woodbuck27
07-21-2006, 03:37 PM
GILBERT BROWN'S
NEW CAREER IN AUTO RACING
By Jeff Alexander / wbay.com
This weekend the Milwaukee Mile hosts some of the biggest names in Indy car racing. Behind the scenes at the track is another big name -- a big man -- Packers fans will never forget.
Gilbert Brown would give anything for one more season, one more chance for the Gravedigger to reemerge. But at 35 and two years away from football, he's not holding his breath. Rather, he's looking forward. An invitation to be the Grand Marshall at the Milwaukee Mile last summer opened a wonderful door for him. "I always loved racing, always loved cars. My dad was a drag racer, kind of a weekend warrior-type thing, and they gave me the opportunity to come down, check it out, and I looked at it and liked what I saw."
On January 1st, Brown became part-owner of the Milwaukee Mile. He even took a position as Director of New Business Development. "Got an office, got everything, got pink slips, I can hand them out too," Brown jokes. It's been a great transition and he's having a lot of fun. Brown knows that's not always the case with many players. "You sit around the locker room and guys be talking, 'Yeah when I'm done, I'm done,' but in a year or two, you're like I've got to do something, I can't just sit around the house and look silly or stupid. You got to find something to do, and some guys are very fortunate to get into something they really love to do. So this is one thing I really love to do."
Being a father of three also adds plenty of motivation.
"You don't want the kids to go, 'Dad's sitting on the couch all the time, he don't do nothing,' so you got to get out and do something."
Brown spends his time between Milwaukee and his hometown of Detroit. He says he still gets goose bumps whenever he's in Green Bay. While Brown feels blessed to find a new career, he says nothing will ever match the ten years he spent suiting up for the green and gold.
"No doubt. Reggie White, Brett Favre, all those guys in their prime, winning championships and going to Super Bowls, you can't beat that."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW CAREER IN AUTO RACING
By Jeff Alexander / wbay.com
This weekend the Milwaukee Mile hosts some of the biggest names in Indy car racing. Behind the scenes at the track is another big name -- a big man -- Packers fans will never forget.
Gilbert Brown would give anything for one more season, one more chance for the Gravedigger to reemerge. But at 35 and two years away from football, he's not holding his breath. Rather, he's looking forward. An invitation to be the Grand Marshall at the Milwaukee Mile last summer opened a wonderful door for him. "I always loved racing, always loved cars. My dad was a drag racer, kind of a weekend warrior-type thing, and they gave me the opportunity to come down, check it out, and I looked at it and liked what I saw."
On January 1st, Brown became part-owner of the Milwaukee Mile. He even took a position as Director of New Business Development. "Got an office, got everything, got pink slips, I can hand them out too," Brown jokes. It's been a great transition and he's having a lot of fun. Brown knows that's not always the case with many players. "You sit around the locker room and guys be talking, 'Yeah when I'm done, I'm done,' but in a year or two, you're like I've got to do something, I can't just sit around the house and look silly or stupid. You got to find something to do, and some guys are very fortunate to get into something they really love to do. So this is one thing I really love to do."
Being a father of three also adds plenty of motivation.
"You don't want the kids to go, 'Dad's sitting on the couch all the time, he don't do nothing,' so you got to get out and do something."
Brown spends his time between Milwaukee and his hometown of Detroit. He says he still gets goose bumps whenever he's in Green Bay. While Brown feels blessed to find a new career, he says nothing will ever match the ten years he spent suiting up for the green and gold.
"No doubt. Reggie White, Brett Favre, all those guys in their prime, winning championships and going to Super Bowls, you can't beat that."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------