San Francisco kicks off Black History Month with Super Bowl Champ Desmond Bishop

Desmond Bishop, linebacker with the Super Bowl-winning Green Bay Packers, returned to his hometown and received a Certificate of Honor at this week’s San Francisco supervisor meeting in the spirit of black history month.
San Francisco kicks off Black History Month with Super Bowl Champ Desmond Bishop
LOCAL HERO: Super Bowl champ and SF local Desmond Bishop (with parents at right) receives a Certificate of Honor from Supervisor Malia Cohen (L) in celebration of black history month. (Abraham Thompson/The Epoch Times)
2/17/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015
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LOCAL HERO: Super Bowl champ and SF local Desmond Bishop (with parents at right) receives a Certificate of Honor from Supervisor Malia Cohen (L) in celebration of black history month.  (Abraham Thompson/The Epoch Times)
SAN FRANCISCO—Desmond Bishop, linebacker with the Super Bowl-winning Green Bay Packers, returned to his hometown and received a Certificate of Honor at this week’s San Francisco supervisor meeting in the spirit of black history month.

Supervisor Malia Cohen, representing District 10, awarded the certificate to the local hero.

The award was given “to highlight not only black history month but to highlight the beauty that comes out of the southeast side of San Francisco,” said Cohen, referring to District 10. She continued, “The crime and violence overshadows the beauty that it actually produces.”

Loud roars, howling, and clapping filled the room as Bishop entered the chamber and walked towards the podium with his parents and friends to receive the honor.

“I just want to thank my family and friends for coming out to support me… It’s a testament to what hard work, patience, and dedication can really do,” said Bishop during the meeting.

Bishop was very humble in receiving the award and in winning the Super Bowl: “It means a lot for me to be in this position, but I think it’s bigger than me.”

He sees himself as an example for others and hinted at a higher meaning for his success. “I’m just God’s object to show you that anything is possible. With hard work and dedication anything is possible,” he explained.

Bishop’s fumble recovery in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl shifted momentum to the Packers at a time when the Steelers were within striking distance. Bishop attributed the key recovery to his keen instincts and foresight.

“Before the play, I knew what they were going to run, so when the ball snapped and I seen ‘em coming my way, and I see the ball in the air… It was in slow motion and I could see that nobody knew it was a fumble, so I saw the opportunity and sprinted for it…”

Born and raised in the Bayview Heights area of San Francisco, Bishop played football with the Pop Warner football league and went on to a successful athletic career at UC Berkeley before being drafted by the Packers in 2007.

Bishop ranks receiving this hometown award next to the Super Bowl victory itself. “Since the Super Bowl, this moment right here, to be honored by the city in which I was born and raised…” he said.

In an interview with The Epoch Times Bishop explained his secret of success: “Hard work, dedication, and doing anything it takes to be successful. Anything is possible. If I can do it, than anybody can do it. I was never the smartest, or the fastest, or the strongest…”

When asked how he overcame his shortcomings, without hesitation Bishop strongly replied, “With determination, just being determined and knowing where you are strong at and where you are weak at, and working on the things that you need to work on... Try to improve on it every day.”