Philadelphia, PA (The Sports Network) – “As soon as the Mickey Charles Award for the outstanding student/athlete in the FCS was announced,” stated Phil Sokol, Director of Operations for The Sports Network, “we were the recipients of a literal deluge of congratulatory and complimentary messages from New York to London, Philadelphia to Paris, Detroit to Macau, Las Vegas to Rome. All were indicative and reflective of Mickey’s standing in so many areas, not just sports. The tribute accorded him is not only the award, a forever legacy, but the acknowledgment by so many of national and international stature that have reached out to us, speaking of what he represents.
“We at The Sports Network can only echo that which has come to us as a result of the announcement, and share same,” he continued. “Many of us, for some three decades, have watched what The Sports Network is, and has become, on a global basis.”
The Sports Network currently presents what is generally acknowledged as the second most sought after and prestigious award in college football, The Walter Payton. Shortly after that was introduced, 28 years ago, came the Eddie Robinson for coach of the year, then the Buck Buchanan for defensive player in the FCS and, most recently, the Jerry Rice for freshman of the year. Winner of each, are a literal who’s who of NFL stalwarts today and in years past…names like Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jared Allen, Dexter Coakley, and a host of others.
By adding The Mickey Charles Award.,” noted Craig Haley, Executive Director of the FCS for TSN, we have achieved a new dimension and have added academics to athletic talents with the former being the primary factor in selecting a recipient.”
TSN has made early responses to the announcement of the Mickey Charles Award available while Messrs. Sokol and Haley have indicated that those shared are just the “tip of the iceberg.”
Mickey Charles is one of our sports crazed nation’s most astute experts. But he is much, much more than that – he is an incredibly caring person who has done so much to help so many.
Governor Ed Rendell
The MGM family has known Mickey and his lovely wife, Roz, for over 30 years. We are all very excited to hear of his recognition for a lifetime of work and can only define him as a “class act.”
Bill Hornbuckle / President, MGM Resorts International
With the knowledge of the award being given, Karl and I would like to say Mickey Charles should also get an MVP award – that’s how important he is to sports!
Sally Jesse Raphael/TV/Radio Personality
The National Hockey League congratulates Mickey Charles on the creation of an award that will bear his name and will honor an FCS student’s successful combination of athletic achievement and academic excellence. A disruptor long before that term became trendy, Mickey is a scholar when it comes to sports business and a life-long friend of innovation. Mickey has a personality as big as the sports world and a heart that’s even bigger; it is a delight to see him recognized for decades of entrepreneurship, his devotion to education and his relentlessly positive approach to life.
Gary Bettman, Commissioner/NHL
Mickey is a true gentleman, and the success of The Sports Network for these many years has been a credit to his vision, hard work and commitment. I am proud to call Mickey a friend and a colleague.
Ron Jaworski
“A great deal of credit is owed to Mickey Charles for having the foresight to establish the FCS Awards through The Sports Network, which afforded small colleges opportunities to expose their outstanding and talented football players and coaches to a larger network. Buck would have been proud to know that his accomplishment has been kept alive through The Sports Network in order to help others. The new academic award is a natural progression of the awards.”
Georgia Buchanan, Presenter of the Buck Buchanan Award
About The Sports Network
The Sports Network (www.sportsnetwork.com), North America’s foremost international real-time sports wire service, furnishes a wide range of content on a 24/7 from statistics to news, weather and injury reports to instant scores, branded product and Gamecasts, photography and complete fantasy coverage data, domestic or world-wide, radio or TV, print or Internet, mobile to signage, TSN leads the way. More information on the awards can be found at .FCS28
