Jack09072016

FFENSE
What more can be written about budding superstar Blake Bortles?
His efforts on the field so far have spoken volumes, and the offensive
performance of the Jaguars once again will rest on his broad shoulders.
QB Blake Bortles:
Armed & compassionate
Hey Jacksonville, do you even know what kind of leader you have in Blake Bortles? Instead of looking on
the field, these gems perhaps provide better measure of the man taking snaps for the Jaguars.
1Drafted out of the University of
Central Florida, Bortles is from
Oviedo, Fla., which also is home to
former University of Florida quarterback
Jeff Driskel and former MLB catcher
Hal King. He was a standout at
Oviedo High School, where he
threw for 5,576 yards and 53
touchdowns. But some of
Bortles’ most memorable
moments took place after his
Friday night varsity games.
On Saturday mornings he
was a volunteer buddy for the
Challenger Football League, which
gave youngsters with disabilities a chance
to play alongside high school players,
creating lasting relationships.
2Bortles put part of his
signing bonus with the
Jaguars to good use,
helping pay the tuition for his
baseball-playing brother
Colby, who attends
Ol’ Miss where he is
majoring in criminal
justice. The younger
Bortles, at 6-5, 235,
is a third-baseman/
DH with a threeyear
average of
.272 with 17
HR, 111 RBI
and a slugging
percentage of
.451.
3The Blake Bortles Foundation was established
in 2016 to support children with intellectual
and developmental challenges in their pursuit
of full, independent lives. It provides support
to first responders, with the goal of improving
their ability to safely carry out lifesaving work.
The foundation accepts grant and scholarship
applications in these areas of work, with an
emphasis on autism. “We can make a huge impact
on many people’s lives. Giving back to my
community, especially children, is really important
to me,” Bortles says. “By showing how I lend my
support, I hope to inspire you to help out in your
communities as well.” To donate: bit.ly/2bSbWm1
4The inaugural Blake Bortles JaxPAL Football
Camp took place in June. It provided 500
local boys and girls the experience of a
lifetime – learning skills like agility, proper stances,
throwing techniques, catching techniques and
much more from current and former NFL players,
city leaders and college coaches. Among the
volunteer coaches were teammates Chad Henne,
Paul Posluszny, Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson,
former NFL players Ernest Wilford and Drayton
Florence, along with Jacksonville Mayor Lenny
Curry and Sylvester Pickney of the Jacksonville
Children’s Commission. The mission of Police
Athletic League of Jacksonville, Inc. is built on
the idea that a young person who respects police
officers is much more likely to respect the laws
they enforce. JaxPAL provides for more than 2,200
at-risk Jacksonville children every year.
5Bortles has captured the imagination of a
rabid fan who makes sure he seems larger
than life – a la Chuck Norris – @BortlesFacts
on Twitter. Here are a couple of samples: Blake
Bortles is undefeated in the Octagon. #UFC200,
and “Peyton Manning retires holding the NFL
records for most passing yards and touchdowns, but
he never beat Blake Bortles.”
Source: Jack research
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jack |
SEPTEMBER 7-20, 2016
PHOTO: ED MULHOLLAND/AP