Ken Hambleton: Schlesinger making a difference off the field

Somewhere there is a bully who can look back and thank goodness that Cory Schlesinger doesn’t remember his name.

“When I was in junior high, I was about 85 pounds and there was a guy who bullied me around in P.E.,” Schlesinger said. “I think that experience changed me.”

Schlesinger grew up to become a legendary fullback with Nebraska and, later, the Detroit Lions.

A trim 245-pound, rock-hard blaster, who was annually named to the All-Madden teams, Schlesinger became a role model. He broke more than a dozen helmets and about 20 facemasks a season —  his own, with his hard hits.

The Columbus native was always the “true” Husker.

He worked for the family’s garbage hauling business. He drove demolition derby cars on weekends.

He earned the nickname “Rockhead” and “Sledgehammer” through a 12-year pro career. In the 1995 Orange Bowl, he rumbled through the Miami Hurricane defense for two of the most famous fourth-quarter touchdowns in Nebraska history.

Now, he’s running interference for high school kids.

Schlesinger retired from the NFL last year. He returned to Detroit, and started the MVP (Mentors in Violence Prevention) at three Detroit area high schools.

“I ran into Cory at various functions ever since I met him when he was given the Ed Block Courage Award by the Lions a few years back,” said Beth Morrison, CEO of HAVEN, a program for abused and battered women.

Schlesinger, with the financial support of Detroit Auto Dealers, now works with more than 100 athletes at three Michigan high schools.

“I have no tolerance for abuse and neither should anybody else,” he said. “I’m not preaching but I am asking the kids to think about how they can step in and make a difference.”

Schlesinger, a substitute teacher in Lincoln in the past, goes over the  question of ‘What do you do?’ when facing a situation of gender violence, confrontation, harassment, abuse or bullying.

“Why use these guys? Because athletes, for the most part are somewhat role models in their schools,” he said. “If you see a guy push a girl into her locker, if you see a guy who is too rough with somebody, you can step in and defuse the situation. A simple ‘Wait a minute,’ and ‘Think about what you’re doing,’ can make a difference.”

The new program works, said Morrison.

 “Cory is a name most of the kids around here know and respect,” she said. “Kids are comfortable with him. They are leaders in many ways and they wield a certain amount of power in school.”

Schlesinger said the NFL has similar programs.

“Look at the teams that don’t have off-field distractions, incidents, and you see the teams, like the Patriots, who have similar programs to prevent violence,” he said.

The high-school athletes are given a test of sorts in facing different situations of abuse and violence.

“I ask about options and about how they can help,” Schlesinger said. “There is no one way, no perfect way because each situation is different.

“But you can do something positive. I read about the recent deal at Nebraska, with Andy Christensen’s arrest. If a friend or a teammate had been able to say, ‘Don’t let five seconds ruin somebody else’s life, ruin your life.’ If somebody had been there when we had guys in trouble in my days at Nebraska saying, ‘Look at what you’re doing to that person, look at what you’re doing to yourself,’ it might have made a difference.

“I worry about somebody being there if one of my daughters (Natalie 9 and Leah 7) runs into a problem,” he said.

Schlesinger would like to bring his program to Nebraska. “I’d love to come back to Nebraska and teach someday, too,” he said. “I’d liked to make a difference.”

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or  khambleton@journalstar.com.