospital bed as the Eagles beat the Giants in the Divisional Round to advance to the NFC Championship in DeSean’s rookie year. His son had four grabs for 81 yards in that game. Earlier that day, Bill had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. That was January 11, 2009. He passed away May 14 of that year.

The next season DeSean broke out, posting over 1,100 receiving yards and racking up 12 touchdowns in all. There is a scene in the film where Byron and DeSean are waiting nervously to get word on whether he had been selected to the Pro Bowl. The call came from Reid. This time around, the coach’s words sent Jackson barreling down the steps and into his brother’s arms.

After the initial celebration, DeSean turns to the camera and says, “Pops man, I love you. You knew.”

The Pro Bowl was played on what would have been Bill’s 65th birthday. DeSean led the NFC with 101 yards and two touchdowns.

“At the end of the day,” said Byron, “my dad only wanted what was best for DeSean and all of his kids.”

The documentary is being released right around Father’s Day. It will be available on iN Demand beginning on June 7.

Become a fan of Birds 24/7 on Facebook.

Desean Jackson New Logo

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Our Prayers are with Tom Seagraves…..

26 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by deseanjacksonsfoundation in Uncategorized

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DeSean and Gayle Jackson, DeSean Jackson, DeSean Jackson Foundation, distral panceatectomy, Fox Chase, Gayle Jackson, Pancreatic Cancer, prayers, spleanectomy, Tom Seagraves, William Jackson

Desean and Tom Graves

We ask that you will join us in a prayer circle for Tom Seagraves.

Mrs. Dawn Seagraves released a public statement today advising that her husband, Tom, is scheduled for surgery, a distral panceatectomy and spleanectomy, on Monday, at Fox Chase. “Its a major surgery, per Mrs. Seagraves, so please continue to keep our family in your prayers and thoughts.”

DeSean and I understand and respect the Seagraves’ battle. We lost DeSean’s father, William Jackson, to pancreatic cancer in 2009 after only 5 months of treatment. Tom Seagraves was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in August 2012; and, continues to fight and raise awareness to Pancreatic Cancer on a daily basis. Tom, Dawn and their children have done so much to raise awareness to this disease; and, empathy and compassion for both those afflicted with Pancreatic Cancer and their loved ones.

“Just looking at him [Tom Seagraves] is really inspiring, because I can see him fighting. I can see that same look my dad had,” DeSean said to a local ABC news reporter recently. “Tom keeps me focused on what is important in life; and, to strive to make a difference in the lives touched by this dreadful disease and other catastrophic life experiences. Many of those afflicted may not have the resources to endure that the NFL or Philadelphia Eagles provided for my family and for that I am truly grateful and obligated to ‘give back’.”

DeSean and I ask that all of our friends, fans, family and Desean’s 500,000+ Twitter fans join us in a prayer circle for Tom Seagraves and his family.

Thank you.

– Gayle Jackson, President, The DeSean Jackson Foundation

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Founder of Wienerschnitzel, John Galardi Dies of Pancreatic Cancer

19 Friday Apr 2013

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DeSean Jackson Foundation, Dies, Fast Food Pioneer, John Galardi, Pancreatic Cancer, Wienerschnitzel

Galardi GroupCBS Logo LAFounder Of Wienerschnitzel John Galardi Dies Of Pancreatic Cancer

April 14, 2013 2:29 PM
[Reprinted by The DeSean Jackson Foundation, Thursday, April 18, 2013]

IRVINE (CBSLA.com) — Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced for Wienerschnitzel founder John Galardi, who died Saturday.

A press release issued by the Irvine-based Galardi Group says the fast food entrepreneur passed away at the age of 75. He had pancreatic cancer.

Founded by Galardi in 1961, Der Wienerschnitzel began as a single hot dog stand. At the time of its creation, Galardi was only 23.

Currently, the fast food giant sells more than 120 million hot dogs each year, according to the statement.

Dennis Tase, president and COO of the Galardi Group, described Galardi as a “true pioneer in the restaurant industry.”

“Since it all began in 1961, he has touched countless lives through his generosity as a business leader and his legacy will forever live on,” he said.

“Galardi built a brand representative of a time when life was simpler, a brand that holds a special place in the hearts of so many families in America. He will be deeply missed,” Tase added.

Galardi has a wife and four children.

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09 Tuesday Apr 2013

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Citizen's Bank Park, DeSean Jackson Foundation, Pancreatic Cancer, Philadelphia Phillies

PANlogoEvent Details

Name:
Awareness Night with the Philadelphia Phillies 2013 To Benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Network

Info:

Tickets are now available for purchase through the Philadelphia Phillies’ website.
Click here to get your tickets today!

Don’t forget to enter the code PCAN as the password.

Tickets must be purchased by April 1, 2013.

Event Type:
Awareness Event

Date(s):
04/19/2013

Time(s):
7:05 pm

Location:

Citizen’s Bank Park

One Citizens Bank Way

Philadelphia, PA 19148

Presented By:

affiliate

Contact:

Amy Cunningham

acunningham@pancanvolunteer.org

Affiliates:

Philadelphia, PA
The DeSean Jackson Foundation

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Desean Jackson and Tom Seagraves Need Your Help Tackling Pancreatic Cancer

11 Monday Mar 2013

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DeSean Jackson, DeSean Jackson Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer, DeSean Jackson's Community Projects, Pancreatic Cancer, Philadelphia Eagles, Tom Seagraves

Desean and Tom Graves

DESEAN JACKSON AND TOM SEAGRAVES NEED YOUR HELP TACKLING PANCREATIC CANCER
Tom Seagraves Event

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Bonnie Franklin Dies From Pancreatic Cancer

03 Sunday Mar 2013

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Bonnie Franklin, DeSean Jackson Foundation, Norman Lear, Pancreatic Cancer

Bonnie Franklin
*************************************************************************************************
FOXNEWS.COM
[Reprinted by The DeSean Jackson Foundation, 3/3/2013 with permission.]

The DeSean Jackson Foundation extends its sincere and deepest sympathy to the family, friends and fans of Bonnie Franklin who died from Pancreatic Cancer last week shortly after being diagnosed with the disease in September 2012. Our hearts are heavy as we again learn that this dreadful disease has taken another life; there is no cure; and, funding for research is at risk of being decreased.

Bonnie Franklin, the pert, redheaded actress whom millions came to identify with for her role as divorced mom Ann Romano on the long-running sitcom “One Day at a Time,” has died.

She died Friday at her home due to complications from pancreatic cancer, family members said in a statement. She was 69. Her family had announced she was diagnosed with cancer in September.

Franklin was a veteran stage and television performer before “One Day At a Time” made her a star.

Developed by Norman Lear and co-created by Whitney Blake — herself a former sitcom star and single mother raising future actress Meredith Baxter — the series was groundbreaking for its focus on a young divorced mother seeking independence from a suffocating marriage.

It premiered on CBS in December 1975, just five years after the network had balked at having Mary Tyler Moore play a divorcee on her own comedy series, insisting that newly single Mary Richards be portrayed as having ended her engagement instead.

On her own in Indianapolis, Ann Romano was raising two teenage girls (played by Mackenzie Phillips, already famous for the film “American Graffiti,” and a previously unknown Valerie Bertinelli). “One Day At a Time” ran on CBS until 1984, by which time both daughters had grown and married, while Romano had remarried and become a grandmother. During the first seven of its nine seasons on the air, the show was a Top 20 hit.

Like other Lear productions such as “All in the Family” and “Good Times,” “One Day at a Time” dealt with contemporary issues once absent from TV comedies such as premarital sex, birth control, suicide and sexual harassment — issues that had previously been overlooked by TV comedies whose households were usually headed by a husband and wife or, rarely, a widowed parent.

Meanwhile, the series weathered its own crises as Phillips was twice written out of the series to deal with her drug abuse and other personal problems.

Writing in her 2009 memoir “High On Arrival,” Phillips remembered Franklin as hardworking and professional, even a perfectionist.

“Bonnie felt a responsibility to the character and always gave a million notes on the scripts,” Phillips wrote. “Above all, she didn’t want it to be sitcom fluff — she wanted it to deal honestly with the struggles and truths of raising two teenagers as a single mother.”

In her 2008 memoir “Losing It,” Bertinelli noted that Franklin, just 31 when the show began, wasn’t old enough to be her real mother.

Even so, wrote Bertinelli, “within a few days I recognized her immense talent and felt privileged to work with her. … She was like a hip, younger complement to my real mom.”

The truth of “One Day at a Time” was brought home to Franklin when in 2005 she got together with both TV daughters for a “One Day at a Time” reunion special. She told both actresses, “You are living, in a sense, Ann Romano’s life — you are single parents raising teenage kids. That is shocking and terrifying to me.”

Franklin herself was married for 29 years. Her husband, TV producer Marvin Minoff, died in 2009.

Born Bonnie Gail Franklin in Santa Monica, Calif., she entered show business at an early age. She was a child tap dancer and actress, and a protege of Donald O’Connor, with whom she performed in the 1950s on NBC’s “Colgate Comedy Hour.”

A decade later, she was appearing on such episodic programs as “Mr. Novak,” “Gidget” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”

On stage, Franklin was in the original Broadway production of “Applause,” for which she received a 1970 Tony Award nomination, and other plays including “Dames at Sea” and “A Thousand Clowns.”

Franklin’s recent credits include appearances on “The Young and the Restless” and the TV Land comedy “Hot in Cleveland,” which again reunited her with Bertinelli, one of that show’s regulars.

A private memorial will be held on Monday, March 4th, her family said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/03/01/one-day-at-time-mom-bonnie-franklin-dies-at-age-6/#ixzz2MLIj5pCA

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DeSean Jackson – A Well-Grounded, Compassionate Young Man

12 Saturday Jan 2013

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DeSean Jackson, Gayle Jackson, Pancreatic Cancer, Philadelphia

Desean and Tom GravesDeSean and Penn Power
Crimson Patch
Editor: Christina Paciolla Christina.paciolla@patch.com

Local Voices

Article by Dawn Seagraves

DeSean Jackson Foundation

Posted on January 12, 2013 at 12:50 am
{Reprinted by The DeSean Jackson Foundation, 1/12/2013]
***********************************************************************************************

Today was a very uplifting day for my family. I organized an event where my husband works—Penn Power Group. Every Christmas, the corporate area pitches in to buy their boss CFO Phil Fields a Christmas gift. This year, at the top of his wish list, was for everyone to chip in and make a donation to pancreatic cancer awareness. So I chose The DeSean Jackson Foundation.

And the reason being is that it is a very personalized organization. So I got into contact with DeSean who then in turn passed the info along to his mom Gayle Jackson who personally contacted me. I explained what Tom’s company wanted to do and asked if there was a way to set it up for DeSean to actually come and pick up the donation.

After many phone conversations with Gayle, we were able to set it up for Jan. 11. I was also able to get into contact with 6 ABC news who was interested in doing the story. It all came together perfectly.

And it felt like I had known DeSean Jackson forever. We both have a determination to bring more awareness of this horrible cancer. DeSean is a very well-grounded young man which shows he had a great upbringing by both his father and mother. As well as his brother Jay who was there with him and their cousin.

I believe together DeSean and I will start to bring more awareness around. It truly was an uplifting experience I believe for our whole family.

– Dawn Seagraves

*************************************************************************************************

Note: Dawn Seagraves’ husband was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer five (5) months ago; and, she works tirelessly to raising the awareness to the need for funds for research and financial support and compassion for those afflicted by the disease and their primary caregivers.

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