It’s been ten years exactly since a Barbadian was linked directly with the Super Bowl.
This year, the Rt Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty will be headlining the Super Bowl LVII Half-Time show, but back in 2013, a Barbadian, Ramon Harewood, won a Super Bowl and got his Super Bowl ring when his team, the Baltimore Ravens won the big game.
Loop caught up with the Queen’s College alum Ramon as he and his teammates celebrated the 10-year anniversary of that phenomenal day.
for every me, there are 10 other kids with the same athleticism that can come here
Chatting with the now dad of two, Ramon is a real dad-dad and family-first guy these days.
Throwing his mind back to a decade ago, days after the Super Bowl reunion, we asked Ramon if he can remember how he felt being on that Super Bowl field as a Bajan, he said, “It gave me immense joy and pride.
“Owning that statement it’s not where you start it’s how you finish.”
Thinking about the sacrifices ad overcoming injury to get to that point, he added, “It was just validation for all the summers and Christmases I skipped [at home in Barbados] to stay in Atlanta, embracing the struggle of little money but finding a way to eat and workout and a place to stay.”
10th anniversary Super Bowl reunion (L-R) Sean Considine, Paul Kruger, Ramon Harewood, Marshall Yanda, Dennis Pitta and Pernell McPhee
Whatever you say you are going to do, do it
What was the biggest lesson you learnt while playing in the NFL?
“There is no secret recipe. Folks always ask, how did you get so good? What do you do? It’s just hard work, commitment and discipline to said commitment. That’s not just football, that’s life. Whatever you say you are going to do, do it.
“At the end of every day when you look in the mirror you only got one question to ask yourself – Did you do what you were supposed to do and did you do it to the best of your ability? If you answer that question honestly every day, you’ll be good to go.”
What would it mean to you to hear another Bajan was drafted into the NFL or even the NBA or NFL?
With a slight chuckle, he said, “First, I’d probably feel guilty if I didn’t play my part.” Then he explained why he would love to have a role in getting another Bajan into the League. “Somebody reached back and lifted me as I climbed, so I hope long before this person becomes someone who is on the radars of scouts, I would have had a chance to give the insight I wish I had when I was 15 or 16 or 17. Speaking specifically to football here.”
there is so much to be gained as a country when you have athletes on the world stage
Laughing he added, “But I do have some bball connects as well, so I can definitely facilitate there, but that’s as far as my scope goes.”
“Now to answer the question that you specifically asked, outside of that, what would it mean to hear another Bajan is in the League? The same way you feel when you see any other Bajan athlete on the world stage is exactly how I would feel.
“I don’t think we as a people have a choice but to celebrate each other. You can’t help it.”
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Asked if he would like to see more Bajan and Caribbean athletes doing their thing in the NBA, NFL and even EPL (English Premier League) like how the region’s athletes excel in cricket leagues – CPL, Big Bash, all variations of cricket. He said, “Far as cricket goes, that’s to be expected. Barbados has a long tradition of high-quality cricketers, and football or soccer as we call it over this way, that would be lovely, but the development we lack and to which I alluded to earlier has to be poured in too, somewhere, somehow the government needs to start investing in athletes on a larger scale.
“I know we focus heavily on school and education, but there is so much to be gained as a country when you have athletes on the world stage. Sports are one of the few activities that bring people together!”
And the Morehouse College graduate, who was drafted in the 6th Round of the 2010 NFL Draft, is very much willing to step up to the plate as soon as he figures out the time and how he wants to give back or where he would be most useful.
“The situation [in Barbados] may have changed as I haven’t been back in a while, but I know when I was coming up as compared to what somebody with my talent was doing over here in terms of the workout and the daily regimen — it wasn’t even close. Structured meaningful workouts four to five days a week are the norm here sometimes more.”
So what would his playbook look like for getting another young Bajan on the world stage at the highest level?
Ramon did not hesitate when he told us, “As far as it pertains to what do I do now? I’m raising my kids the best way I know how. Once I get them where they need to be I’ll focus my attention on some sort of student/athlete consulting program where I can use my relationships to get kids in school here.”
How?
“It will be hard to get them football scholarships just off of athletic ability, so the play will have to be academic scholarships with a chance to walk on and prove your worth. Football is such a niche sport when it comes to the Caribbean, so I’m really not sure how to attack it as yet. But what I do know, is that for every me, there are 10 other kids with the same athleticism that can come here and thrive.
“I honestly don’t know if it [my mentorship programme] will be football-based at all. Not sure what the interest is, but there are many other sports where I for sure can give insight into what the top 15 to 18-year-olds over here do and how we can watch that in other sports whether that’s track and field, volleyball, etc etc.”
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