PHOTO GALLERY: RiverCity Rage keeps dream alive for 3 former Missouri football players
Friday, April 24, 2009 | 12:01 a.m. CDT
Parts of Xzavie Jackson's football career at MU still linger in his life. Jackson still wears Missouri football apparel and carries a backpack given to him as a gift at the Brut Sun Bowl in 2006.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
BY Missourian staff
MoreStory
Related Articles
ST. CHARLES — Three former Missouri football players whose dreams of NFL glory have been derailed, end up at St. Charles Family Arena to continue living their dream. Xzavie Jackson, Darnell Terrell and Pig Brown talk about what motivates them to continue playing football — for example, a rehabilitated Achilles injury, a now-deceased father and being cut from an NFL team.
Former Missouri safety Pig Brown spent this season playing for the River City Rage of the Indoor Football League. Brown received an invitation to attend the Green Bay Packers' minicamp this weekend to try out for a roster spot.
¦ MATTHEW CAVANAH/Missourian
Charles Gaines, left, and Pig Brown, middle pursue an opponent during a kickoff at an exhibition game against the Gateway Soul.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
After being named player of the game, Pig Brown waves to the home crowd in appreciation of their applause.
¦ MATTHEW CAVANAH/Missourian
Pig Brown, left, signs a hat for Charles Nelson, 13, right, following the RiverCity Rage's exhibition game against the Gateway Soul on March 16.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
Former MU defensive back Darnell Terrell straps up before an exhibition game. Before joining the Rage, Terrell worked at the Boys and Girls Town of Missouri in Columbia.
¦ MATTHEW CAVANAH/Missourian
Xzavie Jackson bows his head for the pre-game prayer before an exhibition game.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
Despite being turned down by the NFL, Pig Brown, left, still attracts media attention from local sports reporter Rene Knott of KSDK/Channel 5 in St. Louis.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
Former Missouri football players Darnell Terrell, center, and Paul Simpson, right, watch from the RiverCity Rage bench as their offense tries for a touchdown in the exhibition game against the Gateway Soul on March 16 at the St. Charles Family Arena.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
RiverCity Rage fan Devin Lofton, back, dances to "YMCA" by the Village People only a few feet from former Missouri safety Pig Brown, left, on the bench.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
Former Missouri football players Pig Brown, left, Darnell Terrell, center, and Xzavie Jackson, right, keep their entertainment simple with a game of spades with their teammate Dixie Wooten, center right, at Terrell's apartment following a Wednesday night practice. The players of the RiverCity Rage are paid $200 a week, plus a $50 bonus when they win.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
Xzavie Jackson fights his way past an opponent on the Gateway Soul, another team out of St. Louis. Jackson joined the River City Rage after being cut from Philadelphia Eagles. For Jackson, the Rage is an opportunity to stay in shape and build character.
¦ MATTHEW CAVANAH/Missourian
Xzavie Jackson mentally prepares in the locker room at the St. Charles Family Arena before an early season exhibition game against the Gateway Soul.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
Former Missouri safety Pig Brown now plays for the RiverCity Rage arena football team in St. Charles. Brown says he had only recovered to about 80 percent from the injury that ended his senior season at MU when the 2008 NFL draft season began.
¦ Matthew Cavanah/Missourian
»
Contact an editor with corrections or additional information
Leave a comment
Speak up and join the conversation! You can comment below. (Click
here to register.) Please be civil and
refrain from profanities and name-calling; in other words, don't say anything
you wouldn't otherwise say in public. If you see something objectionable,
please tell us which comment and why it should be
removed. When you post, please use your actual name. Read the full comment
policy here.
You must be logged in to comment.
E-mail
Print
Comments