PiPress: Peter Mortell outkicking life's coverage; NFL teams doing background checks

[BleedGopher]

per Greder:

High school football coach John Nowak has received letters the past few weeks from the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders. He has visited with the Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL teams are doing background checks on Gophers punter Peter Mortell, who was a "squirrelly" freshman when he walked into Nowak's weight room at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay, Wis., in 2007.

When Nowak looked at the letters, he paused.

"I just sat in my office," he said, "and thought for a bit about where he has come from."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci...rce=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Go Gophers!!

 

[killme]

Great story about what's happening and I'm sure it will be told several times before this season is done. Winning a national championship would fall far short of this victory we've already achieved and will keep reproducing.

 

[GoldenRodents]

Hope he is the next (Ray) Guy.

 

[Iceland12]

OUTSIDE FOOTBALL

When the Gophers made the Citrus Bowl last season, players were given $452 gift cards to Best Buy. Instead of buying something for himself for Christmas, Mortell purchased video game consoles, DVDs, radios and books for children at St. Joseph's Home for Children in Minneapolis.

"I was blown away," said Tina Palmer, vice president of development for Catholic Charities. "It was an incredibly generous act. There are not a lot of young people in his position that would get such an amazing gift and then turn around and give it to kids that don't have anything."

The purchases didn't go directly to the kids but were ones that all the kids could use at the home. It's a gift that continues to give.

"I go and buy a new TV or new headphones, sure, but eventually those things break, they wear down," Mortell said. "But the memories I could create by donating to St. Joseph's, that's something that they will never be able to take away from them or me."

Mortell said his giving spirit comes from his mother Ellen, who puts on monthly birthday parties for people at a homeless shelter in Green Bay.

"There is cake, board games, all donated," he said. "It's special. I'm proud of her for that."

Mortell has been a part of many team- and university-related charity events and will step up his efforts this season. He and kicker Ryan Santoso will volunteer weekly at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital.

"I work with a lot of pro athletes, and it was cool that he's doing this on his own accord," said Nick Engbloom, development officer at the University of Minnesota Foundation.

Santoso said he and Mortell have a common understanding.

"We aren't meant to always play football," Santoso said. "Kids are struggling. We have to make them happy. We have the opportunity, and I think we need to take advantage of our free time."