MARSHAY GREEN GIVING BACK

BASTROP, TEXAS — You can take Marshay Green out of the country, but you can’t take Bastrop out of his heart.

Throughout his professional football career, Green has always made time to stop by the school and fieldhouse during his visits home.

This time, Green is bringing some company. In an effort to raise funds to assist local youth, Green has received commitments from 20-plus former Rams to play in a charity basketball game.

The Bastrop High Alumni Spring Break Classic will be held next Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in the BHS gymnasium. An autograph session will precede the game, starting at 5 p.m.

Admission for the event is $5, free to students under 17 with a high school I.D. Proceeds from the game will be used to help purchase school supplies.

“Me, Mrs. (Mitzi) Quinn and coach Bradshaw are in the process of starting an account,” Green said, referring to Bastrop High English teacher Mitzi Quinn and Bastrop High head football coach Brad Bradshaw.
“All of the money is going to Bastrop’s youth to help out with back-to-school supplies and accessories for the 2015-16 school year. The money will go toward student needs.”

Several items will be raffled off the day of the event, including two of Green’s Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Canadian Football League jerseys, a bicycle, sports memorabilia and gift cards.

Among the former Rams who have committed to play in the basketball game are New York Giants’ wide receiver Rueben Randle, former Jacksonville Jaguars’ tight end Bryan Jones, former Minnesota Vikings’ defensive end Talance Sawyer, and former Parade All-Americans Randall Mackey and DeAngelo Benton.

Green says he has consulted Sawyer frequently while organizing the game.

“Talance and I came up with the idea for the game,” Green said. “I talk to Talance a lot. If I need any type of advice, I call him.”

Most of the players coming back for Saturday’s game went on to play college football. Green says bringing the alumni back together is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

“I just think it’s a good idea for the guys to come back and show their faces and be an inspiration to our youth,” Green said. “By coming back and showing our faces, we can show our youth that they can accomplish whatever they want to, on the field and off. Whether it’s being a lawyer, a doctor, a basketball player or a football player, if we did it, they can too. We all came from here, and we want to show our youth that they can be successful too. It’s all about coming together for one cause — our youth. Our youth are our future.”

As a bonus, the game will serve as a mini-reunion.

“It’s always good to see my former teammates,” Green said. “It’s going to be fun.”

No doubt, the game will be fun for the former Rams, but don’t get the idea that winning isn’t important.

“This game gives the former players a chance to compete against each other,” Green said. “It’s not going to be just a game. It’s going to be very competitive.”

Green couldn’t resist the opportunity to take a pre-game swipe at his former teammates.

“I’m going to be the best one on the court,” said Green, who played basketball and ran track in addition to playing football for the Rams.

OH, CANADA: Green recently completed his first season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League, seeing double duty as a defensive back and return specialist.

Under CFL rules, the defense is allowed 12 players in order to defend a larger field.

“The CFL field is wider and longer,” Green said. “There is a lot more space to defend. It was an adjustment at first.”

However, Green says the biggest challenge he faced was adjusting to Canada’s climate.

“The only thing I had a problem getting use to was the cold weather,” Green said. “I would wake up in the morning, and it would be minus-10, minus-5 degrees outside and I would have to go to practice.”

Other than the weather, Green has enjoyed his CFL experience.

“I’m looking forward to going back,” said Green, who will report back to Saskatchewan in late May. “I like it a lot. The way the fans are so passionate, so crazy, reminds me of college.

THE NFL: Green, who is entering the final year of his contract with the Roughriders, ultimately hopes to return to the NFL.

Signing as a free agent, Green spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Indianapolis Colts for the 2012 campaign.

A member of the practice squad for the majority of his NFL career, Green saw action in one game for the Cardinals and three games for the Colts.

OLE MISS: Moving from wide receiver to cornerback following his sophomore season, Green helped Ole Miss to back-to-back Cotton Bowl victories.

In his most memorable collegiate game, Green was named Defensive MVP of the 2009 Cotton Bowl. He returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown and set up another score with a 54-yard punt return in the Rebels’ 47-34 victory over Texas Tech.

http://www.bastropenterprise.com/article/20150327/SPORTS/150329722/-1/sports/?Start=1