In the Greater Cincinnati market, the Marvin Lewis Community Fund (MLCF) in collaboration with the Cincinnati Bengals, hosts Football 101.
The event takes place the Thursday of the Bengals bye week – October 29. The cost per ticket is $199 with all the proceeds going to the MLCF.
In 2009, Football 101 will bring more than 450 women to Paul Brown Stadium for a night of football and fun. The doors open at 4:30 p.m. with the event beginning at 5:00 and ending around 9:30. The evening begins with open bar and buffet, silent auction, raffle, mingling and ends with a special award presentation and live auction.
Special guests from the past have included Rudi Johnson, Chad Ochocinco, Solomon Wilcots, Shayne Graham, Tony Stewart, Cris Collinsworth, Merril Hoge and Kelly Washington. The evening progresses with classroom sessions, reviewing actual game film, tours of the weight and training rooms, chalk talk in the locker rooms with the Bengals position coaches, under the hood with an NFL referee and on-field drills.
The Cincinnati Bengals coaches are present to teach everything from throwing a football to how to read the defense. On-field drills include Graham showing how to kick a field goal and the timed race to see who can put an entire Bengals player's uniform on first as they watch themselves on the Jungle Vision.
The evening wraps up with Coach Lewis giving them a little test, the silent auction closes, door prizes are given out, and the bidding on the live auction begins. Each participant will also receive a departing gift that includes a Bengals T-shirt and coupons to various stores.
In 2009 the fifth annual "Pink Football Award" presented by PNC and the MLCF will be awarded to an outstanding Breast Cancer survivor for their strength, courage and perseverance to overcome the devastating disease. Anyone can nominate a survivor on our website in August and September and Peggy Lewis along with her committee will review the applications to determine the winner.
