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Kansas University defensive tackle Jamal Greene sports snazzy threads as he prepares to board a bus bound for Topeka en route to Florida for January's Orange Bowl. Greene has to juggle football obligations with daddy duties for 11-month-old daughter Justice.
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Kansas University defensive tackle Jamal Greene sports snazzy threads as he prepares to board a bus bound for Topeka en route to Florida for January's Orange Bowl. Greene has to juggle football obligations with daddy duties for 11-month-old daughter Justice.
If there was an eye-popping moment from the Kansas University football team's meeting with the media Tuesday, it occurred when defensive tackle Jamal Greene, a 6-foot-4, 301-pound mountain, sat in a chair in the back of Mrkonic Auditorium and started talking about "onesies."
This, for the record, is not everyday lingo among members of the 14th-ranked Jayhawks. During interviews, players do not, generally speaking, spend significant amounts of time discussing baby attire.
Greene does.
In addition to being one of Kansas' largest players, the third-year sophomore is also a father of two - daughter Justice, 11 months old, lives in Kansas City, Kan., with her mother, while 3-month-old son Jamal Jr. ("he's the next monster of the family," Greene says) lives with Greene's current girlfriend in Lawrence.
In the past 12 months, Greene has endured a crash course in the joys of parenthood - the smiles and the hugs and the unconditional love - and everything that comes along with it.
"Yeah," he sighs, asked about diaper changing. "Gotta do it."
Not that he has any problems with the responsibility. Greene goes to great lengths to ensure his kids grow up with a father in their lives. Just about every weekend during the offseason, he heads home to spend the day with Justice. Which means he's able to be around for some of the biggest moments - the first words and the early stages of walking.
Just recently, for instance, Justice began speaking.
"Her mom's jealous because she calls me 'Daddy' more than she says 'Momma,'" says Greene. "So that's kind of good, because I've got something to tease her momma with."
There have been sacrifices, of course. No more reckless spending habits or "Fast and the Furious"-type street races, both of which he busied himself with in high school. And there are many occasions now when he's forced to pass on nights out with teammates in order to handle baby-sitting duties at home.
"That's always a situation that's going to make you grow up," says fellow defensive lineman Caleb Blakesley. "But that's just the responsibilities that come with the situation. And it's understandable; and it's respectable."
Between daddy duties, however, Greene has found time to develop into a member of the Jayhawks' defensive-line rotation, one that held visiting Florida International to a paltry 66 rushing yards in a 40-10 victory Saturday.
Despite not recording a tackle during the game - a fact that seemed to annoy him afterward - he helped plug the middle for a defensive unit that, after Week 1, ranks second in the Big 12 in total defense.
"He's come a long way," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. "We think he's starting to get a grasp on what the expectations are here."
Added Blakesley, "Jamal is just a physical specimen. The kid is so strong and : fast for as big as he is, and I think he's really starting to get his head around the game."
Which is nice, considering he plans to have a couple of tiny fans in the crowd watching him this season. Justice was there for last week's game, while Jamal Jr. is expected to make his first appearance at Memorial Stadium some time in the coming weeks.
"He's gonna have a onesie with a No. 99 on it," Greene assures.
And for the most part, Greene says, there have not been many "What if" questions about early parenthood, no palm-to-the-forehead moments.
No regrets.
"That's how life is," Greene said. "Unplanned. Take everything how it comes. I'm not complaining at all. (My kids are) a joy to my life and to all my family."
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Comments
KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says...
Ever hear of protection? LOL
September 3, 2008 at 6:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Displayhawk (anonymous) says...
Aw, give the kid (I use that term loosely in this case! LOL) a break! At least he is stepping up and being a father to his kids! There are a lot of guys twice as old, and half as mature who don't do that!
He's got my respect, and evidently the rest of the guys on the team!
September 3, 2008 at 7:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eastcoasthawk (anonymous) says...
Nice to get a story on one of the players. I am looking forward to seeing more of Jamal, but can we get some more detail on this upcoming game?
September 3, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
plotku (anonymous) says...
Am I the only one here that notices the obvious. . . . 11 months minus 3 months equalls 8 months. SO he was getting some other girl pregnant while the other still carried his kid. I think respect is the obvious word here.
September 3, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
plotku - I imagine most everyone reading this article realized the same thing as you. You have a valid point. Displayhawk does as well. The only constructive thing we can do is be supportive of Jamal and his efforts to be a responsible father.
September 3, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutlawJHawk (anonymous) says...
plotku--good point that I noticed, too. But I also hope the responsibility of having two children in less than a year and at such a young age will bring him a maturity and focus for first, his eduction, and next, developing his football talents. Hopefully, one of those two, or both, will help him provide financially for his two children and their mothers. I also hope he considers waiting to have more children until he is little further along in life.
Greene, I wish you the best of luck in providing for the two life-long commitments you now have...
September 3, 2008 at 11:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DSommersby (anonymous) says...
Nicely said OutlawJHawk.
Mr. Greene is a very young man who is going to have to grow up exceptionally quick to do his best to take care of these young kids and help assist their mothers. He has a huge challenge and responsibility on his plate, and really hope he keeps a good perspective and balance on everything. Hope it works out for everyone and wish them all the best.
September 3, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
joedavis (anonymous) says...
Outlaw,
His first priority should be his children, then education, the rest of his family, and then football. He was an honor roll student in HS, so I imagine he's doing just fine in class. He is confident in himself so I don't think anyone should doubt him.
I don't think any of you should judge him for having two children that he's irresponsible. The fact that he is taking care of them is very responsible. If he's comfortable telling the media (and then the KU football audience) about his two children, he must be comfortable in the way he's raising them.
There are a lot of people out there horrible parents and he certainly is not one of those people.
September 3, 2008 at 12:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DSommersby (anonymous) says...
JoeDavis:
Nicely said as well. I agree his children are the absolute #1 priority. I took Outlaw's post to mean more if Adrian takes care of his Education and then his football he will be making big strides in taking care of his kids by doing that.
I'm not doubting him at all as I do not know him at all. I know raising kids is tough for anyone at any age so he definitely has a full plate at a younger age and being a full time student and college athlete. Glad to hear he is an honor student. That will serve him and his kids well to make the most of it.
Wish him the best of luck and hope he has great success!
September 3, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MitchumMan (anonymous) says...
It's now mid-week - Can we get some stories about the up coming game? How about a story that talks about La. Tech and how they dealt with the hurricane (if it even affected them)? Or have these things been done and I just haven't seen them?
September 3, 2008 at 12:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JayhawkPhil (anonymous) says...
Don't want to pile on here but this is another one of those "Derrick Thomas" stories that irk the heck out of me. There were numerous articles about how Derrick was such a great dad. He had seven illegitimate children by at least 5 different women and wasn't married to anyone of them. To his credit, he did try to keep in touch and support all of them but that's a little like saying a robber should be complimented for leaving enough money in his victim's billfold for him to buy lunch.
For the record, Greene also got a girl pregnant before these two but she had a misscarrage.
September 3, 2008 at 1:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
okjhok (anonymous) says...
***BREAKING NEWS***
Chalmers and Arthur caught with weed at rookie orientation. Beat you to it, LJW.
September 3, 2008 at 1:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LAJayhawk5 (anonymous) says...
shut up, tools.
September 3, 2008 at 1:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dagger108 (anonymous) says...
MitchumMan - It's now mid-week - Can we get some stories about the up coming game?
Fortunately, the KCStar is running preview articles (multiple) about the LATech game. The only downside there is that instead of a generally intelligent discussion at the end, there is mostly just ignorant droolings between trolls from both side of the border. But at least there is a preview of the game.
September 3, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
joedavis (anonymous) says...
LA Tech wasn't affected by the Hurricane as they are in northern Louisiana. There's no story there.
September 3, 2008 at 2:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says...
I found this article somewhat odd due to the fact it was extoling his vitures of being a father much more than a KU football player.
I don't give a damn about him being a father. That is his private business and not for fans to be hearing about.
Him changing diapers, bottling the babies, and juggling his daddy skills back and forth and of course finding time for yet another liason doesn't help KU win football games.
Why not tell the individual stories of the guys on the team who do NOT have babies? Can't we hear their stories how they resisted the temptation to knock a girl up or at least have the decency and sense to wrap that piece up before you hit her?
I'm sorry but this article is distasteful and without merit.
September 3, 2008 at 3:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bmcmich1 (anonymous) says...
keithmiles -
well that's, like, your opinion, man.
September 3, 2008 at 4:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutlawJHawk (anonymous) says...
joedavis--you provide the proper perspective (family first, in this case kids and various women). However, if you fail to complete your education, or do not make it with a sports career, it is much tougher to "provide". He sounds like he has some good attributes; abstinence and monogamy are not two of them. Also, promiscuity and irresponsibility seem to go hand and hand...so I don't buy into him being placed on a pedestal as Mr. Resposibility. I certainly would not want his dilemma.
In saying all of this, I am not placing myself above him; I probably was Mr. Irresponsible while a student at KU. I just didn't end up with any children from my actions (as far as I know).
KEITHMILES05--You are probably most right about all of this. Why should we care about his personal life? As long as a player kicks tail on the field, we should not care or know what is happening to him off the field. Unless of course, you played b-ball here and get caught with pot at an NBA camp, or you end up in a civil case for standing too close to someone in an elevator, or you fire bb guns out your windows at people. Fortunately, this story does have some positive, although personal, aspects, unlike much of our recent b-ball stories...
Athletes live in a fish bowl and this site and the LJW are the lens into their lives...
September 3, 2008 at 6:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
pburgstu (anonymous) says...
Hey a least Jamal takes care of his kids unlike the Super All Star Mr. Perfect Tom Brady who just goes around chasing supermodels and doesn't even pay attention to his
September 4, 2008 at 12:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KU7679 (anonymous) says...
Before I get too warm and fuzzy over this story I'd like a little more info about the children's financial situation. The article says "no more reckless spending", but what does that mean. I'm pleased to see that he is taking the time to develop a relationship with his child, but most college guys with children are working a couple of jobs to pay their child support as well as pitching in on child rearing.
September 4, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )