On a brutally hot July day at Berhman Stadium in Algiers, two NFL stars worth millions were conducting a free football camp for about 150 local youths.The players were Pittsburgh Steeler safety Ryan Clark and Cleveland Brown tight end Robert Royal, two players quite familiar with New Orleans.
“A lot of times around here you don’t get to see the guys or touch the guys that play in NFL, or that’s come from this area to make it,” Clark, a 1997 graduate of Archbishop Shaw, said.
“We just decided we just wanted to come back here and give back to the community," Royal, an Edna Karr alum, told FOX 8 Sports. “And let them know a lot of people from NORD are doing a lot of positive things.”
Their respective careers have taken them to five different cities, but for these local players their home state and alma mater is always in their hearts.
“It’s always a good time to be an LSU Tiger,” Royal said. “I brag all the time.”
“That’s all we do is win right now,” Clark jokingly boasted. “LSU is like Pittsburgh Steelers, we just stack championships.”
Clark would know, he played a pivotal role in the Steelers last championship, Super Bowl XLIII in February. Clark put his stamp on the team’s season with two ferocious hits on Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker and Ravens running back Willis McGahee. He said going into the 2009 season as defending champ is something he is looking forward to.
“It’s fun going into the season to defend. It’s a different feeling,” Clark, who has played for three different NFL teams, said. “You’re excited to defend knowing you’re going to be the hunted.”
