Post by TheShadow on Jun 6, 2007 16:34:48 GMT -5
www.thepresstribune.com/
Raider Hall-of-Famer Fred Biletnikoff's charity golf event brings hope to young women in need
By: Tim Menicutch, Press-Tribune news editor
No more meetings. No more playbooks. No more brash, young wide receiver's dirty looks.
Six months into full-blown retirement and full-time Roseville residency, Fred Biletnikoff - a 1988 NFL Hall of Fame inductee based on his sterling 14-year career as a pass-catcher for the Oakland Raiders - still finds it difficult to take a timeout from life.
These days, his main focus has shifted from guiding gifted professional athletes - he spent 10 years as wide receiver coach for the Raiders - to spearheading the Biletnikoff Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of young women recovering from substance abuse.
Even though it's been nearly 30 years since his sure hands hauled in a pass from an NFL quarterback, Biletnikoff remains completely at ease in the spotlight, as was the case Monday during the third annual Biletnikoff Hall of Fame Golf Classic at Catta Verdera Country Club in Lincoln.
Surrounded by former teammates and even some ex-Raiders who never played alongside the Super Bowl XI MVP, the mere mention of the name Biletnikoff fetched forthright admiration, almost to the point of reverence.
"Fred's a terrific guy," said Gerald Irons, a linebacker and defensive tackle for the Raiders from 1970-75. "He's always been this way, helping people in need."
But Biletnikoff would be the first to admit he's no angel. His roommate and teammate for 13 years with the Raiders, fullback Pete Banaszak would be the second.
"We were in training camp and Fred wanted to sneak out one night after bed check," Banaszak said.
Banaszak told Biletnikoff he was not going because he was too tired.
"Fred said, 'I've got to get out of here and have a few beers.'"
Biletnikoff had a foolproof plan for his great escape.
"He rolled up two pillows and put them under the covers so they'd look like legs. He took another pillow to simulate his body, and used a lamp for his shoulders. He's never had any hair and usually wore a baseball cap to bed anyway, so he put the cap on top of the lamp.
"(Coach John) Madden always did double-bed checks, and he'd always do it himself. He never sent an assistant because he was afraid we'd pay them off," Banszak continued. "After Fred left, I could hear Madden coming down the hall. We could always tell it was Madden because he never tied his shoes and he shuffled. He put the key in the door, opened it and flipped on the light switch.
"And the lamp lit up in Fred's bed - he forgot to unplug it."
Bansazak said Madden just stood there and stared for 5 minutes, turned around and went back to his office.
"At the team meeting the next day, Madden says, "By the way, bed check last night -Biletnikoff, that'll cost you $1,000. Your head lit up,'" Banaszak said.
An old war story aside, Biletnikoff's golf tournament was a smashing success. About an hour before the 11 a.m. shotgun start, Wells Fargo, the major sponsor for the tourney, presented Biletnikoff and his wife Angela with a check for $25,000.
The money will be used to build a Tracy's Place of Hope - a residential treatment center, which addresses substance abuse and its secondary effects - in Placer County.
A former boyfriend murdered Biletnikoff's daughter Tracy when she was 19 years old.
"We are in the initial steps of raising $100,000 for the new Tracy's Place of Hope (there is already one in Burlingame)," Angela said. "We're looking for contributions from many different sources. We've had great support from the community so far, and it's something that's really needed here to give young girls a chance."
About an hour before tee-off time, however, Banaszak - known by his teammates as "Rooster" during his playing days - was giving Biletnikoff only a faint hope of surviving the retirement years while the ex-teammates warmed up side-by-side on the driving range.
"The thing about retirement, the wife will always finds something for you to do," Banaszak chided Biletnikoff. "I heard you're already doing the vacuuming. Be ready, ironing is next ... then you'll be cleaning the toilet, and that's when you know you've hit rock bottom. You ask yourself, what's happened? I used to be the king around here." At least at Monday's golf tournament, Biletnikoff was still king, even if it was only king for a day.
