Jerome Bettis

American football player

Jerome Abram Bettis Sr., nicknamed "The Bus," is a former American football halfback who played for the Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Bettis is sixth on the list of NFL rushing yards leaders.  
source from wikipedia
He was born on Febuary 16 1972 in the United States,Detroit Michigan, weighing 114kg and height 1.80 metres.
His spouse is Trameka Boykin

He is the youngest of three children of Gladys Elizabeth (née Bougard) and Johnnie E. Bettis.Bettis did not start playing football until high school, as his primary passion as a youth had been bowling.He loved bowling. At age 14, he was diagnosed with asthma. He attended Mackenzie high school in Detroit, where he was a standout running back and linebacker. As a senior, he was rated the top player in the state by the Detroit Free Press, and was the Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year award winner.

Bettis lives in a suburb of Atlanta, Roswell, Georgia. He and his family also maintain a home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In July 2006, Bettis married his longtime girlfriend, Trameka Boykin, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The couple has a daughter, Jada, and a son, Jerome Jr., together.
Bettis had made political donations to both Democratic and Republican candidates; specifically the Congressional campaign of Democratic U.S. Representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, and the 2004 campaign of Republican President George W. Bush.^[17] On March 29, 2008, Bettis accompanied Barack Obama on a campaign visit to the US Steel plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania.^[18]
he former Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back is one of the best all-time running backs in the NFL (5th overall in rushing). Jerome Bettis was also the recepient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2001, and expected to be inducted into the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible.

“Football Night In America” NBC Sports Studio Analyst

The Bus Bio Photo
2006 Super Bowl champion Jerome Bettis, one of the National Football League’s most popular players, the fifth best rusher of all-time and a six-time Pro Bowl selection, serves as an analyst for NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show.
“The Bus” finished his NFL career in January 2006 after 13 seasons, retiring immediately following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit.
Bettis ranks fifth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 13,662 yards and is one of six players in NFL history to rush for 13,000 yards. He is one of only eight players in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards for eight or more seasons. He ranks third in NFL history with 3,369 rushing attempts. Bettis was selected to the Pro Bowl six times, including his rookie season.
Bettis finished his college career at Notre Dame averaging 5.7 yards per carry and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams 10th overall in 1993. He was named NFL Co-Rookie of the Year and also earned Sporting News Rookie of the Year and Rams MVP honors. Bettis followed the team in their move to St. Louis in 1995 before being traded to the Steelers prior to the 1996 season, where he spent the remaining 10 seasons of his illustrious career.
Diagnosed with asthma at age 14, Bettis is a tireless advocate for asthma awareness. Bettis also established “The Bus Stops Here Foundation” in 1996 to help improve the quality of life for disadvantaged and underprivileged children. In 2002, he was named the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year for his community involvement and work by his foundation. Bettis and his wife Trameka live in Atlanta, Ga. with their daughter Jada and son Jerome. The Bettises also maintain a home in Pittsburgh, Pa

College Sports:

After graduating from high school in 1990, Jerome Bettis was off to University of Notre Dame where he was signed as a fullback. During his Notre Dame career, Bettis rushed 337 times for 1,912 yards (5.7 yards per carry), and made 32 receptions for 429 yards (13.4 yards per catch).

High School Sports:

Jerome Bettis began his football career, not in little league, but in high school at Detroit’s Mackenzie where he was also a member of the National Honor Society. After watching his parents pay to put his older siblings through college, Jerome looked at football as his ticket to college. As a high school senior, he was the Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year award winner, and selected the top player in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press. He also got his scholarship.

Early Life

Jerome (Roney) Bettis was born in Detroit, Michigan to Johnnie and Gladys Bettis, the youngest of their three children. He was a dedicated student, even in elementary school, and loved to bowl. He also ice skated every winter on a rink his dad made for him in their backyard. He credits much of his success to his loving parents and siblings and the strong foundation they gave him.
Jerome The Bus” Bettis began his football career at the esteemed University of Notre Dame in 1990.
His strong foundation propelled him into the National Football League when he was the picked 10th overall in the first round of the ’93 draft, by the Los Angeles Rams. Jerome’s highly successful rookie campaign garnered him many post-season accolades including NFL, Co-Rookie of the Year honors, Rams MVP and The Sporting News Rookie of the Year. He became 1 of only 8 rookies to rush for 200 yards in a single game and the first Rams rookie to rush for over 1,000 yards since Eric Dickerson. These are just a few of the accomplishments that earned Bettis his first trip to the Pro Bowl. After 3 successful seasons with the Rams what many touted as the, Trade of the Decade saw Jerome moving east to become a Pittsburgh Steeler in exchange for 2 second round draft picks. His first season with the Steelers Jerome rushed for over 1,400 yards including a 220 yard performance against his former Ram teammates.

Jerome Bettis shares asthma game plan

By W. Reed Moran, Spotlight Health
With medical adviser Stephen A. Shoop, M.D.

When Pittsburgh Steeler Jerome Bettis takes to the field, he carries a reputation for letting nothing get in his way. But the all-pro running back known as "the bus" is the first to admit that asthma — a life-long opponent — once had him sidelined, and nearly out of the game.

"In 1997, I had an asthma attack during a nationally televised game," says Bettis. "The fact is I was fighting for my breath and I almost died. It was the most frightening experience I've ever had, but it also served as a turning point in my life."

"Since that day, I've learned to treat my adversary with respect," says Bettis. "And the good news is that once I did, I found I had my opponent under control."

Bettis was first diagnosed with asthma at 15 while in junior high school. "At first I thought it meant I couldn't play sports anymore," says Bettis. "But my parents said I could do anything I wanted in life — as long as I followed my doctor's program."

Bettis relates that while early on he started an effective asthma control program, he let it slip after high school. "Like a lot of kids, I thought I didn't have a problem anymore, and I took my health for granted," says Bettis. "I only took an inhaler when I felt I needed to, and that complacency led to the life and death crisis I confronted on the field in 1997."

"That wake-up call made me face my adversary instead of running from it, and while I like to think I'm winning the game, I've learned that it will never really

Asthma all-stars

Bettis has joined other world-class athletes, including Olympic gold medalists Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Amy Van Dyken, in forming the Asthma All-Stars Program (AASP), a national education initiative co-sponsored by five leading medical and respiratory organizations and GlaxoSmithKline. The goal of AASP is to show that people with asthma can live without limits — but that each patient needs to work with a doctor to create an asthma action plan.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation and constriction of the lower airways. Asthma already affects 17 million people in the USA, and asthma cases are expected to soar in the next 20 years, striking 29 million Americans.

More than 5,000 people die from asthma annually. Asthma also causes nearly a half-million hospitalizations and accounts for more than 10 million missed school days per year.

Dr. Harold Nelson, of the National Jewish Medical and Research Center at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, is concerned that asthma in the USA is currently both underdiagnosed and undercontrolled.

"An enormous percentage of people with asthma don't know they have it and never seek treatment," says Nelson. "And those who do often don't comply with their medical program."

A medically supervised program is the key to living well with asthma, says Nelson. "Parents should not only be aware of the risks asthma poses, but the fact that available treatments can allow patients to successfully manage their condition."

Among recent findings, Nelson points to studies from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) showing that low doses of inhaled corticosteroids are effective over the long term without incurring severe side effects. "We've discovered that inhaled corticosteroids reduce the morbidity associated with asthma — including emergency room visits and missed days of school — while showing no reduction in children's growth."

Nelson is an ardent advocate of increased awareness of initial asthma symptoms as the primary step towards life-long control of the condition. "If your child has a cold or cough that hangs on for weeks, or if you find your child can't keep up with his peers in normal activities, consider these as red flags for an underlying asthmatic condition," cautions Nelson.

For those parents who know their children have asthma, but don't consider it to be serious, Nelson has further advice. "Every child whose asthma forces him to wake up at night more than twice a month, or who has flare ups that last one or two days every six weeks, should be receiving regular treatment," says Nelson.

"Parents then need to incorporate the prescribed treatment as part of the daily schedule," adds Nelson. "Compliance with medication should become as routine as drinking your juice in the morning and brushing your teeth at night. When the program is in place, then it's time for parents to relax."

Game-winning drive

"I look at my asthma like the team I'm going to play against on Sunday," says Bettis. "I train and I prepare to win." Echoing that winning spirit, the NHBLI has developed the following realistic goals asthma patients can achieve with the help of their doctors:

• Preventing chronic asthma symptoms — This includes sleeping through the night and not missing work or school because of asthma.
• Maintaining normal activity levels, including exercise — Asthma shouldn't keep you from doing what you want to do, when you want to do it.
• Having normal or near-normal lung function.
• Having minimal or no side effects while receiving medications.
• Being satisfied with the continued level of care and asthma control you receive — If handled with care, daily control of asthma symptoms should be the norm, not the exception.

Bettis and the AASP advise that successfully treating asthma requires creating a game plan in partnership with your doctor. Doctors should serve as "coach;" patients are the ones "in the game" and have an equally large role in controlling their condition.

If you have asthma, it's your job is to:

• Avoid your triggers — You can help prevent asthma symptoms by identifying and avoiding the things that make your asthma worse. Ask your doctor how to do this.
• Take your medications — Long-term medications prevent symptoms from occurring in the first place, but they do not relieve sudden symptoms. Conversely, quick relief medications do not treat the underlying causes of asthma.
• Monitor your asthma — Asthma can change over time. Keep track of your level of control and share this information with your doctor at least every six months.
• Create or update an asthma action plan with your doctor — Take your plan with you to each doctor visit, and have it adjusted as necessary.

"The only way to get a grip on your asthma is through education, awareness, and discipline," says Bettis. "I tell parents, 'If your kid's having trouble breathing, then it's time to set up an appointment with a doctor.'"

Bettis also wants kids to know that even the toughest guys can fumble away the game when they ignore their asthma. "I learn from my mistakes, and avoid the negative consequences. Today I'm proof that if you manage your asthma right, it doesn't have to get in the way of your game."

Born: February 16, 1972 (age 41), Detroit, Michigan, United States

Weight: 114 kg

Height: 1.80 m

Spouse: Trameka Boykin (m. 2006)

Position: Running back

Education: University of Notre Dame, Mackenzie High School

You won your first Super Bowl ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year. Was it tough to retire, or great to leave the game on the highest of notes?
After playing for 13 years and winning in my hometown, it was easy to walk away. I have no regrets. My career dreams were fulfilled.

You are one of 20 million Americans who have asthma. Did you need to take special precautions before playing football?
Yes, I took a nebulizer treatment before every game and worked closely with my doctors and team physicians to come up with a healthy game plan. Plus, I take my meds daily.

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You had a serious asthma attack on the field once, didn't you?
In 1997 I had such a terrible attack I almost died. I was playing in Jacksonville, Fla., it was late in the game, and the weather was really humid, which is bad for asthma. My lungs tightened and I had to be rescued -- I was given a nebulizer treatment on the sidelines. Back then my asthma was uncontrolled, I didn't take it seriously. I did from that point on.

What advice can you give to others dealing with the challenge of asthma, to keep them physically active?
Get educated. Work closely with your doctors to determine how in control your asthma is. The results will help you create your own game plan to keep you active.

Has your diet changed since retirement?
I'm a big guy. I like to eat. I have to eat less now. That's it.

Continue reading below...

What foods do you go for most, and what do you try to avoid?
My downfall is oatmeal raisin cookies. I stay away from shellfish because I'm allergic to it.

How about your training regimen? Have you taken up any new sports?
I just retired in February! I haven't had time to take up new sports! But I do train regularly to maintain my health.

You endured one of the most physically punishing careers on the planet. Do you have ongoing aches and pains from your career?
Every day. But the key is staying active, loose, and limber.

Do you have favorite techniques for pain management?
Stretching. You have to stretch. I played for 13 years because I'm flexible, I'm limber. Also, massage therapy is great.

How did you get your nickname, "The Bus"?
At Notre Dame whenever I scored I always dragged a few players with me into the end zone, so they used to chant it in the stands. It disappeared when I played for the Rams, but when I was traded to the Steelers, the broadcaster Myron Cope dug it up, and the nickname was reborn.

Tell us about the Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation and its "Cyber Bus" program.
It's my charitable foundation. When I came to Pittsburgh the city gave me so much, and I wanted to give back. Its mission is to help underprivileged kids, to give them the same opportunities I had. We give out scholarships, offer mentorships and college prep classes, and the "Cyber Bus" program teaches computer literacy to kids who don't have access to computers.

Jerome Bettis

Pittsburgh Steelers' running back Jerome "The Bus" Bettis began his career in the National Football League (NFL) in 1993 as a first-round draft pick for the Los Angles Rams. After years of dazzling fans and opponents on the field and reaching league rushing milestones, many might be surprised to find out he has tackled asthma control with equal success all of his life.
Jerome was diagnosed with asthma at age 14 after passing out and being rushed to the hospital during his high school football practice in Detroit. Rather than discontinuing his play, his mother encouraged him to keep playing and follow his doctor's orders to keep symptoms under control. He has since gone on to become one of the most talented and respected players in the NFL.
Despite having been symptom-free for years, Jerome suffered a major asthma attack in 1997 during a nationally televised game. Jerome has faced his asthma head-on, and worked with his doctors to map out a game plan to help him control his asthma on and off the field.
"Even the hardest hitting players in the National Football League cannot take my breath away like asthma. I have felt the effects of uncontrolled asthma firsthand, and patients should know they don't have to let asthma stop them. That's why educating Americans about asthma control is so important to me."
On the field, Jerome's early stellar play with the Rams resulted in winning the 1993 NFL "Rookie of the Year" award and MVP honors for the Los Angles Rams. He has also earned multiple trips to the NFL Pro-Bowl. In 1996, in what has been called the "Trade of the Decade," Jerome was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Shortly after becoming a Steeler, Jerome earned MVP honors for the Steelers, and was named "All-Pro" by College & Pro Football Weekly and USA Today. He also became a member of the All (John) Madden Team, and took a third trip to the Pro-Bowl. Since becoming a Pittsburgh Steeler, Jerome has played in five Pro-Bowls, including this year's February 2005 match-up. Jerome is the fifth all-time leading rusher, and in 2004 advanced to the AFC championship game, where the Steelers came up short against the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
Jerome has been successful off the field as well. He started "The Bus Stops Here" Foundation to help improve the overall quality of life for troubled and underprivileged children. By surrounding children with role models, opportunity, and resources, he wants to let children know that anything is possible with hard work and determination. In 1997, Jerome received the "Pittsburgh Dapper Dan Man of the Year Award" for his work on social issues in the community. Jerome continues his campaign for community involvement with continued support of various programs and endless work by his Foundation. He was acknowledged by the league for his work and named "2002 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year."

Biography:
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-09-04-bettis-asthma.htm\

http://www.webmd.com/asthma/features/football-hero-tackles-asthma

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jerome-bettis.html