It's not a question enough athletes ask themselves. For that matter, it's not a question enough nonathletes ask themselves.
There's a lot more to being a football player than simply shooting the A-gap, learning your pass routes and picking up the blitz. You're not just part of a new team; you're a part of a new community. Your potential stretches beyond Sundays.
"It would be an injustice to allow a city to give so much and embrace you so much and you not give nothing back," Mason said. "You were here three or four or five years? You just go and play. Then leave? They're not going to remember you. Yeah, you were a good football player ... but besides that, what are they going to remember you by?
"This is the place I live all year-round. ... This is where I'm going to spend the bulk of my time at, here in Baltimore. So if I'm going to spend the bulk of my time here, this is where I'm going to have the most impact."
Mason doesn't have much experience with a hammer. But his foundation did donate $25,000 to the workday efforts in Turners Station, and Mason was one of 1,000 volunteers wearing purple T-shirts. He chatted with homeowners and volunteers and got his hands dirty by doing some yardwork.
In all, Mason and the large group of volunteers made repairs to 40 homes. At Blackwell's, they laid new carpet, fixed the gutters, painted the fence and cleaned the yard. "Such a blessing," she said.
Rebuilding Together Baltimore is a nonprofit that has been around for 19 years and has fixed more than 1,000 homes around the city.
"He's a high-profile person, but he was so gracious and helpful that he really made homeowners feel special," said Bonnie Bessor, executive director of Rebuilding Together Baltimore.
So make yourselves at home, NFL draft picks. You'll soon find your team is bigger than just the men in that locker room. And your contribution here can be bigger than a block or a tackle, more meaningful than opening a bar or nightclub.
As a member of the local team, you'll be watched with unmatched fervor and excitement on Sundays. As Mason can attest, what you do those other days will be noticed and appreciated as well. Ultimately, that's how you can leave a footprint that lasts.
rick.maese@baltsun.com
