Jim Brown still a man with presence

Jim Brown.

Say the name and young people connect it with Amer-I-Can, the empowerment program he founded in 1988 that has become a part of Manatee County's anti-gang campaign.

He'll be the keynote speaker Tuesday at Amer-I-Can's 11 a.m. graduation ceremonies at Braden River High School.

Jim Brown.

When I hear that name, I still think of No. 32 in a Cleveland Browns uniform, slashing his way through NFL defenses as he did for nine years.

He was the best.

We weren't Browns fans where I grew up as a boy in New Jersey, but we were definitely in awe of him.

Whenever the neighborhood kids chose up sides for a pickup game of football, we'd argue over who'd get to be Jim Brown.

Nobody wanted to be the Giants' Alex Webster. Or the Eagles' Tom Woodeshick.

We all wanted to be Jim Brown.

Even if it meant getting gang-tackled by everybody else.

It's amazing to think he's 73 now, but that's cool.

He will still be a commanding presence at Tuesday's Amer-I-Can commencement.

There is only one Jim Brown.