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Mark Ingram won the Heisman Trophy in December and brought it back to Alabama. But a lot of people in Flint felt he was bringing it home to them too. Whether they’ve chosen to stay or have to stay, they want the world to know they exist. They don’t want to feel forgotten.
Thursday night they gathered around the television to watch the hometown hero run the ball. Ingram’s team beat The University of Texas in the national championship game.
Mark Ingram Senior was a star wide receiver at Michigan State University. These days he’s in prison for bank fraud and money laundering. Flint has funneled athletes to MSU basketball and football for the last 30 years. Courtney Hawkins, Terry Crews, Carl Banks, Mateen Cleeves and Mo Peterson are just a few.
This woman and her friends watched the game at Blackstone’s on Saginaw Street.
“Male athletes and female athletes. That’s pretty much it. We breed ‘em good here.”
A few tables away, recently elected Mayor of Flint Dayne Walling joked and drank with his friends.
“Flint’s a place that dreams big. We’ve got athletes going back decades who have won super bowls and been in the Olympics. We’ve got heavy weight boxers, light weight boxers. Now we’ve got the first Heisman Trophy winner. It’s just a community where everyone works hard. We’ve got a great work ethic.”
“It’s been some years since I graduated from Southwestern. But I think it’s pretty cool that a guy that went to my high school is up there playing in the Rose Bowl in the national championship game. So that’s pretty cool.
Many Michiganders have been wondering how Mark Ingram Senior got into trouble with the law after being a college and NFL star. And how did his son get lost to an out of state school? Thursday night people in Flint weren’t focusing on the negative. They were saying: it’s not that you’re a success despite being from Flint. But because you’re from Flint.
That sure sounds like Flint to me!
We really do grow the best athletes. We could work on keep theming them here in the state on our home teams, though. Everybody wants Flint Town talent!
It really was a great night here. I’m glad you caught some of it. Thanks!
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