DeSean Jackson: Bigger Than the Game

DeSean Jackson (0:00)

Let's get, let's get, let's get into it.

Loren LoRosa (0:01)

Time to do it. I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody.

Tony Allen (0:05)

You hear that exclusive?

Wanda (0:06)

You know if you don't lie about that, right?

Byron Jackson (0:07)

You already came in hot.

Loren LoRosa (0:10)

Hey y'all, what's up? It's Loren LoRosa, and this is another episode of The Latest with Loren LoRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversations that shake the room, baby. Now today, we are gonna get right on into a conversation that I know will shake the room. I told you guys that it is homecoming season. Delaware State University, our homecoming is this upcoming weekend. Actually, it starts Friday, October 9th, which is tomorrow. Our big homecoming football game is Saturday, October 10th. So that's the day where everybody will be out on the Greek Plot and supporting the football game and the homecoming court, and just all the things. It is such a festive season. It's the welcome home and return home season. But it's like a family reunion. I kicked off my homecoming season a bit different this year. Not with a pregame. We won't get to all that. But I kicked it off in conversation with DeSean Jackson and his brother, Byron Jackson, for his that he has available right now on Amazon Prime called Go Deep. It's the story of his life, his career, his journey, DeSean Jackson, from being a kid, six years old, playing football and trying to figure things out with the help of his dad and his brother to becoming one of the best known, widely known, greatest Philadelphia Eagles of all time, and dominating on other football teams as well too.

But it's really a story about family, about a black father and his fight to really, really ensure that his family understood the greatness that he saw in them, even though he wasn't perfect and what that dynamic created in some of the family ups and downs that they experienced. So I got a chance to be in conversation with them at Biggs Museum of American Art down in Dover, Delaware to kick off the Delaware State University homecoming. For those of you guys who may not know, DeSean Jackson decided about a year or so ago to come to Delaware State University and be our head football coach after he had decided to retire from football. So, you know, it's been such a journey and an amazing journey to watch him, you know, matriculate through that, but also to watch the transformation that is going down on Delaware State University, my HBCU's campus. You know, when you put more eyes on the school and you get some support behind the school, there are amazing things and resources that become available and our black students need it. So I'm all here for it. Let's get into the conversation right now.

Now, important to mention when I talk about transformation at HBCU, Delaware State University is currently under a huge transformation campaign, and it's bigger than just football, it's bigger than just athletics. It's about ensuring that all of our students across these HBCUs have the proper resources and facilities they need to achieve greatness in all pursuits, whether it's academic, athletic, whatever the case may be.

So currently, Delaware State University is raising money because they want to build, they are going to build. They said by fall 2028, DeSean Jackson will be coaching in a new stadium. They call it Alumni Stadium. Their current fundraising goal is $10 million.

Now, currently, Delaware State University needs $5 million more dollars to help complete a $55 million stadium and fieldhouse redesign. Now, that's important for the students, for the athletes, and even for them getting the proper support when it comes to athletics. Because the facility matters, the workout systems, the rehabilitation, all of that stuff matters. And for a lot of students, athletics is their life in college and it's the way that they are literally changing their family's lives. So we want to support that. $2.5 million is for the health and science scholarships that they will be giving out under this $10 million campaign. And $2.5 million is local engagement, particularly in the area around youth sports and things that they want to go out in the community and do on behalf of Delaware State University within youth sports. Now, if you guys are alumni, I am challenging you to give. The stadium is literally called Alumni Stadium. And last night, I talked to the president of Delaware State University, Dr. Tony Allen, who told me currently there's only one alumni who's donated, and it's called Alumni Stadium. Now, I know I got a lot of Delaware State University hornets that tune in that are my low riders.