From Dallas Texas, designer,art teacher for 9 years.

Play footballbasketball soccer and track.

Came to China inAugust 2017.

Join ShanghaiTitans in November 2017.

来自美国达拉斯的设计师，教龄9年的艺术老师

玩转橄榄球，篮球，足球和田径

2017年8月来到中国

同年11月加入上海泰坦

16号Jibril是泰坦的外接手兼安全卫。

第一眼见到他，你也许会被他的大胡子和酷酷的装扮吓到，但他其实是有一点点小内向的大暖男一枚。他辞掉了安稳优越的工作，抱着一颗追寻艺术和时尚的心来到中国。

目前在一所中学当艺术老师，还创立了自己设计的时尚品牌。

虽然Jibril来自美国的橄榄球大州德克萨斯，中学时还和现役的NFL球员一起在校队打球，其实打橄榄球不在他的中国计划之内

直到他遇见了泰坦

E: Howdid you start playing football?

你的橄榄球之路是怎么开始的？

J: I started playing football at 4or 5 years old till college. During my middle school, I played with VonMiller(Denver Broncos) and Cyrus Gray(Kansas City Chiefs). Then I played at oneof the best high schools in Dallas, Texas. My high school is very competitive likecollege, it’s the same school as in the movie “Friday Night Lights”. I playedunderneath Michael Crabtree(Baltimore Ravens). That composition really built metough enough to be able to handle anything outside of Dallas limits.

我从四五岁开始练习橄榄球，一直打到大学。初中时，Von Miller（丹佛野马）和Cyrus Gray（堪萨斯城船长）与我同校，我有幸和他们一起打球。后来我去了达拉斯最好的高中之一，在那里打球激烈程度已经赶上了大学橄榄球，我的学校就像电影《胜利之光》里的高中一样。当时我和Michael Crabtree（巴尔的摩乌鸦）打同一个位置。高中的橄榄球经历让我变得强大，帮助我在离开达拉斯后保持高水准的表现。

E: Howdo you practice in college?

大学里的橄榄球训练是怎样的？

J: I went to the college inAtlanta, Georgia, played football during my first year in college, because Iwas given a scholarship in track, so I switched to track and field later. Wepractice 16 times a week, 2-3 times a day. Early morning we wake up at 1amstarting at 3am to 5am, and then in the middle of the day like 2-5pm, and thenlater 7-9pm, depends on your position.

我在亚特兰大念的大学，当时因为拿的是田径类奖学金，所以大一打完橄榄球之后就转去练习田径了。我们一周训练16次，平均一天2-3次。通常凌晨1点起床，晨训从3点到5点；日训从下午2点到5点；晚上从7点到9点，取决于你的位置。

E: Whatposition do you play?

你通常打什么位置？

J: I played as receiver, safety andalso corner back. Actually my favorite position is safety.

我是外接手，安全卫，也是角卫。其实我最喜欢的位置是安全卫。

E: What’sthe challenge of playing football in China?

在中国打球有什么挑战吗？

J: For me it’s hard because the(rival) teams know about me and they figure out who I am, then they have theirplayers stick me, not just 1 but 3. That makes it hard for me to do what I cando , even though the team is amateur. Another challenge is not letting my teamdown, a lot of pressure.

对我来说有难度，因为对方球队知道我是谁，他们有时会让好几个人来防守我。因此即使对方球队实力很业余，我也很难去做一些平时能做的动作。另一个挑战来自于我给自己的压力，就是不能让我的队友们失望。

E: WhyAmericans are so crazy about football?

为什么美国人这么热爱橄榄球？

J: I grew up with this culture soit’s natural..But for me that’s the only sport that you can do to take out youranger. It's like doing it through sports instead of doing it through violence.A lot of my culture, football is the only way out (of people’s poor situation).Many players come from families with no food no money, so they go to NFL tosupport their family. That’s why it’s so competitive and fun.

我从小在橄榄球文化的环境中长大，所以喜欢打球是很自然的。但是对我来说，这是唯一可以释放自己愤怒情绪的运动。用运动来取代暴力的方式。在我的文化中，橄榄球是许多（家境艰难的）人的唯一出路，不少球员都希望通过进入NFL打球来改善家庭状况。这也是为什么橄榄球的竞争如此激烈有趣。

E: Who’syour favorite player?

你最喜欢的球员是谁？

J: Players..one is Michael Crabtreeand the other is Odell Beckham. I grew up with Michael Crabtree, we went to thesame high school. I like the fact that he doesn’t forget who he is. People goto nfl and forget everybody, but Crabtree still keeps his personality, doingthings regardless of how much money he makes. He is still humble about enteringNFL at a young age.

Of course Odell Beckham is another whole story. He has acertain trait about himself that no one else has. He doesn’t care what youthink about him. I like his confidence, his knowledge of football, and he howhe gives motivation speech. I literally mimic a lot of things from him.

Before every single game, on the bus, I was listening allhis speeches.

Because your imagination is your destiny. So you imagine it, you do it.

球员们..一个是MichaelCrabtree,另一个是Odell Beckham。我和Michael一起念的高中，他在进入NFL后还是保持初心和自己的行事方式，没有因为金钱而变得骄傲自大。OdellBeckham又是完全不同的一个人了。他有一些独一无二的特点，比如完全不在乎别人的看法。我欣赏他的自信，他对橄榄球的理解，还有他的热血励志演讲。很多时候我都在模仿他。每次比赛前，我都会在大巴上听他的演讲。

因为你的命运和你的想象力密不可分。当你一直想象自己做成一件事时，你很有可能就做到了。

E: Whybrought you to China?

为什么来中国？

J: As a designer I want tounderstand how the manufacturing is in China. I want to open up a business formy family back home to run. In order to have a better future, you need to gothrough some roughness. I believe that the harder you struggle, the sweeter theresult will be.

身为设计师，我想了解中国的制造业是什么样的。我想在这里找到机会，让我的家人在美国能够运作我们自己的生意。正所谓先苦后甜。

E: Youlike taking photo with random people on the street?

我发现你很喜欢在街上和路人聊天合影？

J: Hahaha, because I’m a people’sperson. I don’t want the culture here to be scared of when an African Americanman walks up to them. So I want to be able to give a good presentation.Sometimes due to Asian culture, it’s rare for them to be up close to somebodywho is black.

哈哈哈，因为我很平易近人。我不想这里的人们看到非裔美国人靠近他们时会很慌，所以我要做出好的榜样。可能因为亚洲文化的关系，这里的人很少会和黑人走得近。

E: Tellme about your family

说说你的家庭？

J: I have 7 brothers no sister. I’mthe second to last, yeah I know, one of the babies…I’m the first one to leaveUS and live in another country. My father is Muslim, my mother is Christian. Myfather tole me to go out loud, don’t hold back in whatever you do. they told meif I don’t come on top, I’m wasting my time. My parents are strict, and I’mglad they are as we are 8 brothers. I always try to retire my parents early, createwealth and support family. Everything I’ve done is mostly for my family.

我家有8个男孩，我排倒数第二...对..就是家里的小屁孩儿。我是家里第一个离开美国去国外生活的孩子。我的父亲是穆斯林，母亲是基督徒。他们对我们很严格，我很庆幸他们这么教育我们，毕竟我们是8个男孩啊。我父亲告诉我，无论做什么事都要百分百投入，包括打橄榄球。如果我无法做到优秀，那就是在浪费时间。我一直想尽我所能给家里提供经济支持，创造更多财富，让父母早点退休，享受天伦之乐。所有我在这里做的一切几乎都是为了家庭。

E: What’s your favorite Chinese food?

最喜欢的中国食物是？

J: Lamb noodles and lamb sandwich. Alot of Chinese food is cooked with pork grease, I cannot eat pork at allbecause I’m muslim.

（清真餐厅的）羊肉面和羊肉馅饼。中国菜很多都放猪油，作为穆斯林的我完全不能碰。

E: How do you train? Secret to get body in shape?

平时你自己怎么训练呢？有没有保持好身材的秘密？

J:I run 6 miles a week with 40-poundweight vest. I go to weight room 5 times a week, doing intensive training.After training, I eat lamb noodles and lamb sandwich..and a hamburger..and thena protein shake with fruits. I don’t eat candies.

我每周都会穿着40磅的负重背心跑大约10公里，每周去健身房撸铁5次。训练结束，我会吃（最爱的）羊肉面和羊肉馅饼..再加一个汉堡..还有一杯自制蛋白粉果昔。我不吃糖果甜食。

E: Youare writing a book?

听说你在写一本书？

J: It is about how everybody shouldexperience (a form of) poverty to become successful. It’s important that allmen go through hard struggle in order to be able to handle this type ofpressure when they get older with their families. How do you respond to that ifyou have never been under pressure? So in order for me to experience that, Ihave to go to somewhere nobody knows me and parents cannot save me,

是的，这边书是关于每个人该如何经历某种形式的贫穷后获得成功。所有人都有必要在早期经历一些困境，这样当他们建立家庭后就有能力处理生活中的一些压力和重担。如果你一直顺风顺水，从未遇过曲折，你要怎么去面对这些压力呢？对我而言，想要拥有这样的经历，我必须（跳出舒适圈），去一个没人认识我的地方，一个父母无法保护我的地方。

E: Whydid you choose Titans?

为什么选择泰坦？

J: I met someone from Titans in ansocial event when I first got here. He invited me to their game againstNighthawks. As the game was going, I was comparing both teams. I love red, Nighthawksis red, but family is more important than color. When I saw Titans play, I sawa lot of family bonding going on, that attracted me. On the same day, I askedwhen their practice is, then I went to the practice and that’s it.

I enjoy being humble about the game.I enjoy the teaching opportunity and watching each individual grow allthe time.

我刚到上海时在一个社交活动上遇到一个泰坦球员，后来他邀请我去看泰坦和夜鹰队的比赛。在观赛时，我一直在比较两支球队。红色是我最爱的颜色，夜鹰队是红色队服，但是家庭的感觉比颜色更重要。泰坦的球员有很多家人般的默契和联结，这吸引了我。就在那天，我询问了泰坦的训练时间，后来就开始参加训练，加入球队了。

我享受在每一场比赛中都保持谦虚的态度。我享受泰坦给予我教学的机会，看着每一个队友成长。

E: HowTitans changed you? Impact on you?

泰坦给你带来了什么变化？

J: Confidence. Once been askedquestions by local Chinese players, it was so thrill. Once experienced theculture of the team and my Chinese brothers, it gave me more confidence beforeI joined the team. It gives me consistency, because I don’t want to let themdown. It allows me to build my own schedule, I have to work out now, I have tostudy more playbooks. I’m trying to teach the team how to improve, I want themto be better than me. If I haven’t done that job, then I technically failmyself.

自信。每次队友请教我问题时，我简直开心到飞起。在加入泰坦之后我变得更自信了，这种自信让我在球场上表现更稳定，因为我不想让我的兄弟们失望。我变得更主动要求自己，必须去锻炼，必须花更多时间学习战术。我想帮助队友们提高技术，我希望他们可以做得比我更好。如果没能做好这个工作，那我就是失败的。

E: Have you thought about giving up playing?

你想过放弃打球吗？

J: When I gothurt..I don’t have medical insurance, and I’m afraid to see Chinese doctors....butwhen I want to give up, I automatically think of my family. If they were inthis situation, will they give up? Of course they won’t. The Titans family along withDatong keep me encouraged to give more than I can bear. It will bedisgrace and embarrassment to give up.

在我打球受伤时..我在中国没有医保，而且很怕看中国医生。但是当我想要放弃时，我的家人就会出现在脑海中。我想象如果他们在我的处境会放弃吗？当然不会。大同和泰坦大家庭的氛围也让我想要付出更多，即使有时候已经超出了我能承受的范围。

E: Somethingto say to the team?

有什么话要对球队说的？

J: Everyone plays a role. But thehuge inquiry is do they know what role they play? Why they play that role?Until those questions are answered, our team will be more balanced.

Another thing is self-discipline. Self-discipline is the maker orthe breaker to finishing a plan of action.It starts with small things,such as smoking, drinking, candies…it can be a smallest candy, but if you eatthat candy, then eventually you’ll doing something big and break your plan.

每个人都在球队里扮演一个角色。问题是他们是否知道自己的角色？为什么他们是这个角色？如果大家这些问题想明白了，我们球队会更加平衡。另一点是关于自律，所有事的成败都是能归结于此。对自己要求自律可以表现在任何小事上，比如抽烟，喝酒，甜食..即使你只吃了很小一颗糖，但这以后你会放任自己破坏更多规矩，最后打乱了自己的计划。

又到了大家喜闻乐见的彩蛋问题

THA HARDEST QUESTION

在橄榄球和女朋友之间怎么选择？

How do you choose between girlfriend and football?

I have been a nerd all my life, no girlfriends at all untilmy sophomore year of my college. My parents were very strict with me going tocollege. In college, then I joined fraternity and became popular and thingsstart to happen. I don’t feel there’s confrontation between football andgirlfriend, but you have to make sure she knows it’s cool to have her boyfriendplaying football. Who doesn’t want to be afootball star’s girl?

我一直都是个书呆子，一直到大二才交了第一个女朋友。父母在我进大学前对我非常严格。进大学后，我加入了兄弟会，然后生活就不一样了。我不觉得橄榄球和女朋友会有冲突，但是要让她明白做一个橄榄球员的女朋友是一件很酷的事儿。谁不想当橄榄球明星身边的女孩儿呢。